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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Desperately seeking name for DD1

51 replies

PaintedSelfInCorner · 07/08/2011 20:49

Am starting to think we will never ever find a name for DD...

Really want a strong, un-frilly name, so nothing ending in "ie" or "y".

Our last name begins "Mel..." so that rules out any first name ending in "...bel" such as Isobel. DH thinks it also rules out any first name ending in S or an S sound e.g. Iris, Alix, Grace, as he's worried about teasing / nickname "Smelly".

DH is half portuguese, so something that works in both languages, possibly even a portuguese first name, but don't want to condemn DD to lifetime of having to spell her name or mispronunciations.

My previous favourite, Eleanor, has just been used by a close family member, so that's out too.

Middle name will definitely be Margaret for family reasons, so that means no first names starting "Mar..." (e.g. Marianne) or probably anything starting with M as three initials the same seems too much.

Hasn't been the easiest pregnancy (high risk for Downs, full on SPD, waiting for test results for suspected pre-eclampsia) so now getting stupidly superstitious about lack of a names shortlist and desperate to have at least some contenders to make me believe DD will be real IYSWIM.

I do like all the examples mentioned here as ruled out - please do your work!

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SaffronCake · 10/08/2011 16:18

So the choice is currently between..

Clara Margaret Mil...
Lucia Margaret Mil...
Ariana Margaret Mil...
Luisa Margaret Mil...

None of the ones you've got on your draft shortlist directly clashes with Sean. If going well with Sean is the priority then I'd probably say go with Clara. If going well with the middle and last names is, then I'd say Lucia. Really though none of these names is doing a disservice to your daughter. They are all good choices.

Don't let not having a name finalised hang over you like some kind of omen, I haven't ever really known what to call a baby until I've met them. I can imagine why you would be generally worrying about everything right now, but names are pretty un-urgent really. You've got 42 days (6 weeks) after the baby is born to decide and not a single bad thing will happen if you need it all. It's going to be Ok. You will get the right name.

neolara · 10/08/2011 12:15

Tillyscoutsmum - Your list of names earlier includes both my dd's names and also a couple of others that made our short list. Also, I have a Jem - I assume you have a Scout. Very odd!

JanMorrow · 10/08/2011 12:04

Estella,
Cleo,
Eloise,

And yes I also love Flora!

Bonsoir · 10/08/2011 08:16

Flora - my DD's name. There is another Flora at her school who is Brazilian, so obviously it works in Portuguese.

baskingseals · 10/08/2011 08:10

oh that's a shame - glad you like it though. i wanted it for dd, but was vetoed, as bloody usual.

i'd go for Clara. lovely meaning. Chiara is the italian - pronounced Kiara, which i also love, could you get away with that?

FebreezeYourJeans · 09/08/2011 22:41

Arden
Eliza
Cassandra

MorallyBankrupt · 09/08/2011 22:22

Oh Clara is just lovely, so beautiful and classic without being frilly or twee.

BikeRunSki · 08/08/2011 16:17

Sophia
Suzanna

TheFrozenMBJ · 08/08/2011 15:58

Ah, I didn't notice that Margaret was your chosen MN Blush

festi · 08/08/2011 15:49

anna-lucia (as one name) margaret

Tillyscoutsmum · 08/08/2011 15:46

Stella ?

Original poster
PaintedSelfInCorner · 08/08/2011 15:44

Frozen - Do like Greta but doesn't work with Margaret as mn - same name! Glad I'm not the only one with list of criteria, haven't even actually mentioned all mine (e.g. nothing too biblical or royal family-y) for fear of showing myself up as overly picky... Do love Anna - despite concerns it doesn't fit with Margaret I would be considering it myself if not for already being used by close friend.

basking - Ines is my "absolute top favourite ever but don't dare use it" name! Mainly because I'm not even sure how to pronounce it myself, so doesn't seem fair to saddle poor dd with a name people don't know how to say. Also it has the same "smelly" issue as Iris and Alix with our last name. Love love love it though.

OP posts:
TheFrozenMBJ · 08/08/2011 08:28

Greta?

One of my top 5 for DD (due in October) but she'll probably end up being an Anna. (I have the same list of criteria as you do but additionally refuse any name that can be shortened to a nn with a y/ie sound - like Lucinda/Lucy)

baskingseals · 08/08/2011 08:11

love Clara and Lucia

what about Ines - portuguese name and works very well with Margaret
i think it's pronounced Inesh, i think it's a beautiful name.

exoticfruits · 08/08/2011 07:59

Sarah is lovely (but not Sara)
Elizabeth, Eliza, Catherine, Caroline, Hannah, Susannah,Rebecca, Juliet, Louisa.

weepootle · 08/08/2011 07:43

Love Clara, Luisa and Lucia (loo-see-a), not so keen on Ariana.

I prefer Sara to Sarah.

Dragonwoman · 07/08/2011 23:18

Sarah? Seems to work in most languages.

festi · 07/08/2011 22:37

all sound good with sean

AllYourCakeAreBelongToMe · 07/08/2011 22:31

What about Aurelia? Or Emilia?

Original poster
PaintedSelfInCorner · 07/08/2011 22:26

It's funny, so many names being mentioned are ones we thought of and discounted. DH loves Francesca, but only because it reminds him of a pretty girl he had a crush on at school (hmmnn) and I like Saskia but he hates it. And neither work in portuguese.

Festi - good to know re nn - I'm of the same mind as you.

Aspara - thank you, v helpful.

Think it might be coming down to a choice between Clara and Lucia... or Ariana... or Luisa? But then - do any of those go with DS's name? (Sean - chosen by DH while I was still on operating table!!)

OP posts:
lockets · 07/08/2011 22:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Cathycat · 07/08/2011 22:16

Elizabeth?

weepootle · 07/08/2011 22:14

Francesca?

Asparaguses · 07/08/2011 22:09

I think Ariana has various routes. I knew a lovely Portuguese Ariana (which is why I thought of it in realtion to your question) but it is also popular in Greece. In Greece it is considered a variant of Ariadne and I am not sure what it means. It is also a Welsh girls name and in Wales it is said to mean "Silver". It is very popular in the US where I think a few years ago (when I was considering it for DD) it was in the top 100 US girls names.

In the Harry Potter series Dumbledore's sister is Ariana and it is also the first name of Ariana Huffington who launched the online newspaper the Huffington Post.

JustFiveMinutesHAHAHA · 07/08/2011 22:08

I think Clara is the best so far. You rarely use the middle name so you just need to make sure the name and your surname go - I really don't like Lucia Mel... and you really can't have Marta Mel... ignore the middle name for now :)