Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

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

Original poster

Ellen?

30 replies

birdofthenorth · 02/09/2011 08:06

This is DH's repeatedly suggestion, inspired by Ellen Wilkinson. Like the namesake, but is Ellen a bit 'meh'?

Apart from thinking it's a bit dull, my concerns would be-

She would get called Ellie which I'm not keen on & is mega popular (like Elle, Nell & Lennie as nns though)

People would think her name is Helen (nice name but DD1 already has a name which is often misheard & it has led to confusion)

DD1's name is a diminuitive of Elizabeth which is on her BC- is Ellen too similar?

Is it a bit weak & feeble? Part of me thinks it's elegant & fab, but

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Peanutbutterpussycat · 04/09/2016 23:30

It reminds me of an old auntie of mine who was known as Nellie her whole life then decided she wanted to be called Ellen again! I can't bring myself to say Ellen- seems alien to me.
Unfortunately I'm going against the grain but even without the above I think it's an awful name and would change it by deed poll if I had been named it and I don't like my name that much but it's nicer than Ellen IMO, just can't imagine a baby called Ellen.

LunaLoveg00d · 04/09/2016 23:24

I know a grown up Ellen and a 5 year old Ellen. Neither get called Ellie, the adult one sometimes calls herself Ells. It's a great name though, fairly unusual but not weird, will work well at all stages of life.

ClockMakerSue · 04/09/2016 23:23

I really like it. I love Nell as a nn too.

DamnGood314 · 04/09/2016 17:42

Love it!

AdorableMisfit · 04/09/2016 17:40

My daughter is an Ellen. She's named after Ellen Ripley, from the Alien movies. The most kick-ass female character from a film ever, IMHO. Thought that would be a good role model, haha.

SquedgieBeckenheim · 04/09/2016 17:30

I like Ellen, it's a classic.
Prefer Pheobe though!

Pyrrha · 04/09/2016 17:23

I think Ellen is really classic and pretty, I like phoebe too.

Enkopkaffetak · 04/09/2016 17:16

I like Ellen as a name. However from the list I think the others are far nicer.

I dont think Ellen and Elizabeth is a issue and no I dont think Ellen is a dull name. Its just a pretty name

MrsGsnow18 · 04/09/2016 10:47

I like Ellen. Knew one at school and she never got called Helen or had her name shortened to anything. I don't think Ellie would be a natural shortening.

Sophronia · 04/09/2016 10:29

It's lovely. Love Susannah from your list too.

Pinklily1 · 04/09/2016 09:14

Typing failure, sorry!

I think Ellen is a beautiful name.

Pinklily1 · 04/09/2016 09:13

I honk Ellen is beautiful.

Martini007 · 04/09/2016 08:51

Thinking of the name Ellen for my baby girl... The only issue I see is our surname which is Ivil.
Ellen Ivil
What do you think?
I also like Alice and Natalie:)

pointydog · 04/09/2011 16:41

Love it. I don't know an Ellen who's called Ellie.

lurkinginthebackground · 04/09/2011 16:24

I think as long as you correct people they won't call her Ellie. Do think it could get confused with Helen, but you only need to correct people once, hopefully.

Papyrus · 03/09/2011 06:41

Love Ellen! Would definitely be on the list for DC4 but DD1 is Eliza. Eliza and Ellen are just too similar I feel.

elphabadefiesgravity · 02/09/2011 20:19

She used to get a bit indignant but to be fair it is happening less and less now.

Very occasionally she will call herself Elle but thats more to do with the fact she is obsessed with the musical Legally Blonde she calles herself Little Miss oursurname comma Elle

MellowBirds · 02/09/2011 15:40

Love it, love it, love it.

A bit biased though...

bananamam · 02/09/2011 15:40

Oddly we opted to call DD Phoebe!!!

Original poster
birdofthenorth · 02/09/2011 15:33

Elphabad thanks that's interesting. Does your DD get annoyed when people call her Helen?

Ephiny my DD1 is Bess so not close to Ellen but we do call her Elizabeth occasionally

OP posts:
elphabadefiesgravity · 02/09/2011 14:43

Dd is Ellen named after my grandmother. She never gets called Ellie despite us meaning to when she was born.

Now she is getting older she quite fancies the idea of Nellie (my nanna was Nellie too) I don't like Nellie though.

You do get a LOT of people who think she is Helen.

othersideofchannel · 02/09/2011 14:31

I like Ellen - classic, elegant and not overused these days. I'd avoid the nickname Ellie (there are indeed enough around already...) but why would you shorten Ellen anyway? It is lovely as it is imo.

Cereal · 02/09/2011 10:21

In order of preference...

Zara
Hope
Phoebe
Sadie
Susannah
Ellen

Ephiny · 02/09/2011 10:11

I like it, inspired by Ellen MacArthur in my case (so definitely no weak/feeble connotations for me), and a beautiful name anyway.

I guess you might get confusion with Helen, much like Hannah/Anna, wouldn't worry too much about that personally though. It's not so unusual that it would be a problem. Not sure about similarity to your other DDs name - depends what it is. Elise/Eliza might be a bit too similar.

I love Susannah and Zara from your list as well!

QOD · 02/09/2011 09:01

I have a niece Ellen and know 2 others. It's quite a "hard" name to say to a baby, I found - and yes - Helen is a very common misconception. Also Alan. We actually all call her Alan as that's how she said her name as a baby (hard to say Ellen....)

She doesn't get called Ellie at all, but "Smellen" is an oft used in school name...

Swipe left for the next trending thread