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Baby names

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

Original poster

Girls name help please, Eleanor? Annie?

45 replies

Emmab515 · 28/01/2018 14:50

We are struggling with a girls name

We both like Eleanor and Annie
Husband likes Abigail but I don’t like it
I really like Arabella but husband doesn’t

Just wondering if you have a preference?
Or a suggested similar girls name?

Many thanks

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badg3r · 02/02/2018 19:43

My fantasy girl name at the moment is Annina, which you could get Annie out of as a nn. I don't like Annie as a stand alone name, I don't think it sounds good on a grown up. Eleanor was our chosen girl's name for all DC but I kept having boys!

SheGotBetteDavisEyes · 01/02/2018 22:09

Eek..my view of Eleanor is slightly colored by knowing two that are just not very nice people!

I really like Annie and think it's by far the loveliest on your list!

Threeandabit · 01/02/2018 22:05

I like Annie best. Other suggestions: -

Ava
Carrie
Marsha
Evelyn

Lola
Mariah
Nancy
Iris

Christabel
Lyla
Pippa
Nina

Susannah
Rebecca
Hannah
Genevieve

pilates · 01/02/2018 19:51

Eleanor is beautiful, but dislike Ellie

Jessica, Lily, Harriett or Matilda

BlackberryandNettle · 01/02/2018 19:31

Also would go for a longer 'anna' name and have nickname Annie. Eleanor is also gorgeous, only downside is in Ellie is pretty ubiquitous

LoveInTokyo · 30/01/2018 21:45

I would go Anna or Annabel, Annie for short.

FizzyGreenWater · 30/01/2018 17:10

Anna nn Annie

MikeUniformMike · 30/01/2018 15:07

I don't like Nora(h) - makes me think of saggy stockings.
Elle, Belle, Bel, Bella and ella names a bit too popular.
I like Ann, Annie and Anna as standalone names.

CruCru · 30/01/2018 15:02

THe problem for me with “Bella / belle / bel” names is that I grew up on the south coast and live in London. In both accents (more so where I grew up), Arabella is likely to be pronounced slightly “Awa-bewla”.

17caterpillars1mouse · 30/01/2018 12:11

I love Annie as a nn for either Annabel or Anneliese

Eleanor is nice but there are alot of Ellie's and Ella's around. I prefer Eleanore nn Norah

Abigail is lovely, classical and seems underused

Arabella seems a bit fanciful and try hard to me

Lavenderdays · 28/01/2018 21:46

Cru...We have similar taste in names...I am expecting dd3 and have considered two from your list and may well go with one of them. Interestingly enough dd2s name has also been mentioned in this thread but I wont say which it is for risk of outing myself.

CruCru · 28/01/2018 20:36

I love Eleanor but am not keen on Annie. I also really like Rosalind, Marianne, Elizabeth, Ingrid.

SuperBeagle · 28/01/2018 20:24

I love Annie and Eleanor.

Eleanor is always pronounced eh-leh-NOR here in Australia, though. Like Eleanor Roosevelt.

Suggestions:

  • Alice
  • Amelia
  • Clara
  • Daphne
  • Dahlia
  • Eloise
  • Emmeline
  • Florence
  • Felicity
  • Grace
  • Hannah
  • Juliet / Julia
  • Jemima
  • Josephine
  • Lillian
  • Lucy
  • Madeleine
  • Matilda
  • Sarah
  • Tabitha
mondler · 28/01/2018 20:15

I LOVE Eleanor but unfortunately can't use it with my surname. Do you like Heather, Evelyn, Faye?

Jenna43 · 28/01/2018 18:22

Annalise- Annie for short.

greendale17 · 28/01/2018 18:16

I used to know an Annie. Or Fanny Annie as she was known

PancakeInMaBelly · 28/01/2018 18:09

"Arabella"
Drop dead fred: "I'm your fella Arabella" (or was it Anabella?)
My DC and their friends love that movie

OracleOfDelphinium · 28/01/2018 18:03

PS Not sure about Arabella. I seem to remember an Enid Blyton Arabella, and she wasn't very nice. But as you already have two nice names, you needn't worry!

Whippetmamma · 28/01/2018 18:03

Eleanor is a beautiful name! I’d chose this if DC2 is a girl (however DH wouldn’t 😂)

OracleOfDelphinium · 28/01/2018 18:03

Eleanor and Annie are both lovely! Eleanor is bound to be shortened to Ellie or Elle, but if that doesn't bother you, I'd go for either.

MikeUniformMike · 28/01/2018 18:01

Arabella is lovely but is a bit long. Not keen on Bella, Belle or Ari, Ella is ok.

MikeUniformMike · 28/01/2018 17:59

Not keen on Eleanor. Dislike the Ellen-OR pronunciation.
Don't mind Abigail, and Abi/Abbie/Abby/Abbey and Gail are fine as short forms.
Gale looks wrong.

Original poster
Emmab515 · 28/01/2018 17:54

So many good suggestions/opinions thank you.

I guess another short list is needed, we still have 10 weeks to go so plenty of time to decide and then probably change our mind again and so on and so on 🙈

Many thanks

OP posts:
Longdistance · 28/01/2018 17:36

Alice?
Martha?
Clara?
Eleanor’s my dd1’s name. Everyone pronounces it ‘Ellen or’.

Lavenderdays · 28/01/2018 17:30

We pronounce our dd's name as Eleanah; it makes me smile when people call her Elean or...but they rarely do (perhaps there is an alternative spelling).