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Baby names

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

Original poster

Bonnie?

40 replies

fairyteepee · 06/01/2015 20:00

Just thoughts on this please. Ta!

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carbolicsoaprocked · 13/01/2015 12:02

Sorry, I'm not a fan, but I'm Scottish (NE) and here it's either used as meaning pretty or sometimes in a sarcastic way - as in something that really isn't pretty or is of low quality. So I don't think it would travel particularly well...

rockinrobintweet · 12/01/2015 23:07

LOVE it!!! considered Bonita when pregnant with my first and would obv have nn to Bonnie but as a pp said- my DH considered it more a compliment than a name.

love this style, eg Connie (Constance), Ronnie (Veronica)

backscratcher · 12/01/2015 22:24

I have an almost 4 year old girl called Bonnie.
She was born when I lived in the South East, am now back living in Scotland.

Have had nothing but nice comments from other people when they hear her name (to my face anyway...)
She's the only Bonnie in her large nursery and I don't know of any others.

I think the name suits her too Smile

HolyTerror · 12/01/2015 20:26

Recalls Bonnie Langford as Violet Elizabeth Bott...

KatieKaye · 12/01/2015 20:25

I know a lovely yellow lab called Bonnie.
[helpful]

victoire1208 · 12/01/2015 20:15

No I don't like it. Have known a few yappy dogs called Bonnie.

MamaLazarou · 12/01/2015 20:07

Love Love love LOVE Bonnie!

dalmatianmad · 11/01/2015 20:44

My lovely 22 year old niece is called Bonnie, wouldn't be my choice but it suits her! God that sounds awful especially as she's slim, blonde, blue eyes.....

Naomip88 · 11/01/2015 20:41

love it!

bridgetsmummy · 10/01/2015 17:13

No, horrid name

bigfam · 10/01/2015 13:55

I like the name bonnie. It's popular with travellers in my area

SavoyCabbage · 10/01/2015 11:21

My dd's teacher is called Bonnie. She is head of year and is totally kick-ass.

Benchmark · 10/01/2015 11:15

My friend has a daughter called Bonnie who's 9. I wasn't keen before I met her but now I really like it. It's unusual and pretty without being twee. She gets called Bon Bon by her family which is cute.

mrsnec · 10/01/2015 08:12

I wanted to use it as my dgm was known as Bonnie and she was amazing. Dh wouldn't let me. My Dm wanted to use it for me too but my df wouldn't let her.

I think it's a lovely name and the blue peter dog connection didn't bother me at all.

We considered it for a middle n as did my Dm for me but it's quite difficult to find other names it goes with which is why I didn't push dh in the end.

RhubarbAndMustard · 10/01/2015 07:54

I only said to my DP yesterday that I liked the name Bonnie.

KatieKaye · 10/01/2015 07:44

Not keen as it's rather twee. And focuses on the physical notion of beauty.

I think you will have heard of "bonnie" being used as an adjective if you have a 2 year old, OP:

Nursery rhymes: "Bonnie Bobby Shafto" and "And the child that is born on the Sabbath Day is bonnie, blyth, good and gay"

And surely everyone has heard of Bonnie Prince Charlie?

18yearstooold · 09/01/2015 21:20

Labrador

Sorry

CruCru · 09/01/2015 21:15

I don't much like it. For some reason, I can't imagine a Bonnie doing anything other than show business.

CrispyFern · 07/01/2015 10:58

I like it. It's cute.

squoosh · 07/01/2015 10:57

Very twee and very 1980's.

Original poster
fairyteepee · 07/01/2015 09:53

OK so a bit marmite but also quite well liked! I understand the take some of you are having on it being another word for beauty but we live down south of England and ive never heard anyone use it as anything other than a name, although i am aware of its alternative use.

We do already have a 2 year old daughter who is very bonnie! Her name is one that a lot of people consider quite twee so that aspect is not something that phases me.

Please keep your comments coming, they are all very helpful!

OP posts:
ouryve · 06/01/2015 22:52

I had a cat called Bonnie.

Rhubarbgarden · 06/01/2015 22:51

What Bigfoot said.

And it's twee.

DramaAlpaca · 06/01/2015 22:23

I know a Bonnie in Ireland who uses it as a nickname for Bláthnaid, which means 'little flower' and is pronounced a bit like BLAW-ned. I don't think Bláthnaid as a name travels very well, though.

BigfootFilesHisToesInYourTea · 06/01/2015 22:12

Bonnie means "pretty". I have issues with naming a female child Bonnie, as it puts her looks right at the forefront. I have similar issues with the name Grace. Because that's how women/girls should be, pretty and graceful and all that rubbish... there's no getting away from that when you lumber a child with the name Grace or Bonnie.

You could argue a lot of girls names essentially mean the same thing - Isabella meaning beautiful etc - but for instance while Catherine and Chastity are both girls names that mean the same thing, Catherine isn't as transparent - Catherine has become "just a name". Bonnie is probably transitional but the word is still in current use to mean "pretty", and by naming your daughter that, you're saying that's what you value - or at least, of all the other names out there, you chose to give her a label lauding her looks.