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Baby names

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Original poster

Phoebe or Meredith?

32 replies

Lora69 · 12/08/2010 23:20

Hi ladies, please can you help me choose between my final two...

Phoebe Shailes
Meredith Shailes

The mn's I am thinking* of are

Meredith Raine or Meredith Willow
Phoebe Willow or Phoebe Elizabeth

What are your thoughts? Brother will either be
Henry James or Zachary Robert (if that matters?!)

thanks x x

which name would you yourself rather be called, which do you prefer said aloud???

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BuntyPenfold · 04/09/2010 23:41

I don't want to be unkind but you wouldn't think Phoebe was ethereal if you knew what a little friend is constantly called - BEEFY. AAArrgh

VerityBrulee · 04/09/2010 15:05

Phoebe Willow is beautiful. I have a Phoebe, she is my 3rd child. For my other two I had long lists of girls names but Phoebe was never on the list, I have no idea why. Anyway they were both boys. When I had my 20 week scan with dd and the sonographer and 2 doctors who had a look were all sure the baby was a girl, I remember phoning dh to tell him and saying 'I think we'll call her Phoebe' I just popped into my head and that was that Smile

Hankypanky · 03/09/2010 22:52

Ooh, I'm blushing now! Glad to have taken part in the ponderings! Phoebe Willow Shailes is a fantastic name which is very strong whilst unique.

My parents would not have been able to process anything as far-fetched as name changing. To them it would have been a fancy, odd thing to do no matter how much a person didn't like their name. I am very Envy that you got to do it at 10yo!

I feel strongly that names influence our lives, no just class associations, but the rhythm and flow, the tongue-twisting elements, the odd combinations, how strong/convicing it is (which is why I believe in going the whole hog) etc, all have a really subtle influence on how we are perceived. Oddly I love scanning lists of names just for pleasure, to see what works and what doesn't. Is there a name for name-obsessed people? Wink

Original poster
Lora69 · 03/09/2010 22:16

Agree, takes a lot to change ur name- but i did this when i was 10 at a solicitors lol. and i think as parents you would know early on whethe ryou made the right choice, and if not you could use the mn gradually instead at a suitable age. but i am in love with Phoebe Willow Shailes now so thats it!! :D

THANKS so much X X X

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Original poster
Lora69 · 03/09/2010 22:15

oh you are wonderful! such thoughtful consideration of my name choices, you sound as name obsessed as me! yipee!
I totally understand what you mean about going the whole hog with Willow and not Elizabeth- Elizabeth would always feel like a compromise whereas Phoebe Willow Shailes flows beautifully and is more ethereal :) Thank you for the lovely compliments on my surname! Made me blush, chuffed you think its a nice name to play with- its much better than my maiden name!!

Elizabeth doesnt have any major significance to me or my partner, other than my mums best friend when she was a young woman was named Elizabeth. I like Willow due to the nature undertones, have liked it since I read up on Wiccan magic when I was a teen, and maybe from Buffy lol. A weeping Willow tree actually grows strong outside my parent in laws lovely home :) A branch from the Willow tree was often used in wands for the magical properties of the tree, including fertility :) Not sure whether i 100% believe in it, but i love the mystery and history of it all..

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Hankypanky · 03/09/2010 21:44

Ah! I know why it doesn't grab me the same... it's because the Elizabeth also has the "th" that Meredith does, so it blurs the Shailes (which I love love love). Whereas Phoebe Willow Shailes are all very distinct and can be said fast without pausing to allow for distinction (my internal test!)

Hankypanky · 03/09/2010 21:36

Good points. I like Elizabeth but it just... knocks the mystery and beauty out of Phoebe -- Shailes. I think that with great names like Phoebe and Shailes you should go the whole hog with conviction whereas Elizabeth feels... plonked because it's sensible. (sort of). (I mean who is to know it isn't a family name passed down to every female, but..)

If I had the fab surname of Shailes to play with, and a prospective DD to call Phoebe, I would totally indulge myself and go with the Willow as well because it's just such an exciting combination of names.

Phoebe Willow Shailes. It just works. Even the rhythm is right. Dum-de, Dum-de Dum. It finishes on such a triumphant and decisive note. I want to know a Phoebe Willow Shailes!! Whereas, Phoebe Elizabeth Shailes is more winding and doesn't grab me the same. (IMVVVVVHO) Smile Still very lovely of course.

On the plus side if she isn't a "Phoebe" sort of girl and is would prefer more of a traditional name, then Elizabeth is good to have as a stand by middle name. But no matter how much I didn't like the way my first and second name fitted together (and in fact much preferred my second name) it always seemed to daring/there was never the right time to say "Oh, I want to be known as XX". It takes a brave person to cast aside their first name as your identity is so steeped in it. I still wish I had but too late now!

Sorry for long post but I {heart} working out perfect names, and admiring prettier ones than my own!

Original poster
Lora69 · 03/09/2010 19:55

Interesting you should have a siimilar sound problem hanky, you do have to pause somewhat in order to separate the names, they sort of roll into one another a bit dont they? I would worry a little that the 'th' would become 'MeredIFF' for those with lisps/young children/certain accents, and that just loses its class..!

I think Willow is more beautiful with Shailes than Elizabeth is- but the plus of Elizabeth is that it is a good solid name in case she 'isnt' a Phoebe and has a different feel to Phoebs so she can revert to that if she really wanted to.. Its a tricky one!

I'm imagining telling my Phoebe Shailes, 'PS I love you' now aww do you get it lol.

Initials wise aswell, Meredith would be MS!! :( But no one in our families has come by the name, so it would be truly 'ours', whereas there is a 2nd cousin or something like that on his side who is Phoebe. Phoebe is becoming more popular now, tho not as popular as my teen fave name Jessica!!

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Hankypanky · 03/09/2010 19:35

Phoebe Willow is absolutely lovely

They complement each other in terms of quirky yet pretty. And Shailes is the perfect surname to top it off.

I'm not a fan at all of Meredith, (to me) it's not a charming name. I think it's the "dith" which is a bit harsh. It also seems a bit intense.

I agree that the "dith" then the "Sh" of the Shailes is a bit of a tongue-twister. Having had one of these tongue-twister names myself with my maiden name, I often though my parents couldn't have said it out loud much before using it; it required an unnatural and distinct pause before first and last name to sound ok Hmm. It'll be the same with Meredith Shailes.

No such problems with Phoebe Shailes. Absolutely lovely Smile

BTW I love Henry James to go with Smile.

BubbaAndBump · 03/09/2010 19:28

Phoebe Elizabeth (and brother Zachary) - both really lovely and traditional without being boring. A friend has Phoebe, with 'Bee' as a nickname and she is just gorgeous.

They go really well together too.

(but if you're going to be 'kooky' with Willow, I'd probably opt for something 'kooky' too with Zachary's middle name)

Original poster
Lora69 · 03/09/2010 19:18

shamelessly bumping for any further feedback :)

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Original poster
Lora69 · 18/08/2010 00:13

Thanks girls, I think I believe that Phoebe is more 'our family' than Meredith, though i do love it is isnt as light and friendly as Phoebe, its more serious somehow plus there is the TH -SH tongue overlap!

I cant decide to go with the traditional, universally used/like Elizabeth as mn, or be more kooky with Willow..

Trying to think what would she prefer herself lol! xxx

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LetThereBeRock · 17/08/2010 20:22

Meredith is lovely.

mathanxiety · 17/08/2010 20:11

Phoebe flows a lot more smoothly with the surname Shailes than Meredith does. I think 'Meredith Shailes' is a bit of a mouthful -- it's the TH-SH combination.

I love the sound of Phoebe Willow Shailes.

Atlasive · 17/08/2010 19:35

Phoebe Willow :)

MammyG · 14/08/2010 20:43

My baby (due in 5 weeks) will be Phoebe Elizabeth or Phoebe Katherine so you know where my vote lies!!
Fab taste by the way!

Original poster
Lora69 · 14/08/2010 19:33

yep, i think i tend to agree- the Elizabeth makes Phoebe a little more grown up and 'serious'. Elizabeth is a classic name as is James (my OH's name) so Phoebe Elizabeth and Henry James work well..

With Zachary, I cant decide whether Phoebe or Meredith suit it better, as I think maybe Zach and Phoebe as they sound a little 'wacky' together :)

Henry and Meredith is more traditional sounding
Zachary and Meredith are quite long together..

hmm Phoebe Meredith Shailes or Phoebe Elizabeth Shailes.. I think I prefer the latter, even though it is a little more safe. I used to think Elizabeth was just so boring..!! I guess it is a little, every one of my generation has the mn Elizabeth, Louise, or Jane (I'm a Jane)

Elizabeth was the name of my mums best friend from childhood, and cared for my nana when she went to a nursing home xx

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zenoushka · 14/08/2010 14:34

Phoebe Elizabeth and Henry James are both lovely.

suspiria · 14/08/2010 14:32

Phoebe Elizabeth and Henry James compliment each other
Zachary Robert and Meredith Willow fit together as well.I'd prefer Meredith Wren.I don't like Raine,it gives Meredith a matronly feel.

autodidact · 13/08/2010 07:05

Phoebe Elizabeth is the best.

Original poster
Lora69 · 13/08/2010 06:57

ok, i see Meredith as a hippy-ish name, and take that as a compliment as mummy is a bit of a hippy ;)

OP posts:
proudfoot · 13/08/2010 01:23

Phoebe Elizabeth and Henry James

I like Meredith but not with the middle names in your post (too hippy)

Original poster
Lora69 · 13/08/2010 00:33

hahaha, ooh you are all so persuasive!!! :O

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asmurfstolemyheart · 13/08/2010 00:09

I would choose Meredith. Lovely name and Henry is fab too.

ElephantsAndMiasmas · 12/08/2010 23:59

My name ends in th and no-one ever seems to find it hard to say. Except French people, but they just change it to a sexy zz sound.

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