Help Needed With Shortlist Please!

I like Zach but prefer it as a shortened form of the full name Zachary, I also don't mind Ted/Teddy as a nn for Edward.

From your girls list I like Matilda, Connie (do prefer short for Constance) and Molly is ok.

I like Theodore best then Zach and I also like Ralph.
From your girls list I love Arabella. She could be Abi for short or Ara or Ari.
I also like Matilda but high chance she would be Tilly by school friends.
Summer is pretty but a bit of a weak name compared to the others, as is Molly.
I quite like Connie, dislike Darcy.

Edward or Connie

Darcey is Bussell's middle name. Not my favourite dancer, but probably the only recent principal most average people can name. The surge in popularity, the spelling variations (Darcey, Darcy, D'Arcy, and not forgetting Darcie), lots appearing hyphenated too, Darcey-Leigh etc Recent threads on this some think it will date and likened to Tracey of the current time. I'm not a fan of Darcy, in case that wasn't obvious
Summer similarly not good.

I like all of the other names for girls, you couldn't go far wrong.

Ralph, Finley, Noah or Edward for boys all fine.

Grayson and Cody. The former is what you call your butler (if you have one)

Prefer Constance, though I think Connie is currently more popular than Constance as a stand alone name (you'd have to check that)

I don't like Harper (how did that one slip past unnoticed) for boy or girl.

Teddy - not overly keen. I do really like Edward though. Don't like Theodore much but really like Theo?
Grayson - seems very American to me. Normally I like American names but I don't think I like this.
Ralph - really don't like it, I think it has quite an ugly sound.
Finley - Love it. Prefer this spelling but don't know why.
Noah - really like it
Zach - love it, though would probably go for Zachary in full.
Cody - quite like it. Agree it's very American but I think it's cute and cool.

Summer - it's ok. Quite pretty. I have no feelings either way really
Darcey - love it. Also love the Darcey Bussell connection and I know 2 gorgeous little Darceys.
Harper - quite like it. hink harper Beckham is old enough now for people not to assume you'd named your DD to copy the Beckhams
Arabella - love it. It's one of my DD3s middle names.
Molly - quite like it
Connie - it's ok but I'd feel I had to use Constance which I'm not keen on
Matilda - love it and don't feel it has to be shortened.

Edward or Finlay from your boys list, agree Noah is popular and Grayson - though I like it - is butlery. Zach...meh. I'd use Zachary or Zacharias personally on the birth cert. Still meh though. I really, really don't like Ralph or Cody.

Connie, Harper, Molly are all ok but not wow names to me.

Don't like Arabella - too flouncy and too many Ella/Bella names atm, so I think it'll rise.

MN doesn't seem to like Darcey, but I think it's pretty. As is Summer. These would be my faves of your girls names.

If you don't like the shortening Tilly you shouldn't use Matilda - she might end up choosing that as her nickname herself.

Teddy (Full name either Theodore or Edward, but leaning more towards Theodore as its a bit more unusual than Edward and I prefer the sound of it).
Theodore is NOT unusual in 2015. It was one of the fastest and biggest climbers in the 2014 England and Wales ONS stats. It came in at 59th, with Teddy(66th) and Theo(37th) also in the top 100. Edward came in at 31st. There are more Theos and Theodores combined than Edwards. This is before you count Teddys.

Finley/Finlay (Unsure of best spelling, no reason behind this just like the name).
Finley (at no 36th) is currently the preferred spelling in England and Wales whilst Finlay is preferred in Scotland according to the stats. I'm not sure if that will make a difference to you. You might want to think about the fact that your son would forever have to tell people which he was.

Noah (Loved for years - but maybe too popular/over used now? Also concerned as very strong biblical name)
Noah clocks in at number 11 this year, with just over twice the number of Edwards. Personally I think if your concern is too popular/over used for Noah then stay well clear of Teddy & Co too as its going to have the same problem. The top 100 is full of strongly biblical names at the moment; Zachary, Elijah, Reuben, Jacob, Joshua, Isaac, Gabriel etc. Its one of the current fashions so I wouldn't let that put you off too much.
Zach (Always had Zach lined up as Noah's brother, no real reason just always thought they sounded like brothers. Looked after a severely disabled boy with this name so kind of puts me off now).
Zachary is 40th at the moment.

Darcey (Inspired by my love of Darcey Bussell and feel she would be a spectacular name sake. My only reservation is would it be a bit too unisex and not girly enough?).
Wouldn't be an issue. Its being used today almost exclusively by girls. There are a lot of variations in spelling with Darcey, Darcie and Darcy all in the top 100 at the moment.
Harper (No real reason just a namd I likd but maybe too surnamey and maybe people would feel its a bit too modern and inspired by a certain celebrity couple?).
Harpers popularity has absoluetely skyrocket in 2014 stats. Its had the biggest increase of any girl or boys name. I can't see it going away too soon either. It is going to date fairly quickly though.
Arabella (Beautiful old fasioned name, lovely nick namd potential of Ella or Bella. Solid namd that would see her well through life. Only concern is people on here seem to yhink there are too many Ella/Bella names now a days?).
England and Wales: Isabella 7th, Ella 16th, Isabelle 18th, Bella 52nd, Annabelle 53rd, Isabel 92nd, Arabella 126th. Is that too popular for you? My feeling is that Arabella is the name people choose to be different only everyone else feeling like that does the same.
Matilda (Keep going back to this, immensely dislike shortening on Tilly and had comments ago negative associations which have made me seriously doubt this name - Liar Matilda, Matilda and strange powers in the film and waltzing matilda).
You won't be able to avoid Tilly.

I don't know why you have included names you don't love though. Makes no sense if there are others you prefer. Especially since none of them are particularly less popular than others. I think they are all top 100 with the exception of Connie (150th), Arabella (125th), Cody (113th), Grayson (218th) so hardly mind shatteringly out there.

My favourite is Grayson, really underused name IMO. Zack and Cody are okay, both of those names made reminded me of that Disney channel programme The Suite Life of Zack and Cody from years ago. Noah is okay. Really dislike Ralph, far too 'old man' and my childhood dog was called Ralph.

Favourite girls name is Arabella, very pretty and lots of nn potential but will probably rise in popularity if that bothers you. Really like Summer too, another lovely name that you can't go wrong with. Molly and Matilda are okay, good solid names. Not fond of Connie, very dated IMO. Harper makes me think of the Beckhams, sorry. Not keen on Darcey either.

First off I'd remove the names that you don't seem overly keen on; Cody, Zach, Harper and Connie.

From your post you see to like Arabella, Summer, Darcey and Matilda best. All nice Imo

Arabella is definitely becoming more popular and tbh I am fed up with all the Bella's and Ella everywhere. I think it is inevitable she would be called one of those nn and most ppl would probably assume she's just another Isabella.

Summer i agree only works if child is born in summer. You do seem most positive about this name though

Darcey I don't feel is too unisex and I would always imagine a girl in the first instance of reading the name. Might be a bit faddy though

Matilda, do you like nn Tilda or Matty? If you really don't like any of the nns I would discard this name as it's inevitable it would be shortened

I would have Grayson as the boys name as it's the only one you said you adored.

Whatever name you eventually choose will not be universally liked, I don't think there is anything wrong with the names on your shortlist so my advise is go with the ones you love ????