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Baby names

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

Original poster

Classic or dull?

65 replies

Notrobusta · 04/06/2019 12:15

Have started to come up with a short list for girls and boys names and could do with some unbiased thoughts. Would like a classic name but don’t something that is considered a bit dull.

Girls

Elizabeth
Jennifer
Sophie
Alexandra

Boys

Joseph
Evan
Alexander
Benjamin
Matthew

Any other suggestions along these lines would be fab.

OP posts:
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Bluerussian · 04/06/2019 18:05

Very good, classic names and it is a pleasant change to read that someone is considering any of them, rather than some of the 'off the wall' fashionable and/or chavvy names people inflict on their kids.

Any of those will not embarrass a child as they grow up.

wineandcatsandlego · 04/06/2019 17:58

Elizabeth, Benjamin and Matthew were all in my top 5s for boys and girls when we found bd out we were expecting. Lovely, classic names that will stand them for life!

MadameJosephine · 04/06/2019 17:56

Not dull at all.

I love Elizabeth, Jennifer and Alexandra - lots of potential for shorter nicknames too with them all. They are classic names which are not overused. I have a 6 year old Jennifer and have yet to meet another child with her name. We actually considered Elizabeth for her too along with Emmeline and Constance. I think Sophie is the exception on your list though, I know quite a few Sophies.

From your boys list my favourite is Alexander. I also really like Nathaniel and Christopher

SundayMorningSun · 04/06/2019 17:54

@lavenderblues

Jennifer and Matthew (Mathieu) have both been top 10 names in France in the past. I don't have German stats to hand.

These names travel just fine.

I am not saying that ALL of these names are EQUALLY classic/international - just that names which are classic are likely to be thought boring in some quarters.

Fruitloopcowabunga · 04/06/2019 17:41

Ooh and Hester.

Fruitloopcowabunga · 04/06/2019 17:40

Love these names (mostly). Also what about Frances, Emilia, Helena, Lucy? For boys I love Edward/Ned, Finnegan/Finn

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 04/06/2019 17:40

Forgot to say I can't see how the most classic names can be considered dull. They are timeless.

zeeboo · 04/06/2019 17:37

All dull in my opinion, but I'm not you. You choose what you like.

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 04/06/2019 17:35

Classic names are my absolute favourites and you can't go wrong with any of the ones in your OP. My own preference is for a name that everybody can pronounce correctly from seeing it written down and everybody can spell from hearing it said. I wouldn't have the patience to be constantly correcting people or spelling a name out. Both my children's names pass this test and so does my own.

Other names that might suit:
David
John/Jon/Jonathan
Daniel
Michael
Christopher
Robert

Louisa
Sarah
Susanna(h)
Lucy
Katherine
Mary
Harriet

Sexnotgender · 04/06/2019 17:33

I much prefer Sandy as a nn for Alexander.

BiscuitDrama · 04/06/2019 17:32

How about Sophia instead of Sophie?

bridgetreilly · 04/06/2019 17:30

Honestly, I think pretty much all of those are edging towards dull.

Girls:
Rosalind
Juliet
Camilla
Lois

Boys:
Richard
Gilbert
Edmund
Linus

ElfishBiatch · 04/06/2019 17:24

Alexander can be Alex, Al, Xander, Sasha, Lex (Luther!)

lavenderblues · 04/06/2019 17:20

From the experience, Alex is the most natural and common shortening.

ElfishBiatch · 04/06/2019 17:17

Crossposted 😂

ElfishBiatch · 04/06/2019 17:16

Also Lexi

Ilovewheelychairs · 04/06/2019 17:16

Or Lexi!

Ilovewheelychairs · 04/06/2019 17:15

Alexandra can be:

Alex
Ally/Allie
Zandra/Zanny
Sandra
Sandy
Sasha

Original poster
Notrobusta · 04/06/2019 17:12

Thanks for the suggestions I will run them past my husband. What nicknames would Alexander and Alexandra have other than the obvious Alex .

OP posts:
Sexnotgender · 04/06/2019 17:04

All lovely except Evan.

What about
Eleanor
Penelope
Elspeth
Daniel
Dominic
Angus

Original poster
Notrobusta · 04/06/2019 17:00

We can’t use Alice or James as already family names as are William , Oliver and Edward, Christopher or Andrew.

OP posts:
Penny4Thoughts · 04/06/2019 16:55

Alexandra and Alexander are both beautiful classics that don’t sound dull to me they also have lots of nn potential

ElfishBiatch · 04/06/2019 16:46

What are your other DC called?

I don’t like Evan, but the remaining boys names are literally my list of possibilities for a future boy! I like all your girls names too. Great choices.

AnnaComnena · 04/06/2019 16:41

I don't think they're dull. I think they're strong and timeless.

I love Elizabeth and Alexandra. One thing about Elizabeth is that it has so many potential shortenings. Your dd could have a different nickname for each day of the week! Sophie would be my least preferred of those suggestions.

Of the boys' names, I like Alexander, Matthew and Benjamin, in that order.

Chunkers · 04/06/2019 16:30

Balonz... is a MN ‘classic’.