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Baby names

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

Original poster

Girls name-what do they make you think of?

95 replies

Firsttimemother30 · 31/01/2019 18:13

Hello, myself and my husband found out we are having a girl today. We are very excited and have narrowed it down to three names. We will probably wait until we see her but looking for others opinions but reluctant to share with family. The names are:
Hettie
Effie
Pearl
What kind of name would you class each name as? What do they remind you of? We are aware of the Hettie is a hoover and Effie could be made to sound like a swear word type comments, but these aren’t strong enough factors to put us off. Surname begins with L and is fairly commonplace.

OP posts:
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sleepismysuperpower1 · 01/02/2019 17:32

Hettie you could have Heather, Harriet

17caterpillars1mouse · 01/02/2019 17:29

I really like Hetty but would personally have Henrietta or Harriet on the birth certificate

Effie is nice too but i.feel like it needs a more formal name

Pearl is my favourite though, yes it seems like a big name for a baby but i personally think it is very darling but with a strength to it.

Good luck choosing, all are lovely names

Josico58 · 01/02/2019 15:45

Hettie is pretty and cute but not really a strong name for an adult. Could you give her something else and use Hettie as a nn, ie Harriet? Henrietta?

Effie makes me think of that program, Skins. Conjurs up an image of thick black eyeliner and teen-angst. Not really a fan.

Pearl is nice, quite old grannyish but all those names are making a comeback and Pearl doesn't seem to be over-used.

Chewbecca · 01/02/2019 15:13

The only Hettie I know is Hepzibah.

Topofthehills · 01/02/2019 15:03

Harriet
Hester

Elizabeth
Iphigenia
Efa (Welsh form of Eva)

On a different note, there was a children's book I loved long ago that I think was called "Hettie: her first hundred years" which was an autobiography of a doll.

TrickyKid · 01/02/2019 14:47

I love all 3. Makes me think of quirky but strong girls and Swallows and amazon's 😊

Jaz32 · 01/02/2019 14:43

Hettie is ok, I think it’s the pink version of Henry Hoover... I prefer Henrietta as the full name or Harriet (Hattie)
Not keen on Effie or Pearl.

Lizadork · 01/02/2019 14:32

Arrietty for hettie?
Stolen from the Brorrowers Smile

Carouselfish · 01/02/2019 14:19

Hettie makes me think of a slightly scatty cat lady. Effie (once heard this trashed by staff at a primary school but it was because they were all too ignorant to know it was a genuine diminutive of Ephigenia not a made up name), it's quite sweet, fairy-like. Pearl I wish I liked but it would be terrible if they weren't pretty to counteract the potential lumpiness of it.

starkid · 01/02/2019 13:51

For Hettie, you could have Harriet, Hester. For Effie, Josephine, or at a push Elizabeth?

BrieAndOatcakes · 01/02/2019 13:39

Hettie & Effie - lile them both but would put something longer on the birth certificate
Pearl - love it!

Original poster
Firsttimemother30 · 01/02/2019 13:36

Thank you all for your replies. We had a chat last night and I think we are going to take Pearl off the table-it just doesn’t feel quite right.
So it’s now between Hettie and Effie. We aren’t keen on Henrietta or Euphemia so what else could we use as birth certificate names? I think too many people are saying they are nicknamey for them to be standalone names really. We would use Hettie and Effie on a day to day basis.

OP posts:
RuthW · 01/02/2019 11:48

Pearl. I know a ten year old one. The other ones are nick names in my opinion.

TheSubtleKnifeAndFork · 01/02/2019 09:34

Pearl is lovely. I know a little girl called Pearl and it suits her so well. Her mum and dad chose it so it also was a nice-sounding name in English and also the native language of the country where she will grow up (Perla). It's a lovely classic name IMO.

I'm not keen on giving children nickname as given names, particularly ones ending in "ie"/"y", they sound too cutesy.

I believe Hettie/Hetty is a diminutive form of Henrietta, which is a lovely name.

Not keen on Effie personally, nor the long form.

erja · 01/02/2019 09:24

Effie is my favourite but I'd spell it Effy. I absolutely love it.

Hettie is my 2nd favourite. I never can decide if I prefer Hettie or Hattie but it doesn't make me think of the Hoover and don't think it's too nicknamey.

Pearl always reminds me of an old, posh grandma. Grin

Nonameyet1 · 01/02/2019 09:06

To me they are sweet names but not very strong names.
I don’t ‘really’ dislike them but don’t really like them either.

pilates · 01/02/2019 08:41

I like Pearl best

codenameduchess · 31/01/2019 21:09

Congratulations op!!

To me though:
Hettie- fluffy cat (I know a mega floof cat called Hattie) or old American lady in church clothes
Effie - the character from hunger games
Pearl- Wilma flinstones mum (pearl slaghoople)

They're all lovely names though, I just watch a lot of TV!

3out · 31/01/2019 20:51

There were a lot of Effie’s about when I was a student nurse (Scotland). I like it. I don’t think I’ve met an Effie in the last ten years.
I really like Hettie. I know a lovely girl called that.
Pearl makes me think of a grumpy lady. I think there was maybe a Pearl in coronation street years ago?
Known of the names make me think anything about the parents. Just sounds middle class.

MrsBertBibby · 31/01/2019 20:44

Pearl's a singer. Terribly melancholy song.

www.last.fm/music/Elkie+Brooks/_/Pearl's+A+Singer

MissLanesAmericanCousin · 31/01/2019 20:36

My initial first impressions on the following names:

Pearl - Stodgy, stern, conservative, plain

Hettie - Passive, weak, traditional, quiet

Effie Young, Frivolous, Childish, not to be taken seriously

I'm sorry, I find none of them inspiring or remotely attractive.

Good luck on the name quest though, and congratulations! Flowers

Original poster
Firsttimemother30 · 31/01/2019 19:57

Thank you for all your responses, a mixed bag but nothing too badGrin. I guess I just don’t want to give her a name where people think ‘oh her parents must be...’ fill with any negative word people like to use to describe people. I think I may have read too many articles on how giving children names can hinder their life in some way.

Also, if we go with Hettie or Effie we may consider a more ‘grown up’ birth certificate name she can use in formal settings if she would like to.

OP posts:
TheGirlOnTheLanding · 31/01/2019 19:28

Pearl I don't like because it doesn't work in my (Scottish) accent and reminds me of Beryl the Peril.

I don't mind Effie or Hettie but they are nicknames and very 'old lady chic' to me - along with things like Edith, Mabel, Elsie etc. which is a trend that's been around a while now.

BikeRunSki · 31/01/2019 19:18

They sound like supporting characters in a 1920s drama. Maybe Agatha Christie.

Sophronia · 31/01/2019 19:15

Effie and Hettie are a bit nicknamey. Pearl works for all ages, I think.