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Baby names

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

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Original poster

Jacqueline or Tessa?

38 replies

NeedToDoDusting · 20/03/2012 19:49

What do you think? Are they middle-aged ladies names? When I was a kid I thought Jacqueline/Jacqui was the height of sophistication but now I'm not sure. Obviously there was that politician whose husband was caught looking at porn and charging it to her expense account - hardly a salubrious association, though one that'll be forgotten about in a generation's time. I've always liked Tessa but again wasn't it the name of that slightly mad woman in Tony Blair's cabinet?

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AmazingBouncingFerret · 21/03/2012 16:43

bibbity, I wondered if you were going to show up on here!

bibbityisaporker · 21/03/2012 16:33

I know two girls named Tess.

bibbityisaporker · 21/03/2012 16:33

Hello ABF fancy seeing you here .

And hiya lackadaisycal, you me and ABF have this long and serfisticated name in common ya know?

I see also that people think it is awful, harsh, unfeminine, naff, horrid, dreadful. How rude!

But, yes, it is an old lady name: I was given the name in 1962 by my over-excited Dad, when Jackie Kennedy was the Kate Middleton of her day.

oikopolis · 21/03/2012 16:23

Jacqueline is lovely. It's coming back in, I think.

Tessa is a nickname for Theresa and its variants. I wouldn't use it as a name in its own right. Also, all the Tessas I know are annoying [unhelpful]

Teapot13 · 21/03/2012 14:16

Tessa is a nickname to my ears -- for Theresa. But it's still nice by itself.

I like Jacqueline.

AmazingBouncingFerret · 21/03/2012 12:23

squoosh.
Give it a decade or two and the name will be popular again and previous posters children will be naming their babies Jacqueline. Wonder if they'll make their opinions known or keep mum.

LackaDAISYcal · 21/03/2012 10:59

The Jacqueline that I know is only 43...less of the old please dreamingofsun , but it is a previous generation name and quite dated now imo. I wouldn't wish it on anyone.

And, as an aside, this Jacqueline uses the nn Jacqui, as it seemed the more logical shortening of the name to her and was nothing to do with her being pretentious as a teenager, oh no :o

Tessa/Tess is lovely though :)

squoosh · 21/03/2012 10:52

I like Tess. Add on an extra 'a' at the end however and it kills it stone dead for me.

squoosh · 21/03/2012 10:51

Poor old Jacqueline. How far you have fallen from your days of being the ultimate glamorous woman's name. The days of Jacqueline Kennedy and Jacqueline Bissett. Fear not, your time will come again and no one will dare mention the words 'Brookside' or 'ugly'.

feetheart · 21/03/2012 10:36

Wow, two little girls called Tessa, fantastic.
We have never, in 9 years, come across another little girl with DD's name. Dogs and little old ladies yes but no children.

DD loves the fact that her name is unusual (but not weird :)) and I still feel it is a lovely, sunny name.

So definitely go for Tessa :)

kerala · 21/03/2012 10:30

Love Tess. Weirdly underused as well haven't met many with this name don't understand why it isn't mega popular.

Letchladee · 21/03/2012 10:25

I know a little Tess. It is a lovely name - pretty, feminine but not too cutsey.

Jacqueline on the other hand, I really don't like at all. Its everything I hate about a girls name - Its not pretty, feminine, it sounds really harsh and Jackie is a naff nickname. Sorry.

I'd vote Tess all the way. Fab name .

MadameChinLegs · 20/03/2012 22:13

I like Tess, rather than Tessa.

Jacqueline is not only very Brookside but also a bitch to spell, especially for a 3 year old learning their name.

18biscuit · 20/03/2012 22:11

Tessa

Chirpychick2010 · 20/03/2012 22:10

Ps i was a kathleen and utterly hated it as it felt like an old lady's name so i changed it to kate

Chirpychick2010 · 20/03/2012 22:07

Tbh and Imo yes there old names the lady across the road is called Tessa and shes about 70! No like but hey if you do cool its your choice no one else opinion really counts. X

wobblypig · 20/03/2012 22:04

'No one else will nick them' Not sure that's the best recommendation. Not meaning to be rude - but there's a good reason for that

Truffkin · 20/03/2012 22:02

My sister is a Tessa! NNs are Tess, Tessie Bear, Ted, Teddy, Tessing-One.... (There are many more. We are family of NNers!)

The Jacqui / Jackie / Jacquelines I know are all the next generation up, so don't think it's re-trending yet!

GRW · 20/03/2012 22:02

I like Jackie a lot- reminds me of the 11 year old singer Jackie Evancho who was on America's Got Talent a couple of years ago. Tessa is nice too.

MirandaGoshawk · 20/03/2012 22:01

Tessa.

mrudagawa · 20/03/2012 22:00

If you're not joking, I think these are brilliant, absolutely un- mumsnetty. Noone else will nick them. Go for it.

Ali2girls · 20/03/2012 21:59

Tessa is a lovely name.
Jacqueline seems very dated. Not sure a girl would want to be called Jackie -seems too old fashioned. But then ... if you like it...

DialMforMummy · 20/03/2012 21:23

Tessa, always.
Jacqueline is really awful IMO

AmazingBouncingFerret · 20/03/2012 21:04

When I was younger my best friend decided she would shorten my name from Jacqueline to Jace. It stuck for a while... until I got older, now i'm just Jack or Jaffie.

dreamingofsun · 20/03/2012 20:54

tessa is one of my favourites. jacaueline is an old person's name - i have one of those and its horrid - please don't do that to your child

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