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Baby names

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

Being induced on Tues and DH and I cannot agree

42 replies

Ineedacoffee · 05/10/2012 08:24

I am being induced next week - having a little girl and we are nowhere with names. DH and I seem to have very different taste for girls. We have a list which neither of us is sold on but neither has vetoed:

Cora (more DH than me)
Georgia
Eleanor

Less sure:
Elisabeth
Catherine

names I love include
Jemima (my absolute favourite, which I can't get past id you know what I mean)
Beatrice
Alice
Clementine
Norah
Esme

names DH loves
Thandi
Zawadi (seriously)
Tana
Tara
Erin
Perry

We both like Annabelle, Isobel, Eve and Olivia but can't use them because of family/friends

Any ideas on compromises or thoughts on out first 5? Any help[ very gratefully received!! Thank you.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
cashmere · 05/10/2012 08:53

Eleanor- you could use Nora as a nickname.
Also like Esme and Alice.
Thandi if culturally appropriate- a bit more 'known' due to Thandie Newton.
Would Thea work?

GoldPlatedNineDoors · 05/10/2012 09:02

Hmmm you and your dh seem to have vastly different likes. The only one of your dhs I like is erin however I love most if not all of your list.

What about going back to the book and looking for a whole new name together? Or he may wish to concede once hes seen you through labour.

YouMayLogOut · 05/10/2012 09:08

Georgia and Clementine are my favourites of your list.

Cora (more DH than me) - apple corer
Georgia - lovely
Eleanor - very nice
Elisabeth - a bit dull but OK
Catherine - ditto
Jemima - dislike, a bit "dated pretentious"
Beatrice - OK
Alice - a bit dull
Clementine - lovely :)
Norah - rather frumpy
Esme - ezzmee sounds harsh to me
Thandi - Tandy is an electrical store
Zawadi (seriously) - quite like this one
Tana - sounds made up
Tara - quite like
Erin - a bit nothingy
Perry - a drink or a surname

littlepiggie · 05/10/2012 09:17

Love Elizabeth, Beatrice and quite like Eleanor, not sure of your dh choices.

katiecubs · 05/10/2012 09:20

I'm not keen on the ones you like jointly really but i love Erin and think Alice is nice too.

Ineedacoffee · 05/10/2012 10:52

We went through the book last night - he came up with Nyla (ugh) and insisted on putting Perry on his list. I, unsurprisingly, have been through the book a few times before!

DH grew up in Africa but is white and we live in the UK and he has a (fairly) british accent so I feel Zawadi and Thandi are more pretentious than culturally appropriate.

Tana as in Tana Ramsey - he is so keen on this I am wondering if he has a secret crush!

I have thought about Thea and it is nice just doesn't seem like my childs name. i think thats the problem with most of the joint list - I like them, they just don't seem like the one. inspiration is needed! Our individual lists have been completely vetoed by each other.

Gold plated - maybe I just need to hope pulliong the labour card works!

OP posts:
MarchelineWhatNot · 05/10/2012 10:54

I think Thandi is absolutely beautiful. I have a few (white) South African friends whose DC have unusual names.

imustbepatient · 05/10/2012 11:00

From the names you both like but can't use because of family / friends (btw these names cover my DD, two nieces and a great aunt!), others which to me are in a similar vein are:

Lucinda (Lucy), Imogen, Sophia, Charlotte, Emily, Jessica, Carolyn, Laura, Zara, Annalise.

cashmere · 05/10/2012 11:04

We went through our lists and independently rated them out of ten. Then made a 3rd list with top names.
If you can't have Eve what about Ava, Eva or Eveline/Evelyn
Other names I like are Romilly, Rosalie, Anya, Amber, Meredith.

cashmere · 05/10/2012 11:04

(3rd list was combined scores)

bradbourne · 05/10/2012 11:45

Perry, to me, will always be the friend of Harry Enfield's teenager. Or pear cider.

We had a couple of names in mind for ds when he was born but, in the event, chose one we had never considered (or even thought of). It took a few days and a couple of attempts (tried out a couple of names for size, so to speak) but we got there in the end.

BeattieBow · 05/10/2012 12:04

what about Eleanora? (then you can sneak Norah in as a nickname maybe).

forevergreek · 05/10/2012 13:37

Nahla?
Theadora
Alannah
Coral
Clara

YouOldSlag · 05/10/2012 13:44

I think Tana Ramsay's real name is Caetana, with Tana for short.

If it was me I would go for Clementine or Alice. Zawadi just sounds like an african dictatorship.

MoonHare · 05/10/2012 13:49

Love Eleanor, it's the only one from your tentative list of 5 that I would use - and in fact have!

Of the others I like Beatrice, Alice and Esme (but Ez-may not Ez-mee). The only one from your DH's list I like is Erin.

What about Thalia instead of Thandi?

EvenIfYouSeeAPoppy · 05/10/2012 14:00

Eleanor, Catherine and Beatrice are lovely, and very timeless with plenty of nickname potential.

Alice and Clementine are OK (like Clemency better, though).

Not keen on Jemima (sorry) or your dh's list.

amck5700 · 05/10/2012 14:35

Amaris/Amarys?

Unusual without being odd and pretty without being too cute.

nickeldaisical · 05/10/2012 14:39

Let's see....

Cora - don't like
Georgia - like
Eleanor - love (DD's name)
Elisabeth - prefer with a Z,
Catherine - prefer with a K (and then it's one of my faves - DD's middle name and named after my bestest ever friend)

Jemima
Beatrice
Alice
Clementine
Norah
Esme

I like all of those except Norah and Clementine.

names DH loves
Thandi
Zawadi (seriously)
Tana
Tara
Erin
Perry

Have to say I don't like most of the ones in your DH's list - they might be okay abroad, but not in the UK. Especially Perry which is a boy's name.
I do like Erin and Tara.

We both like Annabelle, Isobel, Eve and Olivia - just because they're family/friends, doesn't mean you can't use them. People like to be named after!

Gugglebum · 06/10/2012 03:03

I like Georgia, and most of your list. If you both like Annabelle, etc, what about Arabella? Similar starting sound to his Erin, the bell, which you both seem to like well enough, and a beautiful classic name with (to me) a similar feel to your list.

Thumbwitch · 06/10/2012 03:12

NOT Perry. Kevin and Perry are still too well known, and Perry is more a boy's name anyway (and of course it's short for Peregrine, who is a hobbit, even if his nn in the books was Pippin).

Zawadi - I wouldn't do that either.

The rest of your DH's list is fine though - but if he does use Tana, be aware that many people will just assume her name is Tania and someone missed a letter out whenever they see it written down.

I don't like Jemima - still associates with that flipping doll from Playschool in my head and always will; but the rest of your names I like (ok, I lied, not Norah - Norah Batty is my first thought, always)

Coralie is nicer than Cora but you still get Cora as a nn
Ellora - ok, it's Indian but it's a nice name, IMO

AgathaTrunchbull · 06/10/2012 19:01

Lots of Eleanors out there. Catherine and Elizabeth (or however you decide to spell it) are timeless and allow for a variety of shortened versions. I'm a big fan of Elizabeth.

Not desperately keen on Jemima. Puddle duck and a bit little-girly.
Beatrice is very nice, very grown-up. Alice is fine, but a bit commonplace. Clementine's horrid and a fruit. Norah's nice enough (it's served my grandmother well for 88 years!). Esme only if short for Esmerelda, which is lovely.

Thandi?? Sandy with a lisp?
Zawadi as in the comic book character? Assume he's going for the meaning? Hmm. Not sure the world's ready for that one yet!
Tana - meh.
Perry's horrid. Pear cider or short for Peregrine.
Erin's alright. Bit dull.

Tara's a great name. Easy to spell, very international (has Irish and Hindi connections), actually very uncommon, despite its relative simplicity. Best one on your husband's list!

Narked · 06/10/2012 19:08

Georgina?

I like Erin, Tara, Alice and Eleanor.

SauvignonBlanche · 06/10/2012 19:09

Wait until you meet her and then decide, it's much easier.

plantsitter · 08/10/2012 14:52

Is he going to be with you when you give birth? Odds are he'll be so in awe of you he'll let you have Jemima ;)

plantsitter · 08/10/2012 14:53

(but I think Georgia is lovely)