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Baby names

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Original poster

I can't use my frontrunner, can you help with a girls shortlist please?

39 replies

Tortoiseonthehalfshell · 18/05/2011 02:01

My front runner is Constance Isolde, but I can't use Constance as a first name for irrelevant but non-negotiable reasons. Isolde Constance doesn't sound as good to my ear. While I adore adore adore Isolde, several of my friends think it looks nice but sounds 'clunky' and for sure she'd have to spend her life explaining/spelling it to people, it's incredibly obscure here in Australia. So I'm inclined to keep it as a second name, but can be persuaded otherwise.

With all that in mind, would you look at this list, which has already been savagely pruned by both my husband and my own long list of picky rules,
and tell me what your favourite combination is? My surname is 4 syllable and starts with an A, if that makes any difference.

Agnes
Anne
Briony
Constance
Felicity
Isolde
Lucy
Tabitha

Thank you!

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Original poster
Tortoiseonthehalfshell · 25/05/2011 03:44

It's #16 in my State. But that doesn't count it out as a second name, I don't think it matters how common a second name is (unless it is Rose).

Now I'm trying to think whether or not I want to avoid A names, because my surname starts with A. Do you think alliterative names sound dodgy?

OP posts:
zukiecat · 23/05/2011 14:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Tortoiseonthehalfshell · 23/05/2011 14:09

Oooh, psychology AND masterful behaviour, I like it. Thanks.

(Sorry, sorry, it's the pregnancy hormones, it does Odd Things to me)

OP posts:
devoncreamtea · 23/05/2011 13:09

I'm going to go all psychological on you...I think you know that you want Isolde Constance, which is an utterly beautiful name - I think so and so will lots of other people. Go with your gut instinct, then you won't regret it! I speak as someone who wanted a Greta, but got an Emma - beautiful name, suits her, but not what I FELT she was called in those first weeks. Go for it!

Original poster
Tortoiseonthehalfshell · 23/05/2011 12:52

I'm so confused now.

Felicity Isolde
Felicity Constance
Isolde Constance
Briony Constance
Felicity Agnes

DD1 was much easier than this.

OP posts:
devoncreamtea · 23/05/2011 12:46

Out of your list I like Agnes and Tabitha best. However, Isolde is a lovely name, if you really want it have it - it's not clunky at all.

rocksox · 23/05/2011 11:50

I love Felicity - I knew a tomboy Felicity who shortened it to Fizz

Wish I'd thought of it for DD2

PedigreeChump · 23/05/2011 11:45

Briony, Lucy and Felicity are all my cup of tea.

How about Naomi?

freesias · 23/05/2011 09:08

Agnes ok and nn aggie quitecute
Anne boring but inoffensive
Briony sweet but sounds too like briney as in sea for my liking
Constance like but not keen on connie
Felicity lovely meaning , sweet dislike nn flick
Isolde sounds too like is older for my taste
Lucy nice but very ordinary
Tabitha love

EllenJaneisnotmyname · 23/05/2011 00:57

Felicity is a bit 1950's but that's not a bad thing. My friend's DD is nn Fizzy, which suits her.

Anne is the French version of the older and more classic English Anna. In the 60's the French spelling was often preferred, Julie, Michelle etc.
Tabitha makes me think of Twitchit.
Briony is very pretty, but the boy's name Brian is not so pretty.
Agnes and Constance a bit staid old lady for my taste.
Isolde as a first name may get 'I sold a' used car jokes, but everyone gets teased about something. It's unusual, but not outrageous.
Lucy is nice, but different to all the other names in that it's fairly popular.

excellentadventure · 22/05/2011 23:07

The only one I like from your list is Lucy (not that it matters what I or anyone else likes) but another name I like that sounds a bit like Lucy and keeps the 'virtue' theme of Constance is

Mercy

dexifehatz · 22/05/2011 15:30

Felicity wins [ours is a Felicity Faith aged 2] Grin

ChippingIn · 20/05/2011 00:03

Agnes - please NO - unless you buy her a pair of saggy thick brown tights
Anne - boring
Briony - I like the sound of it, but keep looking for another way of spelling it that I like more. I don't like the io
Constance - you can't (no loss :) )
Felicity - the nicest on your list, lots of nice nn's
Isolde - I know you love this, but I don't! He Sold/I Sold jokes - sorry.
Lucy - OK, a little boring
Tabitha - CAT

So Felicity wins hands down Grin

jellybeans · 19/05/2011 23:50

It's just personal taste. I didn't used to like Agnes but it has grown on me. I don't really see it as old lady but definately do with Constance. Perhap it is influenced by all the 'old grannys' I know of that name!!

cowboylover · 19/05/2011 04:17

I like the Felicity option from your list.

My Mums friend is a very tom boy Felicity goes by the NN flea so not frilly

Original poster
Tortoiseonthehalfshell · 19/05/2011 01:27

Jellybeans, how can you say Constance is old lady but love Agnes? Agnes is the old-lady-est of them all!

OP posts:
fairieswearboots · 18/05/2011 22:50

Felicity Anne

MelinaM · 18/05/2011 22:03

...just ignore the catty remarksGrin

MelinaM · 18/05/2011 22:03

Tabitha Isolde for meSmile

jellybeans · 18/05/2011 21:45

Agnes...love it
Anne...dull
Briony...love it
Constance....old lady but like just Connie
Felicity....dislike
Isolde...dislike
Lucy...love it
Tabitha...love it

ClipArt · 18/05/2011 17:00

Anne is definitely a classic and not overly popular at the moment. Why not use it as a first name? Certainly a refreshing change.

nochy · 18/05/2011 16:23

Anne is my middle name and i don't like it. It feels so frumpy and i often think about changing it to Anna, as it so sounds much prettier. Then, of course, i can't be arsed.

I know a couple of Felicitys and they have it shortened to Felly and Flic, respectively.

Constance is lovely and love Tabitha too - the only one i knew was a model in the 90's.

Original poster
Tortoiseonthehalfshell · 18/05/2011 12:14

FollowMe, totally a personal issue - in fact, frustratingly, it's because my beloved Mum, who is a very hands-on grandmother, has a bad association with the name and would wince a little bit every time she had to use it. But has said it'd be fine as a second name, it's just hearing it over and over that would bother her. She's a sweetheart, and wouldn't have admitted this if I hadn't asked her if it were alright, but i'd hate to taint her granddaughter's name for her when she's been so wonderful with DD1.

Bucharest, Anna is way WAY more popular than Anne, is the only thing, and i feel like Anne is more classic? But again, I think it's second-name-status only.

Thanks, all, this is helping. Thank Christ we're agreed on a boys name, eh?

OP posts:
Mumwithadragontattoo · 18/05/2011 11:51

I really like Felicity was in my top three for DD.

Lucy also lovely. I do like all you names but these would be my top 2.

FollowMe · 18/05/2011 10:27

Oooh I love constance! Is it a personal reason why you can't use it or a general one? (ie any reason I can't add it to my list!)
I like felicity Isolde best off the rest of your list