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Baby names

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Original poster

Thoughts on potential names

34 replies

FeatheredTail · 03/02/2018 15:57

Not due until later this year, but was wondering on others thoughts on my short lists....

Girls:
Elizabeth
Jemima
Philippa
Rosalind
Penelope (concerned it's getting a bit trendy?)

Boys:
Alexander
Guy
Charles
Robert
Laurence

We already have a Madeleine.

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WalkingUpTheMountain · 05/02/2018 14:41

I think that Louise and Juliet would be lovely middle names

toomanydicksonthedancefloor1 · 05/02/2018 06:40

Hi Op, just seen that you like Louise. As I said earlier I have a Jemima. She is actually called Jemima Louise. I think Louise is one of those names that works well as a middle name with lots of other names. So if the reason you vetoed Louise is that your other half isn't keen for a first name, have you considered it as a middle name?

Also love Louisa if that's one you haven't considered yet?

X

Original poster
FeatheredTail · 04/02/2018 11:50

So no more clear choices then ;)

I love Louise and Juliet - also really like Caroline - but for some reason or other they were vetoed.

Laurence may well be a female name in France but as we're based in the UK with no plans to move to France, it doesn't bother me. I don't like the Americanised spelling Lawrence so think we would stick with Laurence if we picked that name.

I'm finding boys names very tricky. I quite like the older traditional names, but there are so many in my own generation, it's hard not to think of a Christopher, Daniel, Joseph etc without having known/snogged/gone to school with five!

OP posts:
Jenna43 · 04/02/2018 11:10

My favourites from your list are Elizabeth and Laurence.

WalkingUpTheMountain · 04/02/2018 10:41

I like Elizabeth, Jemima and Penelope. Really don't like Rosalind, it sounds very clunky and old fashioned. And I'm not keen on Philippa but like the shortening Pippa.

I like Alexander and Guy out of your boys' namesFlowers

bluechameleon · 04/02/2018 10:09

Lovely names - Madeleine is gorgeous! I'd pick Penelope or Philippa for girls (I love both but too many Ps with our surname) and Alexander or Robert for boys. Not keen on Guy.

brizzledrizzle · 04/02/2018 09:49

Rosalind and Laurence

SacredHour · 04/02/2018 09:45

Nice names. I like most of those. I seem to be drawn to three syllable names. I don't know why. I have Abigail and Jessica. I didn't want a short name to go with the longer one for some reason.

One thing I would recommend is to write down your name list and keep it somewhere safe so you can show it your child one day.

17caterpillars1mouse · 04/02/2018 09:19

Firstly love Madeleine :)

Elizabeth - I like how many nicknames it has but find it a bit dull at the same time

Jemima - I've never met a Jemima I like which unfortunately has but me off the name

Philippa - Phillippa is lovely nn Pip or Pippa

Rosalind - gorgeous. I love it but not so keen on Rose which I worry it would get shortened too. I could live with Rosey

Penelope (concerned it's getting a bit trendy?) - not really a fan. I only know 1

Boys:
Alexander - like Elizabeth great for variety on nn but a bit dull on its own. I adore Sacha and like Zander and Alec

Guy - really hate this name. It makes me think of a creepy old man

Charles - not a fan, Charlie is ok

Robert - dated and I hate Rob, Robbie, Bob, Bobbie etc

Laurence - really like but spelt Lawrence nn Lawrie

FlipflopFifi · 04/02/2018 09:10

I love Jemima, Philippa and Guy.

Isn't Laurence a female name in France?

I know 3 baby Penelope's, both known as Penny. I think it is in top 100 now so not exactly popular as such but definitely rising.

I would avoid Alexander. Its a nice name but again I know so many of them. My toddler dd gets confused as she has 4 friends called Alex; they're all known as 'Nicola and Alex' etc. Constantly have to mention the mum

LoveInTokyo · 03/02/2018 22:23

Love Elizabeth and Rosalind (nn Rosa?)

toomanydicksonthedancefloor1 · 03/02/2018 19:04

I have a Jemima so obviously I love the name! We shorten it to Mima which I think is really cute. Nobody has ever referred to her as Jem. I know it's a bit of a 'marmite' name, fair enough, people either live it or hate it.

Our Mima is 2 and we haven't met another one yet. We are in Yorkshire. So a good choice if you don't want a too popular name.

PhuntSox · 03/02/2018 18:49

Love Elizabeth, Alexander and Laurence!

AdaColeman · 03/02/2018 18:45

All very nice names.

Philippa and Rosalind are my favourites, with Jemima (Puddleduck Smile ) as my least favourite.

Guy is my favourite with Laurence a close second.
I'd be worried than the ubiquitous Xander and Charlie would be used for nn though.

ManyFloralBlouses · 03/02/2018 18:35

Elizabeth- love
Jemima - dislike
Philippa - love
Rosalind- i think Rosalind Elizabeth would lovely
Penelope (concerned it's getting a bit trendy?)- like but the Kardashian association might concern me

Boys:
Alexander- not a fan
Guy- nice
Charles- love
Robert- ok
Laurence - love

Seer · 03/02/2018 18:35

Ironically, the polarising Jemima is the only one I like! Grin

LarkDescending · 03/02/2018 18:33

Lovely lists! I like all your boy choices, especially Laurence/Laurie and Guy. I do find Charlie a bit ubiquitous these days.

I like Jemima and Rosalind best of your girl choices. Philippa is solid but has never really floated my boat. Penelope I really do not like, and now that it has the Kardashian imprimatur it does seem to be going the way of trendy.

Might Eloise, Juliet or Louisa appeal?

MrsHathaway · 03/02/2018 18:33

Guy - nice and impossible to shorten.

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

DB and I have names which are "impossible to shorten". There's no such thing. The British habitually shorten names as an indicator of affection or intimacy. We shorten anything. If we can't easily do so, we substitute or double or add suffixes or in some other way brutalise the name until we aren't using the same name their mum chose.

Original poster
FeatheredTail · 03/02/2018 18:23

Oh and thanks for the feedback!

OP posts:
Original poster
FeatheredTail · 03/02/2018 18:22

Dear god, I hope Laurence won't get shortened to Larry - unless he steps into a time machine that takes him back to 1950s America!

I would imagine Laurence would be Laurie if it hadn't to be shortened when he was older, Alexander - I'd be happy with whatever shortening, ditto Robert, Guy - nice and impossible to shorten. Can't bear how overused Charlie is but may have to concede that's what it would get shortened to (unless we go with Chaz. Unlikely).

Jemima - hate Jem, so probably something to consider. Quite surprised at the polarised opinions on Jemima, I hadn't thought it could be considered a horrid name, but I suppose names have that effect.

Not keen on Rosalie or any other Ros-variation. Maybe Rosalind and Madeleine do sound a little too similar, but it doesn't overly bother me as they'll grow up as individuals as well as sisters.

I do like Alexandra (it's one of my names) but really dislike all shortened female versions.

I know only one Penelope locally, but concerned a few celebrities have named their daughters Penelope recently (z list, but still) so going to track it in the ONS list this year to see where it is nationally.

Love Elizabeth, but the only abreviartion I like is Lizzie.

Argh! Found this easier the first time round!

OP posts:
underneaththeash · 03/02/2018 17:54

Isn't Laurence going to get shortened to Larry?

RavenWings · 03/02/2018 17:52

Girls:
Elizabeth - very safe but nice enough
Jemima - no. Horrible name.
Philippa - dislike personally
Rosalind - I like it (fave of your girls names) but agree that it's got a similar sound to Madeleine. Rosanna, Rosalie?
Penelope - meh. It's ok.

Boys:
Alexander - meh
Guy - no.
Charles - not for me
Robert - I like it
Laurence - lovely. Best of the boys names.

DramaAlpaca · 03/02/2018 17:51

I like all of them.

With Madeleine I think I'd go for Penelope or Laurence.

Sugarpiehoneyeye · 03/02/2018 17:47

Robert is a good strong name.
Phillipa/Pippa is lovely.

flissfloss65 · 03/02/2018 16:41

I think Madeleine and Rosalind sound too alike when sound out loud.

Elizabeth and Alexander are my favourites.