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Baby names

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

Original poster

got a name but stuck on which spelling

34 replies

princessvikki · 23/04/2015 09:47

I want to name my new little girl May/Mae but I can't decide on spelling, my great nanny was May but I like the Mae spelling, like Mae West. I just don't want people thinking it's a modern spelling to make her name stand out. What do you all think???(Her middle name will be Norma after my nana if that helps)Smile

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reuset · 25/04/2015 10:39

Nothing wrong with variants (well, not always), but I still vastly prefer May over Mae.

LittleErin · 25/04/2015 10:31

I wanted to name my dd after my grandma Norma, but jut couldn't bring myself to use it so I used her middle name Alice asmy dd's middle name. In hindsight maybe I should have gone for it. Definitely grown on me since. I prefer May :)

burgatroyd · 24/04/2015 13:57

May looks much better!

Wafflenose · 24/04/2015 13:51

I prefer May, but they are both OK. Just to throw a spanner in the works, I once met a Mey.

Don't agree that Norma Mae sounds better than the way you had planned... there would be a mama type of sound in the middle.

susurration · 24/04/2015 13:31

Mae is beautiful and an old fashioned name definitely. It has connections to Hebrew, Scandinavian and Japanese languages and was used in the early 1900's as a form of Mary as well.

wesH · 24/04/2015 12:49

May - Mae looks too babyish and has definite hillbilly connotations!

CrispyFern · 24/04/2015 12:09

Mae Norma doesn't go well to me I'm afraid.
I think it needs something longer as a middle name maybe?

Rhubarbgarden · 24/04/2015 11:04

May. There are a rash of little Maes around at the moment, and May looks a lot classier.

TondelayoSchwarzkopf · 23/04/2015 19:17

I love Mae West so Mae all the way.
I think Mae is more of a Scandinavian spelling.

I love Classic Hollywood of the 30s, 40s and 50s so Norma also works for me too Grin eg Norma Shearer and Norma Desmond

ragged · 23/04/2015 19:12

I'm a Mae West fan so you know what I'll say...

timelyreminder · 23/04/2015 18:27

May, definitely.

ByeByeButterfly · 23/04/2015 15:43

I used the dreaded middle name Mae as I liked it and it was after my Gran who goes by the name May. I like the e spelling to differentiate from the month.

KoalaDownUnder · 23/04/2015 15:17

Well, yes, I agree that Norma Mae sounds much better than Mae Norma, but who wants Norma as a first name?! (It's fine for middle, though.)

Viviennemary · 23/04/2015 12:29

I think they're both nice. I'd say probably nowadays Mae is the more usual spelling so I might opt for May.

KnockMeDown · 23/04/2015 12:16

With regards to Norma, Norma Mae sounds WAAAY better than Mae Norma.

HappySpills · 23/04/2015 12:12

I always want to pronounce Mae as My or Me. Reminds me of a Damon I once saw spelt Daemon Grin

KoalaDownUnder · 23/04/2015 12:11

May, all the way.

May looks simple and sweet and classic, whereas Mae looks more like an American country 'n' western singer.

PinkSquash · 23/04/2015 12:10

My grandmother has Mae as her middle name and it was on my list if we had a girl (we didn't) so I shall say Mae.

Only1scoop · 23/04/2015 12:08

May

I think that 'Mae' always looks like the second half of some hyphenated creation.

Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost · 23/04/2015 12:07

Good choice. pretty elegant and strong and will suit her right through life.
I'd go for Mae or how about Mai.

glittertits · 23/04/2015 11:40

I hate Mae. The A and the E look so jarring together.

May is cute. I wonder why June isn't more popular? I think may is sweet, but June is excellent.

IvoryMadonna · 23/04/2015 11:35

May is the correct spelling. It is classic, whereas Mae seems to me an affectation.

Allthatnonsense · 23/04/2015 11:22

May I say that Mae is lovely in the month of May.

So Mae then.

Perfectlypurple · 23/04/2015 10:18

X post shitebag

Perfectlypurple · 23/04/2015 10:17

Strangely I think Norma Mae sounds right rather than Mae Norma

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