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Baby names

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

Original poster

Cannot find a girls name we love!

32 replies

Umlauf · 22/01/2013 14:49

Really struggling for girls names and looking for inspiration. Have the perfect boys name for us already, Albert. We love that its traditional and classic without being too popular, all the possible nicknames we love (Bert, Bertie, Albie) goes perfectly with 2 syllable surname and in our opinion can suit any characters. He could be a lawyer called Albert or a rock star called Bert!

We have the same criteria for a girls name but can't find one good name we both like! A lot of the problem is names by association and shortenings.

I like:
Valerie (but hate Val)
Penelope (but not Penny)
Evelyn (ev-uh-Lin) but DH hates it and we have an awful Evelyn in our family!
Beatrice (tentatively popping this here as still not sure and DH thinks too French)

DH likes:
Victoria (and Albert?!)
Florence (sadly makes me think of Aunt Flo!)

Any suggestions/fab ideas?!

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NowPlayingZone · 27/01/2013 22:40

Think Beatrice is the best from your list & some great names already mentioned. Along similar-ish lines.... Veronica or Jemima.

qumquat · 24/01/2013 20:56

Names don't have to be shortened- everyone on here seems to assume they always are. If you like Valerie there's no reason to assume it would become Val, unless the owner of the name wanted it to. Val also sounds very 70s, I can't imagine anyone using it now.

Mosman · 24/01/2013 12:12

I have a blonde Madeleine 6 months older than the "mccann" child, what can you do, it's a pretty name and I hate to say but people will forgot the connection day to day, probably have already.

Original poster
Umlauf · 24/01/2013 11:35

Me and my mum were discussing 'Beatrice' last night! I like it but DH doesn't think it goes with our surname (because it also begins with b - I disagree, I like alliteration) and also Madeleine but.... McCann?

OP posts:
CruCru · 24/01/2013 11:11

What about Beatrix? Or Viola (from Mid Summers Night Dream)?

thewhistler · 24/01/2013 09:16

Venetia
Vanda

Mosman · 24/01/2013 09:13

Matilda
Verity

delilah88 · 24/01/2013 08:57

Or also Claudia.

delilah88 · 24/01/2013 08:57

Have you thought of Laura? Beautiful name, now underused, and with lots of literary / cultural history. I sounds beautiful across Europe too.

TwinTum · 23/01/2013 14:31

Nell can be a nn for Penelope, which is sweet. Also Polly or Poppy at a push. Obviously, there is the risk of schoolfriends choosing to shorten to Penny instead even if it is not the nn you use. My experience is that if there is a nn in common useage, people do tend to use that and not another one, so if you are mainly using Nell (or Polly or whatever) i doubt she would end up being Penny. However, if you mainly use the full name Penelope, then I think there is quite a high risk of friends shortening to Penny. The 2 Alberts I know have sisters called Louisa (lulu or Lou), Katherine (all sorts of nns) and Genevieve (she is mainly Evie but there are other shortenings - could be Vivi or Genie etc).

Original poster
Umlauf · 23/01/2013 14:20

See this is where the name association problem crops up! Whenever I hear 'violet' I get the song from Charlie and the chocolate factory in my head (violet beaurigarde,) chewing chewing chewing chewing chewing chewing all day long! Just me?

Vivienne is mils middle name and very pretty but don't to school with a really scary 'Viv.' She stole my coat once and wore it it to my own disco party! Lol!

OP posts:
DaveMccave · 23/01/2013 11:37

What about Vivienne or Violet? Vivi for short?

nicelyneurotic · 23/01/2013 11:27

Bertie is such a cute name!

I really like Valerie from your list. Use V as a nickname.

Miranda is fab too.

Original poster
Umlauf · 23/01/2013 09:00

oh emmylou I think we must have really similar taste, I was thinking Albert George! I love Elizabeth but its my sister's name so don't want to use it really. I do love Valerie though but I think we have definitely ruled it out due to the inevitable nn 'Val.'

Sunbathing I really love Josephine but for some reason DH has vetoed as it reminds him of Stalin!? Last night 'Edie' short for 'Edith' came up as a possibilty. Not massively keen on Edith but love Edie and would have the full name on the BC. Also DH has a little crush on Lady Edith of Downton which might have something to do with it!! I do like old lady names!

OP posts:
Longdistance · 23/01/2013 07:14

Emerence
Ilona
Clara
Gabriella

SunbathingintheRain · 23/01/2013 07:09

Stella
Josephine
Miriam
Annabelle
Nina
Daphne
Harriet

emmyloo2 · 23/01/2013 06:57

I love Albert. I like all your girls choices apart from Valerie. I have considered all for my DD due in May. We have a DS George if that gives you some idea as to my taste.

However top of our list for girls is Elizabeth. Does that take your fancy?

littletomato · 22/01/2013 23:55

You both seem to like the letter V... how about Violet or Viola?

VBisme · 22/01/2013 23:10

Oh Victoria is a brilliant name - choose that one!

Melissakitkat · 22/01/2013 23:08

Tabitha x primrose x Katherine

amck5700 · 22/01/2013 23:05

or simply Mabel :)

amck5700 · 22/01/2013 23:04

Christina (Chrissie, Tina, Christy)
Eleanor (nell, elle, ella, Nora)

amck5700 · 22/01/2013 23:02

Vanessa
Vivienne
Elizabeth (Betsy or Bunty)
Alexandra (Alexa, Lexi, Xandra, Sandy)

Littlecherublegs · 22/01/2013 21:20

Esme
Cora
Martha
Olive
Elsie
Betsy
Orla

sookiesucksvamps · 22/01/2013 16:54

Eloise, ashleigh?

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