Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

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

Original poster

Opinions on our favourite girl names?

67 replies

WeArePregnant11 · 06/10/2016 19:03

We are pregnant:D

It's still very fresh and new, so we won't tell our families yet. But for quite some time we honestly didn't think this would happen (especially when we were younger), so we're super excited (I'm so happy I could cry [I actually did cry...] and she feels the same). Sooo, baby names...

My wife is American, I'm Swiss and we live in Edinburgh...
So, we are really wondering whether our favourite names would work here and in the UK in general.

First names:
Tara (my wife's favourite and I really like it as well)
Clarissa
Miranda
Magnolia (maybe as a first or middle name)

Middle names:
Magnolia
Millicent
Payton
Ylva

My wife would love to honour her late grandmother, so we're considering the name Magnolia, but we both think that could be overly feminine and princessy when combined with the first names we like...
I personally really like the name Ylva (also for personal reasons).

So, yeah. What do you think? Would these work for a child growing up in Scotland?

(Btw, I'll be starting a similar thread for boy's names, I hope this isn't bad mumsnet etiquette...)

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
FlipFlop78 · 06/10/2016 22:37

My eldest dd is Tara, so I am biased, but what excellent taste you both have! I would choose Magnolia from your list of middle names. Congratulations!

thehugemanatee · 06/10/2016 22:31

Tara Magnolia is nice.

Sophronia · 06/10/2016 22:27

Tara Miranda is nice

Original poster
WeArePregnant11 · 06/10/2016 22:26

Suburban isn't bad (imo), living in the inner city isn't necessarily positive.

But dull, predictable, unimaginative... that. Yeah. Is pretty bad :(

Maybe Maggie or Nola could be an alternative way to honour my wife's grandmother. Although the colour Magnolia is actually nice (at least what google showed me) it kind of reminds me of candle light :)

OP posts:
BertrandRussell · 06/10/2016 22:11

In Britain, Magnolia is a proxy for dull, predictable, unimaginative and suburban.........

Original poster
WeArePregnant11 · 06/10/2016 21:56

Thanks :) I'l totally ask my wife (I'm assuming she'll know judging from your username..?).

Ylva would actually honour my Swedish grandmother :) and it means she-wolf which is a really strong meaning imo :)

I thought Magnolias were pink. Oops...

And thank you guys for your advice :)!! Flowers

OP posts:
MargoReadbetter · 06/10/2016 21:49

Tara Ylva & congratulations.

tarheelbaby · 06/10/2016 21:46

congratulations to you all!
I'm from the south (ask your wife which state) but I live in England now. I have 2 middle names and gave 2 middle names to each of my DDs - I think it's a great tradition and many British children I know have 2. Do name your child Ylva to honour your Swiss heritage.

I recognise Tara as Scarlett O'Hara's plantation in GWTW and Magnolia as the biggest, whitest flower but also know that for Brits, Tara is primarily an Irish reference (not Georgia and GWTW) and magnolia a (boring to them) paint colour.

The most important thing is what they mean to you. I also agree with prev. posters that you should save announcing the name for after the baby has arrived.

Vixxfacee · 06/10/2016 21:20

Magnolia is awful.
Payton is cute.

Original poster
WeArePregnant11 · 06/10/2016 21:18

I googled the shade and thought it looked nice. But I have been told before that my taste in colours is questionable (yes, my wife decided most of the interior equipment things).

Maybe Tara Payton Magnolia or Tara Ylva Magnolia... although, I'm not sure how important a middle name is. Of my 3 sibling only my sister has one (my dad refused to honour any relatives for personal reasons). So, I'm a bit meh about middle names. As long as it isn't an offensive name.

Which, is Magnolia really burdened with such a negative connotation in the U.K?

OP posts:
mycatstares · 06/10/2016 21:18

I really like magnolia, maggie for a nickname?

LovelyBranches · 06/10/2016 21:14

Magnolia is a really common paint colour and has become a little bit of a byword for boring or uninspiring. As a name it's pretty but I would certainly reserve it for a middle name.

Tara, Clarissa and Miranda are pretty but I would avoid an alliterative first name/middle name.

Congratulations

superking · 06/10/2016 21:11

I really like Tara. Don't like Magnolia at all, it just makes me think of paint, and a particularly boring shade of paint at that!

Original poster
WeArePregnant11 · 06/10/2016 21:03

Sorry. I sometimes have foot in mouth disease... I feel so terrible. :(

It was just my reaction to cape's question. I shouldn't have mentioned that if I wasn't prepared to deal with the questions/reactions. I guess I was just super emotional and happy and wasn' prepared.

We also seriously considered sperm donation. It was a decision we thought a lot about.

OP posts:
Original poster
WeArePregnant11 · 06/10/2016 20:57

Noooo... no. Sorry :(((!!!!!
We did consider both. That's just what we decided. For psychological reasons, emotional reasons, personal reasons.

It wasn't a response to you. But a response to cape "you're having your wife's brother's baby"?

Im just really used to defending the decisions I make. And working in a legal departmemt probably doesn't help with this tendency.

OP posts:
chinlo · 06/10/2016 20:54

I think Magnolia is a pretty name, and would be a nice middle name.

OP the whole "we are pregnant" thing is only an issue on mumsnet because people on mumsnet love to get pissed off by ANYTHING. You're best off ignoring that kind of stuff really.

Original poster
WeArePregnant11 · 06/10/2016 20:53

Oh well, there are apparently strong opinions on this "we" thing. But that's my username now (shrug).

And I'm so sorry if my comment was insensitive. Sorry :(

I guess maybe that's why I wrote "we are pregnant". Because even though her brother is the bio dad it's our baby..

Oops. So, baby names.

Tara Magnolia does have a ring to it :)

OP posts:
TurquoiseStar · 06/10/2016 20:50

Oh...

Well...

We also spoke to various professionals and came to this decision.

Original poster
WeArePregnant11 · 06/10/2016 20:50

I'm not saying sperm donations are bad. But that's what we chose and i happen to think it's a very reasonable decision.

I did not want to sound catty or invalidate other ways to experience pregnancy. Inguess I'm over sensitive today sorry

OP posts:
MotherDuckSaid · 06/10/2016 20:48

Many congratulations 😊 I think Tara magnolia has a fantastic ring to it.
I think magnolia would be a really lovely first name too (my favourite from ur list) 😊
Go with what u and ur OH love for ur most precious baby, keep it secret from family and friends (everyone will have their own own opinions on names) and just announce it at the end ! 💐

Original poster
WeArePregnant11 · 06/10/2016 20:48

Yes, I am.

After talking with several experts we came to the conclusion that we did not want an anonymous donor, there are quite a lot of psychological issues to consider. Knowing where one comes from and that there were no financial incentives for the sperm donations are apparently fairly important issues. You should google it, seriously.

And her brother is still in the US and can't wait to be an uncle.

OP posts:
TurquoiseStar · 06/10/2016 20:48

I'm expecting a baby via sperm donation, DH is infertile. So good luck to you on that Smile however, it's you that's pregnant not "we" Grin

milkshakeandmonstermunch · 06/10/2016 20:47

Congratulations!

Miranda is lovely and underused. Miranda Payton is lovely and gets my vote. Magnolia as a first name in Scotland....Edinburgh maybe but don't move to Glasgow. Magnolia will get beat up in Glasgow.

Also, I'm with TurquoiseStar on the "we" aspect. It is my number 1 pet hate in the entire world. If my DH ever utters the phrase "we are/were pregnant" then I will have his balls. I'm 39w3d. He isn't pregnant, I'm fucking pregnant. However, it is your pregnancy so share it however you want. I may be projecting Blush

Afreshstartplease · 06/10/2016 20:43

Love Tara and Payton

NoCapes · 06/10/2016 20:42

So you're pregnant with your wife's brothers baby??