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Baby names

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

Original poster

Matilda, Tabitha, Ella or Nina?

62 replies

SummerMonths · 29/12/2015 21:10

Matilda, Tabitha, Ella or Nina: which is your favourite? Last name is two syllables and fairly common. Middle name will be Catherine.

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Sunshine511 · 01/01/2016 21:20

I think Ella is very popular so my vote is also with Nina! Lovely name Smile

chocoLit · 01/01/2016 20:10

Pearl!

chocoLit · 31/12/2015 18:00

Nina is beautiful!

I have a love of Nancy too lol

Original poster
SummerMonths · 31/12/2015 15:19

Vivi is sweet but to the full name would get pronounce Vivian which is too middle aged for me. Ugh, dont know. Now doubting Nina with sibling names.

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chocoLit · 30/12/2015 21:57

Oh and just throwing Vivienne into the mix.....

chocoLit · 30/12/2015 21:55

Lol SummerMonths completely understand as we have three DDs all with names chosen to have differing initials.

Dd4 would've been Beatrice (MN Bea) or Imogen but DH cut me off literally Wink

Good luck with your choices, they're ALL lovely names regardless of some saying certain ones are boring/common. Certainly not an opinion I share with only one Ella in our whole area.

TouchingToes · 30/12/2015 20:25

Definitely not Ella, the world is overrun with Ellas.

Nina is pretty, though there is quite a crop of them about too, now.

LOVE Matilda, such a great name.

Tabitha - I always think of it as a cat's name or Bewitched. Seems to be popular in the UK but not so much elsewhere.

PurpleElla · 30/12/2015 20:22

Ella's are incredibly common now and I say this as the oldest Ella in town (37), whenever I'm in my children's school or parks I get confused by parents calling Ella. Disappointing as when I was little it was a fairly unique name which I loved.

Original poster
SummerMonths · 30/12/2015 20:16

Choco - I love Anna and Iris and would have them on my list except I don't want any of the siblings to share an initial. Beatrice is sweet, but DH says it too Fergie.

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OneFlewOverTheDodosNest · 30/12/2015 19:54

I love all your names though Ella is very popular and Matilda's getting there too. Tabitha is beautiful and Nina is probably my favourite.

20thcenturyschizoidwoman · 30/12/2015 19:22

I love Matilda but I am biased - I look after the most wonderful Tilly - she is a little dot but as bright as a button. She never fails to brighten up my day when she comes to play

chocoLit · 30/12/2015 19:15

Your DC have beautiful names!

Are you open to suggestions or determined to choose between those 4?

What about:
Iris
Celeste
Sylvie
Anna
Susannah
Beatrice
Cordelia
Martha
Imogen
Phoebe
Tess

DontKillMyVibe · 30/12/2015 18:21

Although on its own I prefer Nina I think Ella goes better with the rest of your DCs names

turdfairynomore · 30/12/2015 17:34

In my accent Nina is the noise that a fire engine makes??

ExBallerina · 30/12/2015 17:27

I actually love Tabby Cat Grin

With those names, I'd say Ella, actually.

Original poster
SummerMonths · 30/12/2015 17:23

I am going to totally out myself then name change so I can tell you sibling names. Maybe that will help me decide.

DD1: Isobel
DD2: Alice
DS: Kit (actual name Christopher)

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banff82 · 30/12/2015 16:28

Definitely Nina; it's simple, classy and timeless. Tabitha is a cat's name - and as a pp said really doesn't work with the middle name Catherine! On hearing Matilda I automatically think 'Tilly' which is either a dog or the jolly hockey sticks Tilly character from Miranda. I'm a vet and I see a lot of Tillys. Ella is quite nice but seems like more of a shortening or nickname. What about Eleanor? Or Catherine as the first name, I think it's lovely.

dotdotdotmustdash · 30/12/2015 15:39

I get it, I understand what you're saying and agree.

I like all your name choices, but so lots of other parents at the moment, so I reckon Nina is probably your best bet for being a bit more original.

FWIW, I have a teenage Leah who I was desperate to call Hannah but my DH didn't like it. If I could have a baby girl tomorrow she would be called Anna or Ava.

Original poster
SummerMonths · 30/12/2015 15:27

Dot - the weird thing is that I HATE the name Tina while loving Nina. To me Tina is 70s and dated and weak and terribly boring and British whereas Nina is classics and international and strong. Makes no sense I know as they sound so similar.

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bodenbiscuit · 30/12/2015 14:19

Definitely Nina for me, followed by Ella.

dotdotdotmustdash · 30/12/2015 14:17

What about Tina rather than Nina? I had both in by class at school. Tina was short for Betina.

DontKillMyVibe · 30/12/2015 10:31

Matilda and Ella are everywhere at the mo. Nothing wrong with the names as such they're just not very original and likely to be loads of others with the same name.

Like others have said, Tabitha is a lovely name for a cat but not for a child IMO.

Have never met anyone called Nina - it's original but without being too unusual if that makes sense

mrsschu · 30/12/2015 10:05

Another vote for Nina. I'm a tad bored of Matilda and Ella although they are both nice. Tabitha is just awful. I've only ever come across it on MN where it generally gets rave reviews although I can't understand why. It just sounds a little ridiculous IMO. But Nina is gorgeous.

IoraRua · 30/12/2015 04:46

Matilda - grand
Ella - it's popular, overrun with Ellas in my school, as well as Isabellas. No. Not a fan.
Tabitha - really hate this name, seems witchy or a cat.
Nina - gorgeous. Reminds me a bit of ambulance sirens but not too much.

BingoBonkers · 30/12/2015 04:25

Tabitha