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Baby names

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

Original poster

Harriet or Marian?

36 replies

JohnnyMcGrathSaysFuckOff · 10/11/2017 21:57

I want a strong, classical but also feminine name for baby DD. I both these but Harriet is more nickname-able.

But we are thinking of Artemis as a middle name and I think Marian Artemis flows better than Harriet Artemis......

Thoughts?

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leghoul · 14/11/2017 22:35

Oh love your choices!

leghoul · 14/11/2017 22:35

Harriet is a fantastic name

Joeybee · 14/11/2017 22:32

Marian Artemis flows better, but Marian is such a dated, clunky name. I think Harriet is much nice, and nn Harry/Harri which is awesome.

icantgetnosleep5 · 14/11/2017 16:51

Defo Harriet

Chocolatecake12 · 14/11/2017 16:45

Harriet is my all time favourite girls name

MammieBear · 14/11/2017 16:22

Marian is more unusual, harriet is more popular, if that helps at all.

bridgetreilly · 11/11/2017 20:40

Oh, great choices!

bridgetreilly · 11/11/2017 20:39

Harriet.

VioletCharlotte · 11/11/2017 18:22

Hattie and Fred! Lovely names!

Hazandduck · 11/11/2017 18:17

Aw Hattie and Fred sound lovely together! 😊

Misslemon01 · 11/11/2017 09:46

I vote Artemis! :) failing that, Harriet and Marian are both nice. Could be Hattie or Mary for short. Slight preference for Harriet

Original poster
JohnnyMcGrathSaysFuckOff · 11/11/2017 08:31

Thanks everyone! We are going with Harriet Artemis, and Frederick Vernon for her twin.

Hattie and Fred! Smile

OP posts:
Hazandduck · 11/11/2017 04:15

I’m a Harriet and when I was little I was obsessed with Robin Hood. I never had a middle name and was jealous of my friends who had them, so my mum told me I could pick my own unofficial middle name...Yep I called myself Harriet Marian for a long time, ha! The older I get though the more I really like Marian so I would vote for that :)

As a Harriet I have never been called Hattie, it’s either Haz or Harri but I think Hattie would be cute on a little girl.

emmcan · 11/11/2017 04:11

Well, you are picking if your daughter is going to go through life as a Hattie, or a Maz.

OtterInDisgrace · 11/11/2017 04:07

Harriet

CaptainWarbeck · 11/11/2017 04:01

I really don't like Marian!

Harriet is strong and cool.

CaptainWarbeck · 11/11/2017 04:01

I really don't like Marian!

Harriet is strong and cool.

lizzieoak · 11/11/2017 03:48

I’d think Marian but say Marion. Maybe that’s just me? So I’d prefer Marianne. If Marianne then it’s a toss-up which I prefer. If your spelling then definitely Harriet as I knew a bossy one named Marian (unreasonable of me I know).

TheDowagerCuntess · 11/11/2017 03:46

I would pronounce Marian and Marianne differently, so it's not just a different spelling.

Marian feels dated to me too, but that's no bad thing.

By the time she's 20, it will be back in vogue, and she'll be rocking a cool name as a young woman.

Harriet feels much more frumpy to me.

DramaAlpaca · 11/11/2017 03:36

Harriet Artemis is the coolest name ever, I absolutely love it.

Pemba · 11/11/2017 03:32

Marian is not 'frumpy' and of course it's classic (Maid Marian anyone?) - just unusual at the moment. I do prefer Marianne really though but I see you don't.

I also quite like Harriet, but I think I'd actually choose Marian of the two, as Harriet seems to be quite popular right now.

Chaffinch4 · 11/11/2017 02:15

Marian or Marianne. Both lovely. I wouldn't worry about nicknames - they just come along in my experience, often nothing to do with the name itself!

SuperBeagle · 11/11/2017 00:30

Don't like Marian, but Marianne isn't as bad (Marianne Faithfull is a cool association).

I've never liked Harriet.

Buntysoven · 10/11/2017 23:54

I second Marianne. Beautiful and not as frumpy as Marian

Sugarpiehoneyeye · 10/11/2017 22:56

I have a Harriet, but I love Marian Artemis, it's a fabulous name, go for it !