Which do you prefer, and what else do you suggest?

Agree about Eliza, I think, though it is lovely. That's probably why I like it - it's the same as the name I've already chosen. I also love Imogen but we have two friends with baby Imogens and DH says it's too matchy with Isobel, which it is really.

Love love love Sylvie and DH loves it too. Only problem is our friends have a Sylvie. We've discussed this - the mum is a good friend of mine from student days, though we only see each other once or twice a year now and keep in touch by email. So it might not be too weird to use the same name. But because it's still quite unusual she might think I'm being weird and copying. What do you think? Also, she and I work in the same profession and our paths therefore cross quite a bit and lots of people know us mutually, so I think I can't really call my baby the same as hers. Anything along those lines I love though. Not Sadie though. Just doesn't float my boat.

Iris is pretty and it's my grandmother's name, so it's one we might possibly use as a middle name. Quite like Matilda. Love Madeleine nn Maddy but it's too close to my name, which has a rhyming nickname (and Patrick, DH's name, can also be shortened to Paddy - not often but sometimes it is by some of his friends - so we'd be Maddy, Paddy and something else rhyming!).

FWIW, I don't think popular = boring. Some names are popular or enduring because they're lovely, and I reckon it's far better to be the most exciting Lily-May or Olivia in the class than to be the most boring Jocasta the world has ever seen, IYKWIM!

Oooh thanks. LOVE Eliza but worry it's too close to Isobel? Same with Esme, which I think someone suggested earlier (though I prefer Eliza). I think it's really pretty. Goes well with Beatrice too, which I wouldn't choose for a first name but think is very pretty as a mn.

I quite like Alicia pronounced Aliss-ee-a, but not Aleesha, which I think is more common?

Not keen on Dulcie May - it's pretty but it reminds me of 1920s jazz singer America, IYKNIM, which feels a whole different genre ... (possibly I am being mad.)

I do love Eliza though :)

My brother is Ben. Quite like Theo but not as much as some of the others. Will try it on DH though and see what he thinks ...

Thanks for the suggestions! You guys have been very helpful :)

I like nearly all of those robinsparkles :) I like hadn't seen the Elissa spelling. I like Sophia - irrationally wonder if it's too popular despite all the others being popular too, so might try it on DH - and really like Joseph. DH keeps mentioning Harriet because though we'd never have chosen it first time he said 'look at Isobel and imagine she's called Harriet - it's cute'. And he's right! (Weird, I know.) Can't go for James or Emily for family/friend reasons, though they're both lovely names.

He he, DH and I are 30 but have been together since we were 16. When I was pregnant with DD1 we found a name book we'd written in when we were at uni, just randomly one time. Isobel was there. But so was Tuscany.

TUSCANY!!!!!!!!! Thank God I did not fall pregnant when I was 19. That poor child would have hated me for all eternity and I would have also had to hate myself ;)

Thanks - I'm adding Eleanor to the list and will prime DH when he gets home ;) Isobel is 19 months but she has a little friend at nursery called Ella :)

I like Stanley too! We also like Sidney - my granddad was called Sidney (Sid), but are just not brave enough to go for it. We felt like that about Edith, so went for a middle name. I'm all for bravery, so I say go for it! (But am not brave enough myself, LOL ;) )

I guess I just think you can't really control your kids' nicknames, can you? We don't shorten Isobel but she might go to school and become Izzy/Belle or even Ibby - which is totally fine - we wouldn't have chosen the name if for some reason we hated one of those. Ellie is such a common shortening for Eleanor you couldn't guarantee you'd avoid it.

It's not that Ellie isn't pretty - I know there are lots out there - just that there was once yet another family pet with that name so it's kind of tainted it for me ...

Ooh I never thought of Nell. That's pretty.

I really like Eleanor/Elinor but not keen on Ellie, and it's kind of inevitable that that would be a nn. Would consider it for a middle name though because I think it's very pretty.

I'm trying to persuade DH on the Art thing, or on the fact that you really don't need a one-syllable nickname and Arthur is perfectly pronounceable by itself! He's half convinced ...

Ha ha - pretty and elegant if it's a girl, obviously.

I'm convinced this DC is a DD (loads of morning sickness, totally wriggliness at the 12-week scan like my other DD, and even looks like her. Obviously none of this actually means anything, but somehow I now just feel certain this baby is a girl. Totally happy if it's a boy too :) )

Thanks ginandtonic. That's more or less why I like it too. I obviously don't mind too much about popularity or I wouldn't have chosen Isobel, but prefer classic names with enduring appeal, I suppose. That's why DH really likes Alice, too, though it's just never been a name I love. I think that's what we're aiming for - a pretty, elegant but has-stood-the-test-of-time sort of name.

Jessica is a pretty enough name but my step-sister is Jessica. Damn families! I have loads of aunties and uncles and step-aunties and step-uncles, 35 cousins and step-cousins, three SILs, a brother, a sister, two step-sisters and a step-brother. How there are any names left is beyond me!