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Baby names

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

Original poster

Elsie?

45 replies

MsQueenie22 · 11/03/2015 10:26

I really like Elsie as a nn for Elinor. I met a little girl named Elsie a few years ago and she was gorgeous. Little French girl bobbed hair and dimples in her smile. I think that it sounds so pretty and wistful.

However, I noticed that some people on here have listed it as "common" and "chav" and while I am upset about this, I would hate it if Elsie was universally thought of as down market. (My husband would be ashamed of me if he read this.)

What do we think good ladies?

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ThursdayLast · 11/03/2015 12:00

I agree with minipie it's not a NN for Elinor though.
It's a perfectly lovely stand alone name, but could perhaps come from Elizabeth if you wanted to put longer on the BC?

minipie · 11/03/2015 11:58

I don't think it's common or chav at all.

What would put me off a bit is that it's very much part of the current "granny chic"/ 1920s housemaid name trend (Ruby, Molly, Pearl, Olive, Mabel, Lily, Ada etc) and I would worry that might date it.

Also I don't think Elsie is a nn for Elinor. To me nns for Elinor are Ellie, Nell, Elin/Ellen or Nora. There's no S in Elinor.

sophie150 · 11/03/2015 11:56

I don't think it is chavvy. But my nan in law is an Elsie so I do see it as an old lady name

Joyfulldeathsquad · 11/03/2015 11:53

I really like it.

ThursdayLast · 11/03/2015 11:52

I know a little toddler Elsie and it has no connotations whatsoever other than a beautiful old fashioned name.
I love it.

reuset · 11/03/2015 11:51

However, I noticed that some people on here have listed it as "common" and "chav" and while I am upset about this

Shock That upsets me too. I think it says far more about them, those who are willing bandy the vile word chav about. I don;t think they have any idea of what's genuinely downmarket from experience.

I;d prefer it as short for Elisabeth or Elinor etc as you're thinking of, but it's still a lovely name.

wigglesrock · 11/03/2015 11:50

MsQueenie - I'm so glad I didn't frequent the baby name board until after I'd had my three Smile

GotToBeInItToWinIt · 11/03/2015 11:46

I'm not keen on it but don't think it indicates any particular social class. I definitely wouldn't think 'chavvy' or 'downmarket' Smile

GoofyIsACow · 11/03/2015 11:40

I absolutely adore Elsie, if i had a DD it would be my choice, it's beautiful and a little bit different without being whacky, it is a classic

cecinestpasunepipe · 11/03/2015 11:37

Bob the Builder?
I have adorable 2year old dgd Elsie. Love it.

Original poster
MsQueenie22 · 11/03/2015 11:33

This is so hard! I was quite clear on names until I found Mumsnet, now it's a social minefield!

I'll name her Bob, there are no other Bob's that I know of. Except the Bob in Blackadder of course!

OP posts:
youngestisapyscho · 11/03/2015 11:19

When I named my DD Elsie, it was not even in the top 1,000 girls names.. have no idea where it is now. I love it, which is why I used it!

dementedpixie · 11/03/2015 11:16

Elsie wouldn't be a natural nickname for Elinor. My mum is Elsie but her real name is Elizabeth.

PenguinsandtheTantrumofDoom · 11/03/2015 11:16

I know two little Elsie's. It's cute. Definitely a bit hipster though, if that bothers you.

wigglesrock · 11/03/2015 11:15

I wouldn't attribute any kind of class to it at all but I'm not a fan of it as a name. I know one and I kept thinking it would grow on me but it hasn't. I suppose the people I know who used it would be quite well to do, but I only know one. I love Elinor but, I quite like Ellen too.

momb · 11/03/2015 11:14

I love Elsie, and had a Granny called Elsie May.

AnythingNotEverything · 11/03/2015 11:12

I think Elsie is a step too far on the granny chic trend for me - even further along than than Ada and Ida. I'm not a fan

Elinor is lovely. How about nn Nell?

sliceofsoup · 11/03/2015 11:09

I really like Elsie. Frozen has ruined Elsa for me. I had a granny called Elsie and another one called Eleanor, so I see them as old lady names that are coming back in, like Lily, May, Molly etc etc.

Lunastarfish · 11/03/2015 10:40

when i left school (over 15 years ago) it was one of the worst in the country. Two pupils I know have a baby called Elsie but I can't really comment on whether they are 'common/chav' as I am not in contact with them - I certainly don't consider myself to be! Conversley, I went to school with an Eleanor who I would consider a chav as well as a bully and a bitch so that name has bad vibes for me!

I think Elsie is more of a hipster name.

Tapwater · 11/03/2015 10:30

It says 'brassy barmaid with dangly earrings from a 1950s film, now a wise old bird with a chain smoker's laugh and a fund of great stories' to me, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. One of my NCT group had an adorable Elsie, who may have been an Elsie-May.

I prefer Elinor/Eleanor myself. Or Elsa?