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Baby names

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

Original poster

Betty or Audrey

63 replies

mojojo29 · 17/07/2014 14:15

Hello ladies, advice please. Our surname is Grove and four year old daughter is named Penny. Both my other half and I love old retro names, something not too popular but a bit classic (think 1950's pin up/movie stars) We had Betty as our no.1 choice of a name and even been referring to baby as Betty, but now have been thinking of Audrey (mostly from watching the tv series 24) and have confused ourselves. Lol.

Just wondering which of the two you ladies like best...

Betty Marie Grove
or
Audrey Marie Grove

(its a family tradition to have Marie as a middle name!)

Many thanks!! x

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TheFillyjonk · 08/08/2014 00:10

I don't really like either, both have quite a gritty old bag feel to them for me.

How about Ava, Lana or Vivienne?

Trickytreacle · 08/08/2014 00:07

I love Betty- although I am biased as we named our daughter Betty! You will always find people either love or hate it- stick with your gut instinct and go for it I say! We have never regretted it ( although the other half had to be heavily persuaded he loves it now too!) .

Superrhan · 19/07/2014 09:57

Don't worry about people making their own names... I have a niece Libby short for Elizabeth, and she is absolutely Libby. I'm not even sure she knows that her name is Elizabeth yet (she's 5), she is just Libby and no one would call her anything else.

You could do the same with Betty. If she is always called Betty and introduced as Betty, nobody needs to really know she's an Elizabeth by BC.

I also knew a Bethany who went by Bet/Betsy if you are considering other Betty names!

Coral2094 · 19/07/2014 07:58

Audrey is beautiful! Goes nicely with Penny too which is also a great name.

ColdCottage · 18/07/2014 20:23

Bea Marie Grove is really lovely and I think Bea is more of a 'proper' name than Betty, especially if you are just going to call her Bee/Bea Smile

fledermaus · 18/07/2014 20:15

Both my kids have shortened versions of long names, but we only use the short versions and most people probably don't even know what their full names are so no problem with people using alternative shortenings.

Iownafourinchporsche · 18/07/2014 20:04

I adore Betty

Original poster
mojojo29 · 18/07/2014 13:47

Aww ladies, thank you, you've been great help. I'm thinking tell everyone her name is Betty but when we get her registered we can put down Elizabeth. By then everyone will be so used to call her Betty that they wont know any different. :D

Definitely seems 50/50 on who likes what!

OP posts:
Legionofboom · 18/07/2014 12:38

Betty is much, much nicer than Audrey (which I don't think of as sophisticated at all) and Elizabeth is a beautiful, classic name.

With regards to people using other shortened versions, if you choose a definite nn from the beginning and stick with it and I don't think it would be a problem.

twiglet2 · 18/07/2014 11:49

I have a friend with a little girl called Elizabeth, but they have only ever called her Beth, so everyone knows her as Beth, but she has the option of using Elizabeth when she is older.

Original poster
mojojo29 · 18/07/2014 11:35

The only problem is Viviennemary is I don't want people shortening Elizabeth to anything but Betty. It's not that I don't like the other shortened versions, their just not for me and I know of lots of Ellie's Beth's, Libby's etc. :/

OP posts:
Viviennemary · 18/07/2014 11:26

Didn't see your last post. You've made the right choice. Elizabeth is a great name and has lots of short forms to choose from. Even Betty!

Viviennemary · 18/07/2014 11:24

I am not overkeen on either of them personally. But Audrey is by far the better choice.

Original poster
mojojo29 · 18/07/2014 11:20

Thanks everyone. Had a long chat with the other half last night. My fave is still Betty as I love the retro feel to it. My OH is still 50/50. I said about Audrey being sophisticated and Betty being fun and he said he likes the idea of the name being both, so we are contemplating Elizabeth but shortening it to Betty as a nickname. Then Elizabeth will age well for her too. So that's an option. I love vintage stuff and being a bit different! :)

I definitely can see why some people would think of the names as old or from corrie, but every name is old eventually I guess. Depends on the generation and I can't imagine when this little one grows up there will be many older Betty's or Audrey's around :)

I do think Penny and Betty are similar though, so that worries me a bit x

OP posts:
BillnTedsMostFeministAdventure · 17/07/2014 23:47

Audrey to me is Hepburn, not coronation street!

BillnTedsMostFeministAdventure · 17/07/2014 23:46

Audrey.

I agree that Penny and Betty are quite similar.

Rita? Ava? Ada?

NadiaWadia · 17/07/2014 23:43

But Aubrey is a man's name. Although I know they are now using it for girls in the US but what do they know

lp2014 · 17/07/2014 22:11

Hi, I prefer Betty. Maybe just see what suits when the baby is born. I actually really like aubrey, similar but a bit more unusual

Chumpster · 17/07/2014 20:35

Bettie is a nice name and Bee is nice. The little girl opposite our house is called Bettie and she's lovely. Audrey is also lovely but makes me think of Audrey from Coronation St (although she'll won't be remembered by anyone your daughter;s age).
However, having thought about it some more. I think Audrey ages better than bettie. Its more sophisticated for a 30something and older.

Kantha · 17/07/2014 20:14

Audrey is lovely and is miles better than Betty. It's a name with the capacity to grow with a woman wherever she goes in life. Betty is just too cute for me. Audrey sounds nicer with Penny too.

WowserBowser · 17/07/2014 20:05

I LOVE Audrey! It is my top name if i ever have a dd.

I just love the sound of it.

And i also love 24!

Good taste op Wink

TheBuskersDog · 17/07/2014 19:58

I don't think glamorous and sophisticated when I think of Audrey, I think of women in their seventies who set their hair and look like this.

Gingerjv · 17/07/2014 19:47

Audrey Marie Grove for sure!!!!ver beautiful name Audrey!! and Betty is too simple((

MrsPatMustard · 17/07/2014 18:27

Audrey definitely. Classy. When I think of Betty all that comes to mind is 'sweaty'...

busyDays · 17/07/2014 18:26

I much prefer Audrey. Also, I don't think that Penny and Betty work very well as sibling names as they sound too similar.