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

Elisabetta Wren? Thoughts please!

55 replies

Firsttime27 · 12/10/2017 23:12

Still mulling over names with one week to go..! I think I'm loving this (though may change my mind in the morning). It has the Italian connection and DP's grandmother was Elizabeth. Was thinking Etta or Betty for nn.
Honest thoughts please x

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Pemba · 19/10/2017 02:34

Um.... It's not 'made up'. Elisabetta is the Italian version of Elizabeth. OP is half Italian as she has previously explained, if you could be bothered to RTFT.

BlueSuffragette · 18/10/2017 21:28

No Elizabetta, better than what? Sounds wrong. Elizabeth Wren sounds more classy and not made up.

allegretto · 16/10/2017 12:30

I don't know any children called Elisabetta, only women in their forties but I wouldn't let that put you off - it's a lovely name. I would have used it myself but it didn't go with our surname.

NinonDeLenclos · 16/10/2017 11:53

Elise is also a pretty shortening - much nicer than Liz or Lizzie for Elizabeth.

Original poster
Firsttime27 · 16/10/2017 11:48

Aw thank you for all the input! Perfume you have summed it up well! It is so difficult. Proud of Italian heritage but woyldn't want her to resent me giving her an Italian name..which is why I like the scope for nicknames.
Good to hear that they use Betty and Betta in Italy allegretto! Would you say it is a trendy name there?

DP and I have come up with a plan to have a list of 3 names each that we love and have really thought about and then try and agree on one. Elisabetta will be on mine! Now for the other 2....

OP posts:
PandorasXbox · 16/10/2017 11:28

Elisabetta is beautiful. Wren goes nicely with it too.

allegretto · 16/10/2017 11:27

Pemba - I am not Italian but I live in Italy and I know three Elisabettas - all use Betta or Betty - one also uses Eli - but only her husband calls her that!

Perfume - I WANTED to use the grandparents' names for my kids as they have great names - they wouldn't let me! Bah! No pleasing some people!

PerfumeIsAMessage · 16/10/2017 11:03

I have only ever taught one Elisabetta as I said upthread, and she is definitely a Betta. Dh's sister is a Benedetta and is Betty. I know a couple of Ettas but that is a name in its own right. Lisa is generally short for Annalisa, though they would usually get Anna, rather than Lisa.
All the above are pretty old-fashioned and in all honesty, and trying to be diplomatic (and failing miserably) no Italian girl of today would thank you for them. (and I speak as someone whose Italian daughter berates me daily for her frumpy old fashioned middle name- go figure!)
I'd go for Elizabeth and maybe give her an Italian middle name?
It is a minefield- especially for those of us with Italian grannies who expect their beloved grandchildren to be given their (frankly usually appalling) names. (not that Elisabetta is in that category- but for example I discovered on Saturday that a good friend of mine who goes by the name of Sara, is actually called the female equivalent of a very very old-fashioned male name. Think the equivalent of calling a British baby Enochette.

Pemba · 16/10/2017 09:55

allegretto Well I guess you are Italian and are stating what your're used to, but Lisa is also a short form of Elisabetta, according to Italian Wikipedia. Maybe not as common as Betta or Betty? I was probably wrong about Isabetta being used as a short form, but it does obviously derive from Elisabetta.

I suppose it's like English, where Liz, Lizzie, Libby, Eliza, Liza, Beth, Betty, Bette, Betsy, Bess, Bessie, are probably others are ALL short forms of Elizabeth.

Bringmewineandcake · 15/10/2017 23:23

I love the combination! So beautiful.

FrancisCrawford · 15/10/2017 23:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Ontopofthesunset · 15/10/2017 23:05

Well, Wren just sounds like a surname to me, like Sir Christopher Wren. Or like a female sailor. Or like the beginning of 'wrench'. So Elisabetta Wren looks to me like the name of an Italian woman who's married an English bloke with the surname Wren.

buttercup54321 · 15/10/2017 21:44

Elizabeth Ann is better

Slightlydizzydaily · 15/10/2017 20:32

Isn't it Ay lees a bet ah?

allegretto · 14/10/2017 21:32

I think Italians would use Lisa or Isabetta for short.
No - Betta or Betty

Ohyesiam · 14/10/2017 21:29
  • dull not full.....Blush
Ohyesiam · 14/10/2017 21:29

Am surprised by two things . the people who day the named don't "go". No one will ever use them together, do why would that matter? And to pp who said Wrens were full little birds. To me they are completely magical.....
But , getting back to the names, they are really beautiful.

Original poster
Firsttime27 · 14/10/2017 21:03

Yep it's "e lis a betta". Don't think partner is keen anyway :( saying no to every name I have liked!
And yes I'm half Italian so would like that connection somewhere x

OP posts:
CuckooClockChimes · 14/10/2017 20:53

Not sure about Elisabetta, sorry. Much prefer Elizabeth

ohhelpohnoitsa · 14/10/2017 20:52

Is it Elisabetta as in "el is a betta". If so I like it but not with Wren. If it's Eliza as is Doolittle then I don't like it because it sound like "'(h)is lies are better in"

ohhelpohnoitsa · 14/10/2017 20:51

Is it Elisabetta as in "el is a betta". If so I like it but not with Wren. If it's Eliza as is Doolittle then I don't like it because it sound like "'(h)is lies are better in"

Montacute · 14/10/2017 20:42

Do you have Italian connections?

Original poster
Firsttime27 · 14/10/2017 20:39

igotyoubabe I'm not sure what you mean?
Think a lot of names are shortened (mine is Natalie but get Nat) so always think of nn posibilities.

Thank you all for the comments! Although I like Elisabeth I wanted something a bit different. Always thought girls names would be easy! Please tell me a name will come to me easily when she is born?

OP posts:
igotyoubabe · 14/10/2017 20:16

Why give someone a name no one is ever going to use?

Backhometothenorth · 13/10/2017 20:17

Elisabetta is a bit try-hard sorry. Elisabeth Wren is lovely (Elisabeth is my middle name Smile)