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

Daphne as a first name?

88 replies

Caroline7777 · 21/07/2018 17:44

I love this name! Feedback from two friends one adores it and jealous she didn't think of it, the other happens to have it as middle name for daughter so also a fan. I'm scared to share with my sisters or mum in case they don't like it that will bother me, happy to take opinions from strangers without being offended :)
Daphne means Laurel tree, has ties to freshwater (i love nature) daphne du maurier one of my favourite authors and happened to be reading Rebecca and watching lots of Frasier (Daphne Moon) in first 3 months of pregnancy. I like that she's unlikely to meet any or many Daphne's I think it's a beautiful name but worry about her hating it. Re nicknames I think Daffy is quite cute but not a fan of Daff but I think Daff is inevitable!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
Fozzleyplum · 21/07/2018 19:21

Love it! I also love Sylvia, at which a pp was turning her nose up.

Camsie30 · 21/07/2018 19:21

Love it. I know two girls called Daphne so its becoming more popular I think

SpoonBlender · 21/07/2018 19:20

It's lovely.
There's also a "Sister for Freddie" thread just next door... seems appopriate somehow!

Original poster
Caroline7777 · 21/07/2018 19:19

Thank you for honest comments including negative ones!

OP posts:
Andthatsthat · 21/07/2018 19:18

I think of Des and Daphne....

Middle aged to my ear, so not for me.

AnyaMoondial · 21/07/2018 19:15

I think it is fabulous.

LeeMiller · 21/07/2018 19:05

I think of Daphne and Celeste and Scooby Doo before Du Maurier, sorry. It sounds very 70s to me, though I agree it sounds better in a French accent. But if you love it you should choose it as no name will please everyone!

NameChange30 · 21/07/2018 18:44

I love it!
My advice is don’t tell anyone else in real life until baby is born. That way they’re more likely to hold their tongue if they don’t like it Wink

MaddeningtheUnhelpful · 21/07/2018 18:44

It's my cats name so I love it

MyDcAreMarvel · 21/07/2018 18:44

I love it, but I still love skooby doo

Thetartofasgard · 21/07/2018 18:43

A lady in my toddler group has twins daphne and Muriel. It refreshing. Go for it!

Sugarpiehoneyeye · 21/07/2018 18:41

Delphine (Delphie), is of a similar vibe, I really like it, but I don't dislike Daphne.

MikeUniformMike · 21/07/2018 18:40

There was a Daphne on Neighbours back in the Scott and Charlene era, I liked it then. She was a good character and attractive.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daphne_Clarke
I think it's a nice name that's not overused.

CAAKE · 21/07/2018 18:35

I had an Aunt named Daphne, she was gorgeous and I think it's a beautiful name. It was on our list but didn't suit DS in the end. Ha. Wink

fruitbrewhaha · 21/07/2018 18:22

yes OP do it!

The problem with an unusual name, is obviously not everyone will like it, otherwise it would be up there with Isabella, Amelia and Emily.

I think it's fab, quirky but not made up weird, feminine but not girly and twee, Daphne can be in a position of authority or a creative.

Toohotme · 21/07/2018 18:22

Really awful but seems to be popular on here.

1sttimeunicorn · 21/07/2018 18:21

Oh but she was ‘daff’ as a nn

1sttimeunicorn · 21/07/2018 18:20

It was my GM’s name. Loved her so much and love the name. She was born in the late 1920s.

falaffels · 21/07/2018 18:19

I don't love it - sounds a bit wet, as well as dated.

Sorry!

Hernameisdeborah · 21/07/2018 18:18

I've always loved that name.

MorrisDancingViv · 21/07/2018 18:18

I think it's awfully frumpy. Up there with Diane and Sylvia. There's a French toddler Daphne local to me, it sounds slightly better in a French accent.

sunlighthouse · 21/07/2018 18:15

I've actually met a couple recently (toddlers). Both sets of parents were trendy east london types...

Jables · 21/07/2018 18:15

I think it's awful - sorry!

But I'm clearly in the monitory here.

VanellopeVonSchweetz99 · 21/07/2018 18:13

Love it.

Sophronia · 21/07/2018 18:13

It’s lovely.