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Baby names

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

Original poster

Lee or Selina for a girl?

35 replies

PinkDonuts · 08/09/2017 17:07

Hi there, I've been sorta browsing the forums for a few months now but only just joined. Me and my fiance are currently TTC, but we are already thinking of baby names!

For a girl, I really can't make up my mind between Lee or Selina. If it's a boy we already have a name picked out.

I love both names, but I just can't choose! We also are sort of stuck for middle names if we go with Lee. We would be giving the baby his surname (McGuire), so also want that to flow well. So far, thus is how they would flow

Selina Lee McGuire
Lee (maybe something) McGuire

Any opinions and suggestions for middle names would be really appreciated ❤

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Yourshakraishangingout · 09/09/2017 09:34

The name 'Lee' is unisex but the spelling isn't. Leigh is the feminine spelling. You can spell it how you like but be prepared for teachers, doctors etc to presume she's a boy at first and for many a birthday card addressed to 'Leigh'

I prefer Selena.

pilates · 09/09/2017 08:59

Selina, I would think Lee was a boy

AccrualIntentions · 09/09/2017 08:54

27harper I'm not saying there's anything wrong with Selina, just that it looks misspelled to my eyes. Selena looks prettier.

Iknowit · 09/09/2017 07:33

I do like Leah

Iknowit · 09/09/2017 07:33

Never known of a female Lee and I have been a teacher for 30 years! Selina is nicer.

Sugarpiehoneyeye · 09/09/2017 07:31

Selina Marie (Lea).

mathanxiety · 09/09/2017 06:31

I would spell Selina 'Selena'.

With the I, it reminds me of snails, and the word 'saline'.
I much prefer the E spelling.

The late great Selena Quintanilla...

Lee is the male version - Leigh is used for girls. I like that too.

Sophronia · 09/09/2017 01:41

Selina is lovely, and much nicer than Serena. Lee is ok.

Liadain · 08/09/2017 23:14

Lee doesn't come across as unisex at all imo. Based on that I'd say Selina, even if it does remind me of semolina.

Agree with above, Serena is much better.

notangelinajolie · 08/09/2017 23:12

Lee is the boys way of spelling. Leigh is the female version.

SunshineOutdoors · 08/09/2017 23:04

I like serena better than selina

ABitOTT · 08/09/2017 23:02

I prefer Lee over Selina as the latter sounds quite harsh to my ear. I'm also more than a little biased as Lee is my middle name, but in my younger years I hated it. I was desperate to have the spelling of Leigh or Lea which is how a couple of friends had their names spelt. Now with hindsight I love my parents for giving me giving me two fantastic pretty unique names. I've only ever met one other person with my first name & never met a female Lee. It's not so bad having a stand out name but is harder to do nowadays as children have a wide variation of names & spellings anyway. No one will bat an eyelid if you call your daughter Lee. Best of luck with your future productionGrin

MammieBear · 08/09/2017 21:27

Selena, saves all the confusion

27Harper · 08/09/2017 20:39

I think both names are beautiful OP. I love Selina with the nn Lee.

AccrualIntentions There is nothing wrong with the way Selina is spelled? It's a legit spelling and it's hardly unusual.

I can maybe see where people are coming from with Lee. I personally like this spelling the best, but it is a predominantly male unisex name. Saying she's being "unfair" to the child is a bit much though. Also, Lea to me is a totally different name.

Do want you want hun, it's your child after all. They're both beautiful names but I would go with Selina xx

Loopytiles · 08/09/2017 19:56

Lee isn't fair on the DD as people will assume it's a boy's name. Leigh if you must.

AccrualIntentions · 08/09/2017 19:56

I'd automatically think they were both spelt wrong and should be Selena and Leigh. Both lovely sounds though.

AmysTiara · 08/09/2017 19:56

I know a woman Lee. It did seem odd at first but I'm used to it now.

Having said that I do prefer Selina.

Lobsterquadrille2 · 08/09/2017 19:55

I love Selina; something very elegant and sophisticated about it, plus it's unusual yet people would know it - spelling not a problem either. Not that keen on Lee for a girl, sorry,

Yika · 08/09/2017 19:54

I really like both these names: they are well known but currently quite unusual. Lee for a girl makes me think of the fantastic photographer Lee Miller. Selina nn Lee is perfect.

Bubblysqueak · 08/09/2017 19:54

I know several females with the name Lea spelt with an a rather than 2 e's

mondler · 08/09/2017 19:53

I prefer Selina personally - I think its really pretty and love the idea of Lee as a knickname.

I've only met one female Lee down here in the South and she did complain to me and the husband that everyone assumes she's a man until they meet her. But then again I went to school with a Leigh that was a boy so go with it if you love it.

Star141 · 08/09/2017 19:45

Selina is lovely

Sugarpiehoneyeye · 08/09/2017 19:41

I love Selina, and I think Lea would be a nice nick name.

Original poster
PinkDonuts · 08/09/2017 18:27

I do like the name, but if I saw the name Lea written down I would automatically think 'Lee-Ah' since it's quite a common name where I live.

I'm edging more towards Selina now, and maybe nickname her Lee. Not that all names need a nickname of course. Thank you all for your input so far x

OP posts:
dotdotdotmustdash · 08/09/2017 17:43

I went to Uni with a girl called Lear (as in King Lear!)

That's actually how my DD got her name - we already had DS2 and were running through names of all the women we knew to see if we could agree on a name. One of us got to 'Lear' and DS started shouting 'Leah, Leah, Leah! We let him name DD since we both liked the sound.

Sorry for rambling. I do like the Lee sound, but I think just spelling it that way is a bit dull, go for Lea at least.