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Baby names

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

Original poster

Ok - so what do you think of Diana, Juliet or Susannah?

63 replies

emmyloo2 · 05/03/2013 05:49

I posted recently about my recent list for DD due in 11 weeks. I wanted Mabel, Maude, Iris and Florence on the list. All bar Florence have been outright rejected by DH. So our new current short list is:

Juliet
Diana
Susannah
Florence

I like the old-fashioned grandma names but DH doesn't. He honestly thought I was joking when I suggested Maude. Hmm

So this is the new short list. I love Diana and Susannah but are they a little dated? They are certainly not cracking the top 50 list in my neck of the woods where it's Olivia, Ava, Lily or Chloe.

Florence is the only old-fashioned one he likes. I have tried Edith, Esme, Mabel, Maude, Olive, Iris, Audrey. Nup. All rejected.

Our DS is George and so I wanted another old-fashioned name. However, unless it's Florence, it doesn't appear to be possible. Oh, he does like Rose however I rejected that on the basis of popularity.

Your thoughts, suggestions appreciated.

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NoTimeForS · 06/03/2013 04:05

Oh sorry Flossyflo Blush. That was rude of me. I didn't spot you until I had already posted.

NoTimeForS · 06/03/2013 04:02

My favourite is Susannah, then Juliet. I don't really like Diana (dislike Di) and can't warm to Florence or Flora I'm afraid. I don't like Flo as a nn.

Original poster
emmyloo2 · 06/03/2013 03:27

Thanks everyone. I do love Susannah but DH is now moving away from it. He has decided he likes Flora as an alternative to Florence.

I think this is more in keeping with the style of name that I want.

Does Flora get the thumbs up? He wanted Laura and likes Florence so he has decided this is a mix between the two. To be honest, if he had his choice it would be Rose but I can't get over the fact that I think it is going to have a massive uptick in popularity and is the middle name of choice at the moment. It's a beautiful name, don't get me wrong.

Flossyflo - thanks for your perspective! I like Flo as a nickname although like Flossie as well. Do you think Flora would get shortened? It's really starting to grow on me as a nice compromise....

OP posts:
WormCanner · 06/03/2013 00:47

You would think that Diana would have had a burst of popularity in the 1980s, but it never did for some reason. It doesn't seem to have ever been especially popular, and for that reason I certainly wouldn't see it as dated, more timeless.

Much the same applies to Susannah, although Susan and Suzanne have had their moments.

Juliet is OK, but I prefer Julia. Another underused classic.

Florence is very faddy at the moment and will date dreadfully. My great grandma was Florence, she was a Victorian and it was a popular name then after Florence Nightingale.

LadyLech · 05/03/2013 18:50

Another vote for Susannah - it is a gorgeous name, but I am biased as it is my daughter's middle name.

Personally, I prefer the Juliette spelling, but dependent on surname, Susannah Juliet/te sounds like a great name.

I prefer Susanna with the nn Anna, which I also consider to be beautiful.

Good luck.

flossyflo · 05/03/2013 17:17

Florence is my name. Always loved it... when I was growing up so many people commented on it being a nice name. It does get shortened to Flo though - what is your view on this?

And my brother is called George!

Which is weird.

However... it is getting more popular now (thanks to Florence and the Machine me thinks, but you could have worse name ambassadors, at least she is quite cool). And assume it's not so popular in Australia as much as here?

Anyway, like Diana... although not Di so much.

WowOoo · 05/03/2013 17:06

Susanna/h is lush.

Plus, you can shorten it to Anna or Sue or Suzy - more options.

Have a very lovely friend called Susanna - it has good vibes for me.

peppertree · 05/03/2013 16:59

please don't settle for anna!
Susannah is a beautiful and timeless name
How about susannah Juliet
Hope all goes well

saintmerryweather · 05/03/2013 12:26

I love francesca i dont think you need to be italian to use it

pooka · 05/03/2013 11:27

I prefer Susanna to Susannah.

It's my favourite name in your list.

Susie as a nickname is lovely.

BankWuggery · 05/03/2013 11:24

What about Flora instead of Florence?

cuillereasoupe · 05/03/2013 09:46

Susannah all the way.

Bonsoir · 05/03/2013 09:39

Juliet and Susannah are both lovely.

Original poster
emmyloo2 · 05/03/2013 09:33

I like Rosanna......I will run it by DH tonight. I also proposed Francesca but we thought perhaps it sounded quite Italian and we are certainly not Italian.

Good idea Donkey - I always try and think about saying the name in the park and at swimming lessons etc. I love my son's name so I just want a name I love as much, that is elegant and strong and classic. A name that will carry her through adulthood.

I think George and Susie work well together.

OP posts:
brackengirl · 05/03/2013 09:16

What about Rosanna? This is my DD1's name and is what I came up with after a close family member used Anna which I loved. DD2 due in 7 weeks was going to be George if she was a boy.

DonkeysDontRideBicycles · 05/03/2013 09:13

George & Susie.... Susie, Suze, ZanZan....

MidnightMasquerader · 05/03/2013 09:12

Susannah is nice. I'm Antipodean and know of a baby Susannah. I think spelling it with two Ss, rather with a Z makes it way less dated/more current. Susie is definitely not an inevitable nickname.

Florence is over, honestly.

Juliet and Diana are fine.

DonkeysDontRideBicycles · 05/03/2013 09:12

Hi Emma!
Wink

Now you have explained more about your friends and their reason for choosing Anna, if you see a lot of them I might personally go for a different name.

Try Susannah: George & Susannah, think family updates, shouting her name in the park, filling out forms with her name, writing your name and DH's and George and Susannah on your Christmas cards... Any good?

Original poster
emmyloo2 · 05/03/2013 09:05

Thanks everyone.

Re the colleague/friend - we aren't that close to them but we have them over every now and then and they always bring a nice gift for our son. They announced some time ago that their baby will be called Anna after her mother who passed away. Hence I just wondered whether it would be odd that a month after their baby is born, we have our baby and say "guess what, we have gone with Anna as well!". I do love it though and it's lovely with our surname.

Donkeys - good suggestions. Emma is my name! Alexandra is nice but getting popular here and is the name of my DH's cousin.

I still like Susannah. More than Diana I think. I actually don't mind the nn Susie, but don't like Di at all. Juliet is ok but I don't think it's my favourite.

Perhaps I should just agree to Anna??

OP posts:
DonkeysDontRideBicycles · 05/03/2013 08:57

I don't know about names in Australia but like Juliet as much as Florence.

Other names that could go with George, (leap in the dark, may be completely unpopular in OZ)
Emma
Lucie
Alexandra (Alex, Lexy)

farmersdaughter · 05/03/2013 08:44

Whoops didn't mind to hit send.

Whist my suggested additional names aren't old lady(ish) Roughly in the same vain as your list but nowhere near as popular

farmersdaughter · 05/03/2013 08:42

Anna and George is a delightful combination.

Agree that Florence has had its day. I like Juliet, would you consider spelling it Juliette?

Don't dislike Susannah but not made keen on Susie.

What about:
Margaret
Agatha
Philippa
Clementine
Martha
Laura
Mary
Constance
Gloria
Henrietta

saintmerryweather · 05/03/2013 08:22

Anna is the best one out of those. what about anna-maria? I wouldnt not choose a name i loved if a colleague was picking it, unless he is your dps best mate

ChompieMum · 05/03/2013 08:16

Ps think it goes well with George and unless she is going to be best friends with the other Anna, doesn't matter at all. Annie is lovely too

ChompieMum · 05/03/2013 08:14

Anna is beautiful. Best of them all I think.