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Baby names

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

Original poster

Rachel or Emily?

65 replies

Findingthisdifficult1234 · 22/11/2014 12:30

What would you have?

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Original poster
Findingthisdifficult1234 · 23/11/2014 23:14

No definitely dont hear of any Rachel's these days! Ill have a look on baby centre as to what number on the list it is!

OP posts:
TsukuruTazaki · 23/11/2014 23:02

Ooh Rachel Sienna is quite lovely actually

You don't hear of many young Rachel's these days but it's a good strong name and sounds very pretty.

On a similar vein of names that are nice classics but not so in vogue currently (poss a bit 80s) and won't be 10 a penny at school - Laura, Natalie, Leah, Faye, Rebecca, Natasha

I do also like Emily fwiw.

DontCallMeBaby · 23/11/2014 22:57

I vote Rachel in protest at Natalie being described as dated. I think you mean 'timeless' or perhaps 'classic'. Wink

Darquesse · 23/11/2014 22:53

I like Emily but it is very popular recently. Rachel is quite dated although there is one in Dds class, year 2. Of those names I would probably chose Sienna.

HairyPotter · 23/11/2014 22:50

They are my daughter's first and middle names. Excellent choices Grin

miffybun73 · 23/11/2014 22:45

I don't like Sienna at all. Quite like Matilda and Rachel. Love Emily :)

rallytog1 · 23/11/2014 15:21

Rachel. You can pretty much guarantee she'll be the only one in her class at school!

And it's also a beautiful name.

sunflower49 · 23/11/2014 06:14

Love Emily and Matilda. Hate Rachel, just think It's an ugly, rasping sound to say.
Sienna, I have known a lot of 'Adult' workers use this name which may make me biased so I can't add a genuine opinion on that. It's a nice name but that's the image I get of it.

Original poster
Findingthisdifficult1234 · 23/11/2014 06:03

That's very true blue stocking! All depends on what the babba looks like :)
And yes Rachel Sienna doesn't sound bad actually!

OP posts:
thecaroline · 23/11/2014 01:19

Emily.

I think Rachel has an unattractive sound and most of the Rachels I've known have been busy bodies.

CoolStoryBro · 23/11/2014 01:17

I don't think Rachel is anymore dated than Samantha and Natalie. They're all from the same genre of 70s and 80s names!
Personally, I prefer the spelling, Rachael.

SnoringNorma · 23/11/2014 01:12

Rachel can be shortened to Rae which is very cool!

Sophronia · 23/11/2014 00:23

Rachel, it's more unusual nowadays, Emilys are everywhere.

WLmum · 22/11/2014 23:38

Absolutely Rachel. I know some lovely Emily's but I still find the name dreary. Saying that, I know my own dc have quite marmite names.

MrsJohnHarrison · 22/11/2014 23:33

Are you me nearly 4 years ago? FWIW we went with Emily Smile

Devora · 22/11/2014 23:33

Think of Rachel Sienna as a grown-up. Isn't she MUCH more appealing than an Emily?

[Bringing out big guns here]

[Realises that perhaps not having managed to give either of my children names I love has bothered me more than I realised]

Bluestocking · 22/11/2014 23:30

Another vote for Rachel Sienna! But you need to see what your daughter looks like when she arrives - she might look more like a Rachel, or more like an Emily!

Devora · 22/11/2014 23:23

Rachel Sienna then!

Go on - be a trendsetter!

Original poster
Findingthisdifficult1234 · 22/11/2014 23:05

Oh I don't know what to have!!! Leaning more toward Rachel, I still like Sienna too!

OP posts:
Devora · 22/11/2014 22:56

pud1 - your parents.

Devora · 22/11/2014 22:56

Emily is very popular at the moment. I love the name Rachel and wanted it for my dd, but nobody else seemed to like it and I got cold feet. I think it is a FANTASTIC name and overdue for a revival.

Emily is a bit insipid; Rachel is a strong woman's name.

Have you read 'My Cousin Rachel' by Daphne du Maurier?

[Racks brain to think of other ways to persuade of the obvious superiority of Rachel to all other names.]

Oh, and your dh's name choices are way better than yours. Sorry Grin

pud1 · 22/11/2014 22:53

you are asking me to choose between my name and my dds ......

so who has better taste, me or my parents.

Bluestocking · 22/11/2014 22:42

Both are lovely classic names, you can't go wrong whichever you choose. Emily might just slightly have the edge because you can shorten it to Em or Emmy - no-one wants to be called Rach!

MiddletonPink · 22/11/2014 22:39

Rachel is pretty dated. Bit like Samantha and Natalie.
Emily is ok.

ralinax294 · 22/11/2014 17:26

Rachel.