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Baby names

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

Original poster

Anna, Maria, Francesca, Ellen

52 replies

MustardYellowJumper · 05/05/2019 13:27

We're whittling it down! What's your favourite out of these? (They are currently in my approximate order of preference.)

Anna
Maria
Francesca
Ellen

We've got plenty of time, so there's still room for some wild-card suggestions if you have any other ideas...

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Kokeshi123 · 13/05/2019 12:10

All great names. I like Maria and Francesca best simply because you don't hear these names as often.

whatausername · 13/05/2019 11:51

Okay, goodness knows what I did to my post! Nth time lucky...

Am I the only one who thinks all four are lovely especially in the order written in the title? You could be rather over the top, give her three middle names and name her Anna Maria Francesca Ellen... :-P

whatausername · 13/05/2019 11:50

Oops thumb glitch! I meant to add in a half-serious half-laughing emoji at the end :-P

Pegaroo · 13/05/2019 11:45

Maria.. no one is ever called that anymore, it’s lovely.

AppleKatie · 11/05/2019 11:46

Lol ok if you say so 🤣

Original poster
MustardYellowJumper · 11/05/2019 11:40

@Applekatie

Lol. Elaine Page must be in her 70s!

Hollywood actress Ellen Page - Juno, Inception, X-Men...

OP posts:
OneKeyAtATime · 11/05/2019 10:23

I like Ellen and Anna. Really not keen on Maria.

MumUnderTheMoon · 11/05/2019 10:18

Francesca is lovely Fran, Frankie and Chessie are all nn which I could live with.

AppleKatie · 11/05/2019 10:16

Do you mean Elaine page?

Pipsqueak11 · 11/05/2019 10:11

Ellen is my fave on your list - less common

FannyOMalley · 11/05/2019 09:48

I love Anna, Maria and Francesca. Beautiful, classy, understated.

Ellen is a bit...meh.

DieselSucker · 11/05/2019 09:43

I like Anna
I like Maria
I like Anna Maria
And I like Marianne

costacoffeecup · 08/05/2019 20:07

I have an Anna and my good friend has an Ellen, which I love. I would say Ellen is more unusual while still being classic.

Clettercletterthatsbetter · 08/05/2019 20:05

I like Anna and Ellen the most. I think Anna is more classic, but I do know a couple of baby Annas, whereas I don’t know any Ellens under 30, so it depends on whether popularity bothers you...

Original poster
MustardYellowJumper · 07/05/2019 14:31

Thanks, everyone, this has been really useful! Francesca, lovely as it is, might be a bit fussy for our taste in the end.

Surprised that Ellen is so marmite - but then, I don't know any older ones, and tend to think of Ellen Page / children I've met. I can see it's different if you've met an older Ellen in the past! Love Elin too.

OP posts:
Flamingosnbears · 06/05/2019 17:49

How about Annamaria!

Ellen is sweet too

Not Francesca lots of them about if it bothers you Francine? Frances? Francia?..

IcelandicYoghurt · 06/05/2019 14:29

I like Ellen and Anna.

Personally I disagree with the frumpy/dowdy comments re Ellen - IMO it's a classy name and I love the NN Nell.

ChesterBelloc · 06/05/2019 10:55

I have an Anna 😍
Francesca is lovely also
I don't personally like Maria or Ellen that much.

Buddyelf · 06/05/2019 08:16

Oh goodness. My name is on your list and had some comments which have made me feel very glum indeed. Probably shouldn’t have looked, maybe I’m a glutton for punishment.
If it’s any help I like my name. Blush

floraloctopus · 06/05/2019 06:05

Ellen

Happilyacceptingcookies · 06/05/2019 05:57

Francesca is by far my favourite from your list.

I'm Catholic so I see Maria and very old school religious. Anna Maria even more so!

MercyBodle · 06/05/2019 05:19

I like them all except Maria. Unlike most I love Ellen which seems smart and understated to me. And I love that such a streamlined classic is so rarely used at the moment. Anna and Francesca are lovely too.

LostInTheColonies · 06/05/2019 04:41

I'm pretty sure Elin is the Welsh variant. Unlike almost everybody, I rather like Ellen; gentle rather than dowdy! Only know one & she is very cool & utterly hilarious. Eleanor/Elinor was on my list for DD.

Anna - like
Maria - nope
Francesca - bit fussy

Tavannach · 06/05/2019 03:07

Really like Anna and Francesca. Like Maria. Not keen on Ellen, prefer Eleanor.

Rosesaredead · 06/05/2019 02:56

Anna