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Baby names

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Is Molly too similar to Mary?

34 replies

mrsmamaleone · 10/07/2019 11:13

The long and skinny of it, I'm expecting my second daughter and I'm in love, like serious love, with the name Molly. However, my first girl is called Mary Margaret. I wasn't expecting (no pun intended) to ever have a second child because of some health issues but here we are, and we're delighted. Two was what wished, one was what we were pleased with. I had always wanted to name my daughters Mary and Margaret but when it took four years of trying to even conceive our first we went ahead and used both names. So now I've found myself at a loss as for what to call this little lady. We almost never call Mary by her full name, normally only when she's being naughty or we're being silly with her.

So, is Molly too similar to Mary?

OP posts:
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Bellsandholly · 13/07/2019 13:08

You have great taste in names OP- I also have a Mary Smile
Jane goes wonderfully with Mary although you might get the odd comment about marijuana

Eustasiavye · 13/07/2019 00:09

Jane is lovely.

AverageMummy · 12/07/2019 19:56

Jane is beautiful

IfItIsntYerManRobert · 12/07/2019 04:45

Jane is refreshingly simple and under-used.
Lovely name.

I'm not certain I would opt for Mary and Jane as sisters personally, but I don't think it's terrible at all, either.

Congratulations!

PenelopeFlintstone · 12/07/2019 04:35

I think it'd be fine. I didn't know Molly was Mary and if someone did comment I'd just say that I loved both names and wanted my daughters' names to be closely linked.
Harry and Henry would be more well-known because of the prince. I only recently learned about John and Jack.

mathanxiety · 12/07/2019 03:55

Mary and Jane are a lovely set of names. Congratulations.

I agree with PPs that Molly and Mary should not be used for sisters.

(Please don't be tempted to use a pp's suggestion of Maire or Mairead either because they are Irish for Mary and Margaret, respectively).

villainousbroodmare · 11/07/2019 21:09

Jane is absolutely lovely, equivalent in a way to Mary and far nicer than Molly imo. It's an elegant, feminine, simple classic.

SophyStantonLacy · 11/07/2019 21:04

I love Mary and Jane.

JustTheCrowsAndTheBeef · 11/07/2019 11:53

Mary and Martha as a sibset is very Biblical.

PetraRabbit · 11/07/2019 11:07

Mary and Jane- I really love the names! I think Molly is nowhere near as elegant as Mary, and much prefer Jane.

Seahorseshoe · 11/07/2019 07:17

My mum has two grandsons with similar names, were always calling them by each other's names, even after 20 years. I'd pick something different.

Congratulations by the way.

SmiledWithTheRisingSun · 11/07/2019 06:41

Or Martha?

Goldenhorn · 10/07/2019 22:07

I dont think they're too similar!

However I also think that you can still call your daughter Margaret if you want to, my DP's first name is the same as his oldest brother's middle name (hes the youngest of 5 siblings)

user1493494961 · 10/07/2019 21:56

A friend of mine was always known as Molly, her real name was Maureen. We have several Marys in our family and none have ever been known as Molly. It's a standalone name now, if you love it, go for it.

purplecorkheart · 10/07/2019 21:43

Molly is a beautiful name as is Mary. Would you consider picking an name like Maire, Mairead, Maeve, Marageret and using Molly as a nickname

MikeUniformMike · 10/07/2019 21:40

They are basically the same name but I think you could use it.

PotteringAlong · 10/07/2019 21:40

I love Jane Alice!

SmiledWithTheRisingSun · 10/07/2019 21:39

Mary Jane makes me think of shoes or marijuana. (Sorry)

SmiledWithTheRisingSun · 10/07/2019 21:38

What about Maisie instead OP?

PrincessLouis · 10/07/2019 21:26

Love Jane Alice and all your ideas actually

Mary and Jane is beautiful, classy, timeless

LizzieMacQueen · 10/07/2019 16:24

It's quite refreshing that your DD's names are so ..... simple. Nice though.

Mary and Jane.

Snoopy90 · 10/07/2019 15:31

I think Molly and Mary sound quite different. I didn't know Molly was short for Mary so it wouldn't seem odd at all to me. Looks like I'm in the minority though.

cstaff · 10/07/2019 13:16

I have two friends who are sisters and their names are Julie and Shirley which makes for very confusing name calling when they are together i.e. Shulie and Jirley and other variations Grin so yeah definitely keep away from similar names

DandyLyon · 10/07/2019 13:10

And, for what it's worth, I also think you could use Molly with Mary for the same reasons as PP

DandyLyon · 10/07/2019 13:10

Do you like Elizabeth? It's my favourite! And lots of diminutives to choose from.

If you're into the medieval names you might also consider Matilda given that you also seem to He an affinity with 'M' names?

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