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Baby names

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

Original poster

Re-thinking our choices... should we go for different names?

92 replies

Linguaphile · 21/08/2013 12:19

DH and I have, for the most part, settled on calling our twin girls Philippa Winter and Vivienne Gray (Pip/Pippa and Vivi for short), but with our induction date looming less than 2 weeks away, I'm getting cold feet.

I really do love the classics (Alexandra, Elizabeth, etc), but we avoided them because our original criteria was to have something out of (or at the higher end of) the top 100--wanted something classic and interesting that wouldn't date quickly. I'm just not sure we've accomplished that with the names we've got!

I suppose I'm looking for either reassurance about what we've got or inspiration for something different. Any suggestions (even out-of-the-box ones) are really welcome. Names like Primrose, Seren, Zara and Persis have been on our list at some point or another, so I'm open to ideas!

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brightnearly · 21/08/2013 20:43

Griseldis

Slainte · 21/08/2013 20:28

I really like both Vivienne and Phillipa and haven't heard of any other babies with those names in the past few years.

Good luck with the births.

lastnightidreamt · 21/08/2013 20:11

Alexandra Winter is beautiful and works well with Vivienne.

Bonsoir · 21/08/2013 20:05

Violet Grey
Felicia Winter

ZolaBuddleia · 21/08/2013 20:04

Ooh! And Genevieve. Genevieve Winter is FABULOUS.

Yonionekanobe · 21/08/2013 20:03

I am biased as have an Alexandra but love it, and don't think it's particularly high up the top 100?

ZolaBuddleia · 21/08/2013 20:01

Love the middle names.

Vivienne = beautiful enigmatic woman in open topped car smoking Gauloise

Philippa = plain hefty horsey type wearing a quilted anorak

Names that I think go with Vivienne and your gorgeous middle names are:
Camille
Heloise
Greer
Madeleine
Evelyn
Belinda
Miranda
Georgina

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 21/08/2013 19:42

Vivienne is trailer trash? Erm...yeah right. Weird. OP - it's lovely. Ignore.

squoosh · 21/08/2013 19:41

Wow, in my mind Vivienne is the complete opposite of 'trailer trash'!

LemonBreeland · 21/08/2013 19:30

I think the last thing I would think to describe Vivienne is trailer trash. Bonsoi thst was rather rude.

I think your original names are lovely, and I really like the middle names too.

Original poster
Linguaphile · 21/08/2013 19:27

Uh... thanks Bonsoir. You get the award for most tactful contributor. Any suggestions for names that don't fall into the awful, untraveled, trailer trash category?

OP posts:
Wishfulmakeupping · 21/08/2013 19:22

Trailer trash?! Bizarre I work with a consultant called Vivienne shes the opposite I only know naice Vivienne's

tinypolkadot · 21/08/2013 19:16

What about Peony, could be pea or sweetpea for short... Peony Winter

brightnearly · 21/08/2013 19:13

Elena? Fleur?

Bonsoir · 21/08/2013 19:11

Pippa is awful and doesn't travel. Vivienne is trailer trash.

Wishfulmakeupping · 21/08/2013 19:06

Think Vivienne and Alexandra sound right together they are very different but have the same style. Fab names IMO and I'm a name snob

brightnearly · 21/08/2013 19:01

Odile?

brightnearly · 21/08/2013 18:59

What about Marianne, Justine or Camille?

Original poster
Linguaphile · 21/08/2013 18:58

Ooh, Alexandra Winter is pretty...

OP posts:
MacCrackles · 21/08/2013 18:49

I think Felicity Winter and Vivienne Gray are just gorgeous.

Another suggestion is Felicia.

Wishfulmakeupping · 21/08/2013 18:48

Vivienne grey is stunning
Think Alexandra Winter would be gorgeous with it also like the suggestion of Georgiana up thread but don't be put off Elizabeth because most people shorten it anyway so not many actual little Elizabeth's out there

Original poster
Linguaphile · 21/08/2013 18:44

It's so hard to make a choice, because while Philippa is common in the UK, it's really rare in the US (where I'm originally from; DH is English). If anything, Vivienne is the more boring name across the pond.

Ack, I just don't know. Seems unanimous that the others aren't really topping the original choices, but those choices don't seem to be getting great reviews either. Is Pippa really that bad, and are the middles really so unusable because they happen to sound like they match (which wasn't the idea)? Felicity is our other top contender to go with Vivi if Pippa doesn't work out, but some people have said it's too horsey...

All confused now. :(

Is Felicity Winter and Vivienne Gray an improvement?

OP posts:
LolaStarr · 21/08/2013 18:34

I really like Zara but still prefer Phillipa, I think its a lovely name. Not keen on Persis at all!

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 21/08/2013 17:41

Really don't like Persis, and not fond of Zara (but far better than Persis even so).

Like Constance and Cecily, and really like Hermione and Yolanda.

ElleCloughie · 21/08/2013 17:34

I think they are both lovely names, with sweet nicknames. The closer I get to my due date, the more I am second guessing my names, so it's nice to know I'm not the only one!