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Baby names

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

Original poster

Which name would you consider is more “posh”?

91 replies

literaryartist · 13/02/2019 14:03

Hi,

I’m writing a story consisting of a high class aristocratic family.

I need help with one of the characters. She is 2 years old, and the daughter within the aristocratic family. They have a double barrelled “posh” sounding surname.

I was going to give her a long multi-syllable posh frilly name eg. Allegra or Antigone but decided against it as it would sound too pretentious with her double barrelled surname.

I have now decided to use a short two syllable name.
My options are:
Nina
Lara
Anna
Isla

Which do you think sounds more posh in your opinion?

Thanks in advance

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Original poster
Literaryartist · 14/02/2019 18:52

tatianalarina I see what you mean...I did see Zara a lot in telegraph/times announcements also. But I was put off as I live in london and there are plenty of Zara/zahra’s that are not posh...and the highstreet shop also..

It seems I would be safer with a more traditional name

OP posts:
WFTisgoingoninmyhead · 14/02/2019 18:51

Anna or Lara but Clara is better.

Kenny33 · 14/02/2019 18:49

Have a look at the royal family’s family tree for names as they tend to recycle names.

bigknickersbigknockers · 14/02/2019 18:46

I know two Nina's and neither of them are posh... in fact one of them is a bit of a trollop if truth be told

TatianaLarina · 14/02/2019 18:41

Zara is more likely than Lara.

Original poster
Literaryartist · 14/02/2019 18:39

fazackerley how old is your dd?

Thanks everyone, yes I agree with what most of you have said, she may need an unrelated fun nickname.

OP posts:
t1mum3 · 14/02/2019 17:59

Clementine, Xanthe or Zara. Or Charlotte (Lottie) or Rosie.

MiniTheMinx · 14/02/2019 17:58

Lara

Never met a posh Anna, Isla or Nina.

I'd go for a more pretentious name with more that one syllable then give her a nickname like Minty, or Bunty.

Fazackerley · 14/02/2019 17:51

Fwiw dd is at a posh school and there's one Anna and three Laras in her year. No islas or ninas

Fazackerley · 14/02/2019 17:48

Lara

TatianaLarina · 14/02/2019 17:43

It’s just a coincidence.

Original poster
Literaryartist · 14/02/2019 16:34

tatianalarina but Isla and Lara don’t have the same mother...unless it’s just coincidence that they are both Canadian?

OP posts:
Original poster
Literaryartist · 14/02/2019 16:27

allikaneericson yes it’s very popular in london and south east region of the Uk..which are the most affluent regions of the UK... so perhaps that’s why? I’m not sure. In london there is more ethnic diversity so that could be a reason...as it’s an international name, but south east Britain is less ethnically diverse so I’m not sure.

OP posts:
AlliKaneErikson · 14/02/2019 16:02

Interesting to read that Lara is mentioned often in the Times/Telegraph births; since I had my Lara we’ve come across very few, although I think i’ve read that it’s more popular in London than Wales

FelicisWolf · 14/02/2019 15:03

If they're an "old money" upper class family then I think more traditional names would be more likely. Not least because those types of families tend to name children after members of those families, so it would be unusual to get a more modern, trendy name. So things like Mary, Katherine, Susan (nn Susie?), Rose, Jane, Margaret (nn Maggie?), Nancy, Charlotte, Victoria (nn Tor?)

MikeUniformMike · 14/02/2019 14:39

2 years old and aristocratic? Look at the names that aristos have given their daughters recently.
I would think that Iona is more likely than Isla.
Maybe something like Maud or Mae?

TatianaLarina · 14/02/2019 14:31

Haut bo = old money bohemian, includes trustafarians yes.

TatianaLarina · 14/02/2019 14:27

The Telegraph and Times can’t really give you decent intel on the demographic you’re looking for - it’s too small. Their readership is just broadly Tory.

Isla and Lara have Canadian mothers, Isla’s sister is called Savannah.

NC4Now · 14/02/2019 08:00

What about Lena?

Original poster
Literaryartist · 14/02/2019 06:46

Hi thanks for all the responses.
The family will be of “old money” and own a lot within central london.

I agree that perhaps not Isla- may be too trendy. Though as someone mentioned the queen’s granddaughter is an Isla!!

Anna seems to have been picked the most. I wasn’t sure about Anna because even though it’s a classic...it’s also classless and maybe not used in young generations as much. (Though I do love it).

I expected lara to win the results as Lara was mentioned consistently in the telegraph/times baby announcements and considering its popularity ranking is low and compared to how many were announced it seemed quite a popular choice for that certain demographic. Also plus lady Lara spencer (Princess Diana’s 11 year old niece).

Nina is definitely on the rise within that demographic but only recently, so I don’t know whether it’s just a recent phase.

I may have to go back to the drawing board though, none of the names won resoundingly...

OP posts:
AuntieOxident · 14/02/2019 01:19

Haut bo Confused?
— er, boho?

AuntieOxident · 14/02/2019 01:17

Yep not very posh at all.
Instead try
Flora
Alice
Eliza.

Tavannach · 14/02/2019 01:07

@TatianaLarina

What's haut bo? Trustafarians?

TatianaLarina · 13/02/2019 23:11

What’s the family like OP? Old school traditional? If so - Emily, Sophie, Charlotte, Alice, Clara, Flora, Camilla, Cecilia...

More liberal cultured - Beatrice, Phoebe, Violet, Imogen, Iris, Cosima, Venetia, Ophelia, Clemency.

Haut bo - Dido, Artemis, Calypso, Yseult, Hero, Hebe

TheFuckfaceWhisperer · 13/02/2019 22:55

Anna
Then Lara. But with a T so Tara Grin