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Baby names

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

Original poster

Florence Ramona or Clara Matilda? Your views please!

59 replies

RookieMama · 22/07/2014 21:35

Hi all,

This is my first foray into MN posting (after much reading!). We're 1.5 weeks from due date and still undecided on names if our little one is a girl. So I'd really welcome your views about the two we have narrowed it down to - Clara Matilda or Florence Ramona? Our surname goes with either, we're looking for something not too popular, classic with some history to it but with a bit of 'edge' too. Honest reactions please, this is our only way of testing it out in the real world! Thanks in advance!

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ashesandfire · 23/07/2014 09:57

Clara Matilda
I'm a bit bored of Florence tbh. I hear it EVERYWHERE. I do like the nns Florrie or Flossie though.
I LOVE Clara. It's beautiful. It would be on my list for a future dd but it sounds a bit rhymey with the surname :(

CroakCroakRibbit · 23/07/2014 09:33

Ramona as her first name (I am biased though as I have one).

We chose it as it as we wanted a strong, definitely not frilly, slightly quirky but not silly name. I also think it's beautiful for all ages so won't seem out of place when she's all grown up. I only know of one other, a friend of a friend of a friend's daughter. We've never had any one ask about Spanish connections.

It has lots of potential for great nicknames too, although she gets called Ramona most of the time she is also... Romy, Rae, Mona, Raime, Mo, Mo-Mo, The Mo-bot! I wasn't keen on Mona as a shortening to begin with but it's grown on me so I don't mind if people use it some times now... I think of Mona Lisa rather than moany Mona now.

Have I sold it to you yet? Grin

The only down side is that it's not a name people generally seem to love when they ask what her name is!

Superrhan · 23/07/2014 09:25

I love love love Clara, it's beautiful, classy and like a princess name. I sort of equate with Anastasia but it's less flamboyant.

Clara Matilda is a bit of a mouthful, but it's very rare that middle name and first name get said all in one go so that's probably not too much of a problem.

snoggle · 23/07/2014 08:23

Matilda and Florence are neither unpopular nor edgy, we come across loads of both.

Clara and Ramona are both pretty but strong imo but I wouldn't have 2 names that both end in "a" sound.

My choice would be Ramona Florence

VerucaInTheNutRoom · 23/07/2014 08:17

I love Matilda, with the option to use Tilly as a nickname

sandberry · 23/07/2014 08:13

I would use Ramona if you don't want popular
Matilda and Florence are both top 100 names, I know several of both
Clara is top 200 and has been steadily climbing for years
Ramona isn't even top 1000 yet
They are all nice names but Ramona Florence would have the edge for me

Hulababy · 23/07/2014 08:03

I love the names Florence and Malitda most.

HolgerDanske · 23/07/2014 08:01

Oh hmmm come to think of it Clara sounds as if it might be Latin in origin?

Notso · 23/07/2014 08:00

I love Ramona, I like Florence and Matilda, Clara is ok.

HolgerDanske · 23/07/2014 07:59

I like names to 'match' so for me any combination of Florence, Matilda and Clara would be nice but Ramona would have to be paired with another Spanish/Latin name or it would sound wrong to me.

Yorkshirelassreturns · 23/07/2014 07:58

Just figured out why I think that about Ramona... It's Karen from Outnumbered. I'd be worried she'd turn out like Karen!!! Still don't like it anyway. Good luck x

Somanyillustrations · 23/07/2014 07:57

Clara Florence :)

Yorkshirelassreturns · 23/07/2014 07:55

I love Florence and Clara. Of all of the combinations, I like Clara Matilda best.

I am really not a fan of Ramona. It sounds quite hard and masculine to me and makes me envisage a really irritating, know all little girl. And Mona is not a good nn.

If you want any other mn ideas, how about

Florence Juliet
Florence Beatrice
Clara Felicity
Clara Isobel

And Happyzapper- your name is absolutely beautiful! Your parents have great taste.

Congratulations and good luck. X

ABlandAndDeadlyCourtesy · 23/07/2014 07:09

Clara Ramona or Ramona Florence.

baskingseals · 23/07/2014 07:06

Love Clara and Ramona, wouldn't worry about lack of a spainish connection, it is a great name.
Not keen on Florence or Matilda.

happyzapper · 23/07/2014 05:06

Clara Matilda is a beautiful name !Matilda was the first ever queen of england.(history) and clara has a classy twist on the name .the other name (despite being lovely ) is very old fashioned .clara matilda is a classy modern twist on what has been a popular name for centuries.

(My name is Beatrice Saskia Eloise and i do wish that it was a bit more modern )

stripedtortoise · 23/07/2014 04:54

Ramona for sure. Gorgeous and not too popular unlike both Florence and Matilda which are really rising and are a bit chic at the mo (in other words will go out of fashion quickly too!)

Alisvolatpropiis · 22/07/2014 23:52

Difficult.

I like Florence, Matilda and Clara a lot. Not so keen on Ramona.

I'd say Clara Matilda.

YesINamechanged · 22/07/2014 23:37

I love Clara Matilda and Florence. I don't know why but I don't like Ramona.

Sootgremlin · 22/07/2014 23:32

I like Ramona Florence.

Ramona made me think of the Bob Dylan song.

Sophronia · 22/07/2014 23:22

Florence Ramona. But I would prefer Ramona Florence.

EdinLS · 22/07/2014 22:50

I LOVE Clara - was close in the running for my own DD but DH & I both have names beginning with C and we couldn't bring ourselves to be that family Blush

Iffy about Ramona, and think I prefer the combination Clara Florence to Clara Matilda (not sure why)

ElizabethMedora · 22/07/2014 22:39

Ramona is the best name out of all of those! Followed by Florence, then Clara, then Matilda.

GalaxyInMyPants · 22/07/2014 22:36

It makes me think of the Beverly Clearly books as well rather than Spanish.

She was such a feisty, cool character.

Original poster
RookieMama · 22/07/2014 22:32

Wow thanks for the quick responses! We're not necessarily fixed on the combinations so it's helpful to hear your thoughts. We have considered Ramona as a first name (I loved the Beverley clearly books as a child) but it feels like the most 'risky' choice...I'm worried that people would assume there is a Spanish connection (which there isn't!). Keep the views coming!

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