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Baby names

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

Original poster

Alice or Marnie ?

56 replies

bebeontheway · 23/09/2017 14:18

We are expecting a girl & have narrowed it down to these two names.

Do we go classic with Alice, and risk the royal baby being given this name and it soaring in popularity?

Or do we go with Marnie? More unique and quirky. Not short for anything, just Marnie. Our other daughter is Lara. Are the sounds too similar 'Lar' and 'Mar' ?

Would love some opinions!

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HaHaHmm · 24/09/2017 08:46

If the royal baby is the only reason not to use Alice then I'd go for it. Both Charlotte and George have had a bump since they were used but the effect isn't that dramatic - George was climbing in popularity anyway before the Cambridges used it.

I think as many people avoid the royal names as follow them.

MammieBear · 24/09/2017 08:38

Marnie - lovely a little unusual but still recognisable.
Alice - Classic, literary and Darling I can see why you'd be worried of it soaring in popularity with the Royals potentially using it.

wellthatsjustgreat · 23/09/2017 22:34

I have an Alice too. She totally suits the name & I love both her and the name dearly. I really like the name Marnie too though - sorry, not very helpful Grin

SuperBeagle · 23/09/2017 21:43

Alice.

Don't like Marnie at all.

EllenJanethickerknickers · 23/09/2017 20:27

My 86 year old Auntie Marnie is really a Margaret. I just thought it was her nickname, never realised it was another recognised diminutive of Margaret. I like it, OP. Smile

Mrsknackered · 23/09/2017 20:22

I don't mind Marnie but I did know one was constantly called Marnie, Marnie, Bacon Sarnie at school and I can't get that out of my head!
I also know 2 little boy Marni's but I think it might be an abbreviation of the East African name Ky-Mani.

I love Alice. I have a tiny little sister called it so very biased!

DuggeeHugs · 23/09/2017 20:07

Marnie was my great- grandmother's name so I'm biased in that direction! It is a proper name, too.

VioletCharlotte · 23/09/2017 19:39

I love Alice, not so keen on Marnie.

OhTheRoses · 23/09/2017 19:36

Alice. May be biased. It doesn't seem to go out of fashion except for my generation it was Alison.

Knew a Marnie once and she was lovely. Never met another one since. She was the archetypal Sloane Smile.

My grannie was Alice Marina. Her sister was Evelyn Helena. May have outed self but wanted to add some genre to it.

Dd BTW is 19, v blonde (A bit Alice in Wonderland quirky), and v clever. There were three in her year at every school she attended.

My name is in the Araminta/Hermione genre. I f*ing hate it. Needed to blend.

Crumbs1 · 23/09/2017 19:28

Alice is definitely nicer than Marnie which is a bit WWC.

WanderingTrolley1 · 23/09/2017 19:27

Alice.

17caterpillars1mouse · 23/09/2017 19:27

Marnie Alive would be gorgeous.

I've only ever met one Marnie and she was a gorgeous, kind hearted blonde haired toddler. She's be 10/11 now

HeteronormativeHaybales · 23/09/2017 19:26

'Prefer Alice to Marnie, but I do like Marina, do you not want to use that?'

This. Or Maren (long 'a' like in Marnie) is pretty, same derivation as Marina.

TatianaLarina · 23/09/2017 19:24

Marny

Sophronia · 23/09/2017 19:12

Alice

LucieLucie · 23/09/2017 18:28

I prefer Alice, it's a classic and very pretty sounding name.
If you're concerned about Royal baby being called Alice too then why not go for Alicia so you have the option without being tied either way?

Sugarpiehoneyeye · 23/09/2017 18:21

I think Lara and Marnie go very well together.
Alice is a lovely name though.

baby410 · 23/09/2017 16:17

Both are lovely, I prefer Marnie though. If our baby is a girl that's what we will be naming her.

Allthebestnamesareused · 23/09/2017 16:06

I personally couldn't use Marnie because she is a slapper on Geordie Shore.

Alice is nice if not quite popular.

lynmilne65 · 23/09/2017 15:57

Alice

EmmyInTheSticks · 23/09/2017 15:54

I think Alice, as it's safe and that's a good thing with a name.

I think Marnie is sweet but I'd want something longer on the birth certificate. I think Margaret is nicer than Alice and not going to be as popular which would bother me.

ProseccoPoppy · 23/09/2017 15:45

Alice is lovely and really classic, Marnie isn't my cup of tea, don't hate it, just think Alice is much nicer. As pp said, Marina is nice and sounds less like a nickname/shortening.

ChocolateCrunch · 23/09/2017 15:41

Prefer Alice to Marnie, but I do like Marina, do you not want to use that?

early30smum · 23/09/2017 15:10

Alice. It's so classic and pretty.

EATmum · 23/09/2017 15:10

Alice. Totally biased as our DD2 has that name. And she's lovely. Smile