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Baby names

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

Original poster

Eva or Grace?

43 replies

Minty82 · 03/02/2012 13:05

Having trawled through the Mumsnet archives, I know the consensus on both of these seems to be that they're a bit boring/too on-trend, but we both love both of them and think we're pretty much settled on one or the other (if it's a girl!).

Very torn between the two though, and just wondered whether one of them is seen as more 'all the other girls in nursery will be called that' than the other?

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SlinkingOutsideInFrocks · 03/02/2012 21:08

They're nice names, both of them, although I truly don't get the Eve/Eva/Evie thing at all.

But... They're this generation's Joanne, Claire and Karen. They sound 'lovely' now, but they will date and sound dull and boring and eye-glazey-over in another 10-20 years.

If you love a very popular name then you should of course use it. But there is something nice about having a fresh-sounding, interesting (read: not yooneeq or whacky) name as an adult, rather than just introducing yourself as yet another Sarah...

For me, it's about naming an adult, a person - rather than just a baby/child. Your name is such a fundamental part of who you are and deserves to be something which carries you well throughout your life - I know a lot of people don't care about popularity and truly don't get why it bothers some people, but this is why, for me at least. :)

seren82 · 03/02/2012 20:55

I love Grace, even though it's popular, but Eva doesn't really appeal - go for it though!When we were at Primary school we referred to everyone by their name and surname even when there was only one person with that name so it's not the end of the world! Now they're all getting married, I'm finding it impossible to think of them as being called anything else...

kerala · 03/02/2012 19:16

Sorry but I would have a rethink. One third of the girls in DDs class have a name that is a variant of Eve. There are legions of Graces. Are you sure this won't bother you? If not go ahead but FWIW 3 of the mothers of the Eves have said if they had known of its popularity they would have picked something else.

LillianGish · 03/02/2012 18:55

I think Grace is a difficult name in that it suggests a certain type of girl and if she's not that girl then it becomes a bit laughable.

Original poster
Minty82 · 03/02/2012 18:49

Ha, thanks MamaLazarou, don't hold back - the funny thing is Eva felt like quite an adventurous option when we first thought of it and before we tuned into the world of current baby names...I think both sets of grandparents would turn round and go 'Really? Like Eva Braun?!'

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MamaLazarou · 03/02/2012 18:38

Grace is marginally less boring, I suppose.

LittlePandaBear · 03/02/2012 17:19

Eva and Grace are both pretty names, don't let others tell you not to use the names you love!

If the only purpose of names was to identify someone, then we'd just be given a number as the baby is born and use that. A name can be chosen to sound nice to your ears and something that puts a smile on your face. There may be lots of the name in her class or not, but she'll still be her own person no matter what.

Original poster
Minty82 · 03/02/2012 16:04

tammytoby yes, I think he just reckons we shouldn't be too swayed by trying to avoid the top 100 lists...

OP posts:
MrsJohnDeere · 03/02/2012 15:08

Eva much, much, much more popular here than Grace.

Grace is nicer too IMHO.

tammytoby · 03/02/2012 15:03

"My husband thinks I'm being ridiculous to pay any attention to what people we don't know are calling their children"

But in order to name someone/something you need to know what names have already been used, that's the whole point of naming i.e. identifying someone or something.

PopcornBiscuit · 03/02/2012 14:32

Grace

Original poster
Minty82 · 03/02/2012 14:31

Thanks for the suggestions GoldenMama - those are all pretty names, but don't quite do it for me! I actually think of Ava as being more of a current trend than Eva or Grace (even if there are actually fewer of them) just because E and G have always been around, i.e. there are people of every generation from my grandmother's to my own called them, and they just happen to be having a surge in popularity, whereas Ava's been completely dormant since the '20s and is having a resurgence, so seems more tied to now...

Also, in my head, neither of these two fall into what I would think of as the 'cutesie' Lily/Poppy category - they're a little more grown up, and pass my test of 'would it sound daft with Dr in front of it'! Perceptions are funny though...maybe they are in that camp for other people.

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Original poster
Minty82 · 03/02/2012 13:57

It's very frustrating, as they've been on our mental list for years, but it's only since we started TTC that I've been paying attention to recent stats on names and realising that they've both been having such a moment in the past few years. My husband thinks I'm being ridiculous to pay any attention to what people we don't know are calling their children, as we don't personally know anyone called either of them, but I don't like the idea of looking accidentally in thrall to trends!

I actually prefer Eve, but my husband reckons Eva works better with our surname...

My sister was named after our great-grandmother (my parents knew no-one else called that at the time), and she ended up being one of 7 in her class with the same name, so yes, I'm aware of the irritation of constantly having to be identified by your surname!

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littlemissstan · 03/02/2012 13:42

I have wanted to call a future little girl Eva forever - it is my grandmother's name - and fully intend to even if there are going to be a million others, as it is very special to me. So I think if you have a real attachment to a name, then use it!

sonniboo · 03/02/2012 13:37

Both very, very widely used already, as you know. I would worry that neither really serves a purpose as a name, namely to identify your daughter (without having to add a modifier or surname initial).

AThingInYourLife · 03/02/2012 13:31

I love Eva.

Grace is nice too.

GoldenMama · 03/02/2012 13:23

They are both very pretty names, and both far too overused at the moment. Have you considered Mia, Maya, Ava, or Isla? I think these have the same beauty to them, and although popular i haven't come accross as many as I have Eva, Evie, Gracie, Grace, Poppy or Lily.
Smile

BikeRunSki · 03/02/2012 13:15

They are both very popular amoung the many, many babies and preschoolersj is know. She could well be one of several in her school wirh either name. Having said that, i adore Eva. Wanted it for DD, but DH vetoed.