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Baby names

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

Original poster

Opinions please? Our top 3’s

54 replies

gonewiththepotter · 25/07/2019 22:28

I’m still early doors pregnancy but just starting to think about names a little and looking for some opinions.

We haven’t found out gender.

Boy:

  • Arthur
  • Henry
  • Alexander
  • Charles

Girl-

  • Alice
  • Emily
  • Clara
  • Lyra

Any opinions welcome but please don’t be ‘nasty’ about any as they’re all on the table currently

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Mac47 · 26/07/2019 06:58

Like all your boy names, although I suspect Charles would become Charlie which I really don't like, so I'd not use it for that reason.

Love Alice and Clara. Grew up with a zillion Emilys and I'm afraid it is a very bland name to me. Lyra is too close to liar and lycra so for me always sounds or looks misspelt.

boosterrooster · 26/07/2019 06:56

I like Charles and Lyra

userabcname · 26/07/2019 06:50

I like all your boys names. Alexander is lovely although I'm not keen on Alex as a nn. Henry and Charles are classic although very popular. Arthur is fab although, again, popular among babies / toddlers at the moment! If I had to pick one I'd pick Henry but all good choices.

Clara is my favourite girls name on your list. I'm not a fan of Alice or Emily. Lyra is nice too - quite unusual.

Peachbubble · 26/07/2019 06:36

Lovely set of names - I think my favourites are Henry and Alice.

Bellasblankexpression · 25/07/2019 23:31

Lyra is actually in the top 100 uk names so more popular than you think! It’s pretty though. And with the tv adaptation coming up I would expect it to get even more popular.
I like Alice, Clara and Alexander out of your names

DramaAlpaca · 25/07/2019 23:26

I think they are all lovely names & you won't go far wrong with any of them.

sakura06 · 25/07/2019 23:22

Alice and Arthur top and Alexander and Lyra second. I like all your girl names. I'm not keen on Charles (but love Charlie).

Peanutbuttericecream · 25/07/2019 23:20

Alexander

Clara

Original poster
gonewiththepotter · 25/07/2019 23:18

I love Clara from the nutcracker movie growing up (animated version) but would be tempted to use Clarissa and shorten to Clara as would like to give options.

I have a name that is both a stand alone name and a nickname of a longer name and grew up with people always elongating it ... and me having to correct them 🙄

OP posts:
Original poster
gonewiththepotter · 25/07/2019 23:16

😂 DH announced the other day that he really likes Arthur because it’s ‘so unusual nowadays’ and I gawped at him. He looked quite distressed when I filled him in about how popular it is (understandable so as it’s very nice) he was miffed but it hasn’t put him off.

😂 I had a bit of a giggle to myself as DH is occasionally quite ‘hipstery’ whilst claiming he’s anything but.

OP posts:
C0untDucku1a · 25/07/2019 23:15

My ds has two alexanders in his class. One is alex and one is xander.

C0untDucku1a · 25/07/2019 23:14

All are nice and similar in style apart from lyra, which stood out on your lists as a different style. Then your pronunciation of it liar-a is not somethijg that rolls easily off the tongue. Where does that liar-a prinunciation come from?

HellYeah90s · 25/07/2019 23:11

Emily is nice and I like it but has been done to death for the past 20 odd years. That said it is not as popular as it was back in the early-mid 2000s.

Really not keen Lyra. Alice is ok, I can't say I am wild about it (sort of falls in the Emily category for me).

Favourite is Clara.

All your boys names are inoffensive (and I mean that in a good way!)Arthurs seems very popular these days, as does Henry. I like Alexander but not really a fan of Alex.

I probably vote for Charles, I wouldn't care about the Prince Charles connotation, its not like you have a daughter called Camilla Grin

ChaChaDeGregorio · 25/07/2019 23:08

All fine, all very common at the moment. Super safe choices, and there will be many others of similar ages with same names. Apart from Lyra which is the northern lights name.

clary · 25/07/2019 23:04

All nice. Arthur is my fave 😀😀, also really like Henry

Girls, Clara and Alice, both lovely. Emily is very popular, Lyra I am less keen on.

Arthur is no longer an old man name btw, there are quite a few toddler Arthurs about (I was way ahead of the curve)

whatausername · 25/07/2019 23:04

Do remember no-one owns a name :) unless it is a HIGHLY unusual name and it's the name of someone you, your DH or DC will spend a lot of time with then use it

Original poster
gonewiththepotter · 25/07/2019 23:00

It’s ok for me as I’m mid 20’s but DH is in his 30’s and there’s lots of babies being born atm. His cousin is actually due another in Sept so we’re holding our breath to see what else gets taken 😂

OP posts:
user1493494961 · 25/07/2019 23:00

Alice is lovely, Lyra is awful.

Original poster
gonewiththepotter · 25/07/2019 22:59

I’m loving the suggestions @Tillygetsit

Tbh our biggest hold back on some of those gorgeous names is that they’ve been used already by our friends and family. Rose-Florence-Eloise-Anna-Lawrence-Daniel...all taken I’m afraid 😂😂

We also loved Elizabeth, Charlottte and Louis but also taken by friends recently x

OP posts:
Original poster
gonewiththepotter · 25/07/2019 22:56

😬 thank you all so much - this is distracting me from my horrible nausea/cervical stabby pain that’s stopping me sleeping 😭

Arthur is my DH’s FAVOURITE boys name (also a family name @whirlwinds) and I think I would have to go to some length to change DH’s mind! 😂 Although Henry is a close 2nd! I also associate Prince Charles so aren’t keen on Charles!

Alice was always my first choice but Lyra (to be pronounced Liar-a) is different and unique. We also loved the northern lights books growing up!

OP posts:
PrincessLouis · 25/07/2019 22:55

And for boys, Sam(uel), Ben(jamin), John(ny)?

PrincessLouis · 25/07/2019 22:54

All lovely with the poss exception of Lyra which seems out of line with your other classics? Some great suggestions from @Tillygetsit above, also maybe Rose?

Rystall · 25/07/2019 22:41

Congratulations OP!

Your style of name is similar to mine...great minds!! I like all of your boys names. I do think though that you’d have to be a very ‘cool’ little boy to carry off Arthur as it’s a proper old man name.

I like your girls names too. Is Lyra to be pronounced like Liar-a or Leera? ( I’ve heard both). I think it’s prettier written down than spoken if that makes sense?

Alice / Emily / Clara all beautiful.

whirlwinds · 25/07/2019 22:36

1-Arthur is on the top of my list, but it is a family name and I am that type of person Smile
2-Alexander is a strong name
3-Henry another good name
4-Charles Prince Charles isn't my favourite royal so gets the bottom vote

1-Alice is lovely
2-Lyra different and I like it
3-Clara very cute
4-Emily not very fond of

AverageMummy · 25/07/2019 22:35

I like all of them but I have a Clara so obviously I’m biased but I love her name
Alexander is really lovely too