Blossom or Dolly

I never understand the bully comment...if the child getting bullied is called Blossom then what’s the bullies name? Surely that’s a worse association to have.
Daisy is a cows name but that doesn’t stop people naming their daughters it.
‘Dolly will be an adult one day’ - but it’s ok the other way around and for people to call their babies old lady names, like Mabel etc?
You should call your baby whatever you like, Blossom really isn’t that ‘out there’, names like Hunter and River probably would have the same reaction a few years back but people seem to like them now. I think it’s nice when people don’t follow trends, people have the cheek to say Blossom is a cow when a lot of these people are sheep. Rant over! Sorry!

Why don't you give her a more conventional middle name then when she's older if she doesn't like her first name she could be known as her middle instead.

I've never heard an adult say to another 'what a horrible name you have you must hate your mother' Congratulations op, whether she's Blossom or Dolly I'm sure she will be lovely

Well....Dolly the sheep was the first cloned mammal and is fairly well known. If I had to choose I'd still go with Dolly. I just couldn't with Blossom. It sounds like a pet rabbit's name. People are biased. It is horrible but it's also true. Naming your child a rather strange name will disadvantage them and just why would you really when there are so many names to choose from that wouldn't?

I like Blossom. Didn't occur to me that there was a cow connection at all. I think there are about three names you are allowed to like on mn, the rest are denounced as too popular, too out there or too dull (naming your child any of these is tantamount to child abuse obv)

I quite like both tbh. I prefer Dolly as a nickname, maybe for Dinah (although that's not traditional, I think it works).

I work with children and unusual names are par for the course these days.

My MIL was called Dolly, it wasn’t short for anything, just Dolly. I grew to really like it over the years. Heidi is really lovely so you need something as good. Really dislike Blossom for a person, sorry.

I know an adult called Bloss, presumably short for Blossom. Never really thought about it, she's got a serious job so don't think it held her back.

I prefer Blossom to Dolly. Think I would go for a longer name that could be shortened possibly, as others have said. But it is up to you and your partner, no-one else. Choose the name you like best and don't tell other people until after the baby is here.

Dolly is so cute. Blossom sounds too try hard.

The consultant psychiatrist where my DH works is called Crystal.

Just thought this was a good place to mention that.

And there have only been two female prime ministers anyway... so whos to know if the next one will be named Blossom or not?

I would rather be Blossom than Dorothea any day.

Blossom and Dolly both immediately made me think of sheep (I live in a farming community), sorry! I've just done a straw poll of 9 people in the room aged between 11 and 84 and all of them said the same thing, even my 11 yo DN.

Dorothea is a beautiful name, I immediately thought of the heroine of Middlemarch by George Eliot.

It doesn't matter how much though you put into the names and how much you might think they are pretty if your child doesn't think it's a nice name. I don't think either Blossom or Dolly are pretty names or very suitable for child or a woman. I don't think it's a good idea to pick a name that sounds cute. Dolly is just about OK if it's a short form for one of the longer options mentioned up thread, but not as a name itself. Blossom is probably better, in my opinion - it's a nice image, but the sound of it isn't particularly pleasant to my ears.

But you called your other child Heidi which is lovely. All names are personal choice so they'll always be those that like/loathe them whatever the name. It's not a case of can't win, it's just taste.

You've chosen two names that have livestock associations. People have pointed that out. It's only what people in real life would think (although possibly not say to your face) as well.

When naming our children we always asked ourselves if we could imagine a Prime Minister being called the name, of the answer was no we ruled it out!

I love Blossom and would have used it if I were braver. Go for it. I’d rather be called Blossom than any of the alternatives suggested on here.

They both sound like blow up sex dolls. Please please choose a name that doesn't sound like an inflatable sex toy

I have a niece called Dolly, absolutely love the name! Blossom is a fat-bottomed girl with big goofy teeth who still says mummy when she is 40. HTH.

Yes your child could hate you if you give them a name that gets them bullied & that they detest because it's a cow's name! It's not whether you love it, it's whether it'll be appropriate for them as they grow up. You could love 'Tweedledee Dumpling' as a name but that doesn't make it a good name. It's like giving your child a name that has terrible initials - Felicity Una Catherine King might be lovely as individual parts but put together.....
Ask 20 strangers (not on Mumsnet) what they think of when they hear 'Blossom' and 'Dolly' and if at least half (if not 3/4+) don't mention cows and sheep I'll be gobsmacked. And no-one wants to have a name traditionally associated with a farm animal.

I feel sorry for the adult with these names.

Some would do hate their name when they're older. My brother has a very unusual name and was teased mercilessly as a child and especially a teenager. I would have hated an unusual name as I prefer to blend in!

As an adult my bother likes his name as it is useful in his line of work to be memorable! It is a name that is suited to an adult more than a child though.

OP I have a daughter called Theodora (classic bit unusual right?) still have people saying she’ll hate it when she’s older etc. She’s YOUR baby, go with what you love.