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

Opinions on my shortlist for girls

34 replies

GrammerlyH · 26/11/2018 06:22

Please could you give me your honest opinions on these names:

Harriet
Philippa
Sophie
Kate/Katie
Ella
Anna

Thank you

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Thetigerwhocameto · 29/11/2018 12:27

Harriet- love, love, love this, although was one of the (many) names my DH vetoes.
Philippa- it’s ok, I like the nn Pippa but not really the full name!
Sophie- love this, it’s SIL name, we used a variant as a middle name for DD
Kate/Katie- I’m a Kate, ignore the Katherine on BC crew! It’s never done me any harm! And a colleague a Katherine but known as Kate frequently comments she wishes her parents had just gone with Kate.
Ella - lots and lots of these around at the mo
Anna- as above! Although I do prefer this to Ella 😊

AnElderlyLadyOfMediumHeight · 28/11/2018 06:52

Sophie Harriet works really well as a first name/middle name combination.

AnElderlyLadyOfMediumHeight · 28/11/2018 06:51

I like them all.
In more detail:

Harriet - never been hugely enamoured, but a good strong name (Harriet the Spy is an interesting namesake)
Philippa - like this quite a lot
Sophie - the perfect name. Beautiful, elegant, great meaning, international. The only fly in the ointment is its popularity, but this is the one name where I would almost say the risk of having 4 others in the class is worth it
Kate/Katie - would definitely go with Katherine on the birth cert.
Ella - I think this is my least favourite of all these. It's pretty, though
Anna - like a lot

Sunshine28 · 28/11/2018 06:41

Really like Ella...

Shadow1234 · 27/11/2018 23:32

Sophie from your list - but I prefer Sophia.
Harriet as a second choice

SnowyPaws5 · 27/11/2018 22:42

Anna and Philippa are by far my favourites. Anna is just classic and lovely. Philippa is also so classic and lovely. Pippa is gorgeous as a shortening.

I hate Harriet. I just find it very wet and bland.
Sophie and Katie are also a bit wet.

Ella is okay but a bit boring.

WannabeMumm · 27/11/2018 22:33

Great names! My faves are Harriet, Kate and Anna

ILoveTreesInAutumn · 27/11/2018 22:27

Harriet
Philippa
Sophie
Kate/Katie
Ella
Anna

I like Harry & Pip.

Katie used to be a favourite, but I know too many now.

Sophie is ok (but not Sophia)

Very, very over Ella & Anna.

MemoryOfSleep · 27/11/2018 22:20

I also like the shortening of Hattie for Harriet.

ivykaty44 · 26/11/2018 19:56

Harriet I don’t care for as it’s such a harsh female equivalent of Harry

Like the rest of the names on the list

chloem93 · 26/11/2018 19:52

Sophie and Ella are my favourites from that shortlist.

Only reason I don't like Harriet is because of the saying 'Dirty Harriet' 😂 I know that's weird but I always think of that saying when I hear that name! Philippa sounds posh to me but that's probably just me! And I don't mind Kate and Anna but I find them very old school and classic, I guess it depends on your taste Smile

OneTwistedAngel · 26/11/2018 15:32

I like Katherine with Kate or Katie as a nn. Love Anna. It's beautiful and timeless. Harriet is also nice but Harry isn't a great nn. Sophie and Ella are a little too popular for me and I find Philippa quite ugly so can't imagine it on a little girl

User1983 · 26/11/2018 14:21

Lovely names. Faves are Sophie, Katie (which I think is underused now) and Anna.

Syvilla · 26/11/2018 14:13

Harriet is lovely. The rest are boring, apart from Philippa which is hideous.

My sister is a Philippa and hates her name. She’s gone by her middle name since university and still really resents our mother for calling her that!

MemoryOfSleep · 26/11/2018 10:24

I like them all. Except Katie, but that's because if associations I have with the name tbh. I'd probably go with Harriet. Phillipa makes me think of Pippa Middleton.

Childrenofthesun · 26/11/2018 10:21

I like Sophie, Katie and Anna. Not keen on Harriet.

NinjaGoSaysNo · 26/11/2018 10:18

Harriet (Hattie not Harry) or Anna

SmiledWithTheRisingSun · 26/11/2018 09:52

Harriet and Ella are nice the rest are quite boring imo.

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 26/11/2018 09:26

Kate/Katie is fab. Sophie and Anna are okay.
Don't like the rest. I particularly despise Ella. Don't know why.

Gobletoffire · 26/11/2018 09:06

A very classic list, all beautiful names. My favourite is definitely Harriet and you have lots of nickname options with that one. My least favourite is probably Ella, although it’s still a nice name it doesn’t have the same ‘feel’ to it as the others on your list and is fairly common nowadays. X

MollyHuaCha · 26/11/2018 09:02

Harriet - lovely
Philippa - nice, but I dislike Pippa
Sophie - nice
Kate/Katie - I prefer Katherine nn Kate
Ella - ok
Anna - lovely

Smile19 · 26/11/2018 08:46

We were very close to naming DD Harriet (nn Hallie - old English shortening).

Love it.

Good luck.

Madeline88 · 26/11/2018 08:26

Harriet and Philippa are lovely, I prefer Sophia and I like Catherine/Katharine with the nn Katie.

Eeeeek2 · 26/11/2018 08:20

Harriet -great on our shortlist
Philippa -it's fine but I'm not keen and I don't know why
Sophie -I know lots of Sophie/Sophia so wouldn't use but I like the name
Kate/Katie - classic, one of my names so personally wouldn't use but it's served me well for years
Ella -one of those nice granny names that is set to come back I think
Anna -ok

ernjas · 26/11/2018 08:13

Love Harriet but not keen on the rest!

Swipe left for the next trending thread