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Baby names

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

Original poster

Was set on Flora, but just saw Ellen??

54 replies

emmyloo2 · 20/03/2013 02:59

DH and I had locked in Flora for DD due in 9 weeks. However, stupidly I came back to Baby Names and saw someone asking for a sibling name for Ellen and it struck me how simple, classic and elegant Ellen was. I think DH will kill me for raising another option as we have been going around and around in circles and had finally decided on Flora (with Florence as a possible substitute).

DS is George and I want something traditional, not popular and elegant. And short!

So does Flora meet that? What about Ellen?

Thanks!

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LeslieWink1e · 20/03/2013 22:36

I reckon that Elizabeth is nowhere near as popular as that ranking would make it seem, because (and I nearly did this myself) some of the Elizas, Libbys and Beths will have Elizabeth on their birth cert.

I like Beth. It's in the same vein as Ellen I think.

Original poster
emmyloo2 · 20/03/2013 22:22

Thanks everyone. I am now having second thoughts about flora much to DH's annoyance who thought we had it all locked down!

What about Elizabeth? This was always on our list but I discounted it because it is in the top 50 and I thought it was too popular...

OP posts:
birdofthenorth · 20/03/2013 22:16

Ellen is nicer IMHO. Like Nell and Lennie as nicknames too. Flora is nice though, although when I first met one as a teenager I did think margarine, sorry.

bedmonster · 20/03/2013 21:39

Well snice is Ellen older than George? In the SE?
Ooohhh, I wonder!

Nivet · 20/03/2013 21:33

I love Flora, Ellen is ok but not special.

snice · 20/03/2013 21:21

I know siblings called George and Ellen too bedmonster :I wonder if they're the same ones!

idiot55 · 20/03/2013 21:20

Love love love ellen. although Im biased!!

its not particularly popular either, easy to spell, timelse I could go on and on

Dauphin · 20/03/2013 21:14

We have Florence (she's 5), and I adore Flora...I think whatever the name, someone at shool will always have some rhyme for it etc...I think the diminutive Flo is so sweet.

Stixswhichtwizzle · 20/03/2013 21:05

Love Ellen but i'm biased. It means sunshine too which is lovely imo

woopsidaisy · 20/03/2013 19:05

I never thought of the spread, was wondering what you were all going on about! :)
I love Flora. It reminds me of one of my fav literary characters. Flora Post in Cold Comfort Farm!

Frikadellen · 20/03/2013 16:17

Flora is beautiful

Ellen is plain imo

bedmonster · 20/03/2013 16:10

I know siblings called George and Ellen! I much prefer Ellen to flora.

MolotovCocktail · 20/03/2013 15:36

Oh, and I prefer Laura to Flora :) IMO, it's prettier, classic and sophisticatedly feminine.

MolotovCocktail · 20/03/2013 15:35

I prefer Ellen to Flora. I'm also very fond of Eleanor, Ella, Elena (El-ay-nah) and Elle.

olivertheoctopus · 20/03/2013 13:57

Love Flora, Less keen on Ellen. A friend has a George and a Florence. Goes well.

NorksAreMessy · 20/03/2013 12:53

As an alternative, Helen is the most beautiful and gorgeous and perfect name (biased) and I have never met a nasty Helen

LeslieWink1e · 20/03/2013 12:48

I love Ellen. ELeanor not so much.

Flora is lovely too, I do like it but I'd have reservations. It makes me think of floor. The margarine thing doesn't bother me, so what. All spreads claim to spread easily. That is no long a unique selling point of Flora Margarine. So it's a beautiful name. Your short list is two beautiful names.

Both lovely but considering all manner of thinggs, Ellen is my favourite.

Gwennan · 20/03/2013 12:34

I like Flora - I know a lovely one. I don't think she's ever had any problems with her name and she's in her late 20s now.

I like Ellen too but perhaps a little less than Flora. It just doesn't seem as special as Flora because it sounds like so many other names - Helen, Eleanor, Ellie, etc.

yawningbear · 20/03/2013 10:42

I love Flora, only thing that would be put me off is the margarine connection but it sounds like that isn't an issue where you are so I would stick with it. Flora Ellen sounds lovely.

EssieW · 20/03/2013 09:38

Ellen is gorgeous.

It was on our list for DD and would be top if we had another girl.
Sometimes I wish I had used it first time round.

Though maybe see what she looks like?

HappyAsASandboy · 20/03/2013 09:35

I agree with the others, Ellen is lovely :)

NowPlayingZone · 20/03/2013 09:09

Ellen is way more elegant & timeless than flora IMO.

OkayHazel · 20/03/2013 03:56

Ellen is miles better than Flora.

Though I am biased because it is my middle name.

TWinklyLittleStar · 20/03/2013 03:24

Flora is margarine.

I like the name Ellen so much that I still like it even though it's DH's evil ex-girlfriend's name.

ThisIsMummyPig · 20/03/2013 03:18

DH's first choice name is Ellen, but he has a sister called Helen, so I vetoed it on the grounds of stupidity However, I would have loved Eleanor, but would have been tempted to call her Nelly. That got vetoed on the grounds that Eleanor sounds posh, and Nelly is a rude word where he comes from