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Baby names

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

Original poster

Name panic >> Susan + Suggestions....

59 replies

OneWeekToGo · 03/02/2012 09:54

I'm having enormous trouble with names with only a week 'til due date. We know we're having a little girl. OH has turned his nose up at most of the list and the only name we could even remotely agree on is Susan (Susie/Suzi) which wasn't my favourite but I could compromise. At which point, my mother who has been giving 'helpful suggestions' all along (most of which sound like boarding-school prefects or horsey-horsey-rah-rah names) said that Susan was boring, outdated, dull and WHATever that she would call her something else - quite out of character ConfusedSad !!! So, please please I'd like MNers's thoughts on Susan? And any more suggestions that aren't Top Ten but aren't strange or twee as my brain has stopped.....

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tummytickler · 03/02/2012 20:27

Susan is lovely, and near the top spot for us if we get a dd. Such a beautiful name, I love how simple and elegant it is, and Susie or Suki is a sweet nn.

spanky2 · 03/02/2012 20:12

Who cares if you like it. My Mum said ds1's name sounded like a cowboys name, we still called him it. My Mum is Susan Rosemary. So it is Granny chic! I hope that doesn't put you off.

nearlymumofone · 03/02/2012 20:07

What about Lucy? I know it's nothing like Susan but...

I think Susan is a bit lame, dull and worst of all my MIL's name!!

However, I have a young and very cute cousin called Susie and I think that's lovely.

EssieW · 03/02/2012 13:46

I like it. My 33 year old cousin is a Susan, known mostly as Susie. It's original and strong. Also love Susannah.

AndOnAndOnAndOn · 03/02/2012 13:43

another vote for Susannah

not keen on Susan, sorry, for reasons others have mentioned

other suggestions - Zoe? Seren? Saffron? Rowan?

pilates · 03/02/2012 13:42

Agree with your mum it's awful.

How about

Emmeline
Elizabeth
Catherine

BlueChampagne · 03/02/2012 13:25

I think I'd go for Suzanne. Susan makes me think of Swallows and Amazons and Narnia books. Also like, for what it's worth:

Corinna
Meredith
Meryl

Hope they don't fall into the horsey/boarding school category!

Firawla · 03/02/2012 13:15

susan is quite nice, it does sound a bit 'middle aged' at first but if i saw it on a baby i would find it cute.

dawn1967 · 03/02/2012 13:09

Suzette. Cool name, know one little one. Also love Susannah. Very pretty.

PopcornBiscuit · 03/02/2012 12:53

Much prefer Susan to Susanna(h). It's simpler and stronger, I think.

AllPastYears · 03/02/2012 12:04

I'm a Susan, and I agree with your mum, it's "boring, outdated, dull"! I don't know if it's coming back into fashion, but I haven't seen any evidence of it yet....

Always wished I'd been a Suzanne or Susannah instead, they're a bit nicer I think. Not Susie though, that's like a little girl or a dog...

suemerry · 03/02/2012 11:47

My name is Susan, and I never had any real issue with it, but as soon as I was old enough to decide, I shortened to Sue. I was born in 1981 and was the only one at my school, and I don't think it's a name you see much of anymore, which I would see as a pro. Who wants to have a name where there are six of them in the class at school and have to be distinguished by their last name?? We looked at a derivitive of Susan for my little girl, and considered Suki for a while...? Ended up naming her Thea though after my mum (Dorothy).

ChippyMinton · 03/02/2012 11:32

I am biased Wink but I also think it's due a revival in its proper form ie Susan, not Sue, Susie or anything with a z in it

Despite being known as the shortened version all my life, DH insists on using the full version and actually I really like it, and use it a lot now.

Rhubarbgarden · 03/02/2012 11:26

Go for it. Retro cool. There won't be any others in the playground. It's nice to be original!

Original poster
OneWeekToGo · 03/02/2012 10:54

@FunToksvigWincies Grin that certainly feels like what she's doing at the moment! Thankyou.

OP posts:
FunToksvigWincies · 03/02/2012 10:49

I like Susan. Susannah sounds like Susan's had an extension built!

All the best for the coming weeks Smile.

Original poster
OneWeekToGo · 03/02/2012 10:44

Thankyou all so much for all the suggestions and comments! I'm taking them all on board and will definitely consider a Susannah alternative as well as some of the lovely middle names you've put forward.

@WineOhWhy totally agree - and I have to be careful that I'll not be naming her in anger!!!

OP posts:
TinkerMaloo · 03/02/2012 10:40

im considering Susannah for my bump if its a pink one :)

Ivytheterrible · 03/02/2012 10:20

I know a Suzi which could be a funky version?

WineOhWhy · 03/02/2012 10:19

I think Susan is a little outdated, but not so much as to be unuseable. I prefer Susannah personally.

However, I do think your mum is completely out of order to say she would use a diffferent name if you call the baby Susan. If me mum said osmething like that it woudl make me want to use the name even more!

NeverKnowinglyUnderstood · 03/02/2012 10:19

I know 2 Susan's under the age of 10. Cute name, one shortened to Suzie one not.

JollySergeantJackrum · 03/02/2012 10:18

Actually, I really like it. I doubt DH would agree with it though. It's very 'Enid Blyton' but not in a bad way.

BelleEnd · 03/02/2012 10:17

Susan is a brilliant name. Classic, pretty, and unfashionable right now- Which means that by the time she's old enough to notice such things, it will probably be v. fashionable and cool. The trendy old lady names will be too common to be cool by then.
I really love it. I want to steal it. For myself. :o

sonniboo · 03/02/2012 10:16

Susan may not be 'trendy' at the moment, but as a name it serves its purpose well - it is a classic, easily pronouncable and spellable name that isn't already used by lots of others. Unlike all the little Ellies and Evies, a little Susie will probably not have to share her name with many others and/or add a modifier to her name to be identified.

Why does a name have to be 'fashionable' or 'trendy' to be acceptable? Also, people change their associations as soon as they meet a cute little Susan.

PopcornBiscuit · 03/02/2012 10:15

Susan is a lovely name :) Understated and fairly classic, but pretty too, and Susie is a nice nickname. Susan was "outdated" for a while, but it's due a revival I think, along with other 50s names.

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