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Baby names

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

I've been told name choices are unkind to DD on the way

238 replies

MousematsRule · 24/01/2020 21:52

We are expecting a sister for our DD Annie Coco.
We've had a little opposition to our favourite names for this one, but then none of my close relatives liked DD's name either but it gets a lot of compliments now and suits her down to the ground.

Would love thoughts on our current shortlist...

Ottilie (Would love to name her Ottilie Tiger and her pet name would be Tilly Tiger but I've been told this is cruel?)
Clementine
Sunny (would want to use Clementine as middle name for this)
Clover
Juniper (we just love the nn Junie)
Indigo (we love the nn Indie)
Mollie
Maggie

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Lordfrontpaw · 25/01/2020 11:42

What about Odette or Odile (spot the ballet fan)

ColdTattyWaitingForSummer · 25/01/2020 11:29

Have to say I read your list to ds(17) last night.. And he was a hard no on Clementine / Clemmie as it would be a magnet for bullies (I didn’t think it was that bad, but obviously he’s spent more time in a high school recently than I have).

MyNameHasBeenTaken · 25/01/2020 10:49

I want to change my name to tillie tiger now!
Ds has 3 girls in his school year with tiger as a middle name
This is your child.
If you (her parents) like the name and think it is suitable for her, for life, then that's all that counts.

IndieTara · 25/01/2020 10:47

Indie is a great name Wink

elenacampana · 25/01/2020 10:16

All trying too hard in my opinion.

ClappyFlappy · 25/01/2020 10:15

Tiger is a bit odd but it’s only a middle name so. O big deal. The others are largely not my taste but are not unkind, they are OK.

Cookit · 25/01/2020 10:14

Also, Clemmie (Clementine) Churchill - so it’s definitely a name that doesn’t sound ridiculous later on.

Cookit · 25/01/2020 10:13

No one knows middle names and you can just never use it at all if you want so as silly as Tiger might be, does it really matter? I don’t see a 45 year old accountant being embarrassed about being Tilly Tiger because they’d simply be Ottilie and the Tiger bit would be long forgotten.

Sunny I don’t like at all but the rest are quite nice.

SquigglePigs · 25/01/2020 10:11

I don't like Clementine (or Clem/Clemmie) and I don't think it goes with your first DD's name but the others are lovely. Ultimately though as long as you and your DH like it then it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks.

gnushoes · 25/01/2020 10:05

What's wrong with June rather than Juniper? Still lovely. Don't get the hate around names that sound like they might be boys'. Please don't do the Tiger one.

Strongmummy · 25/01/2020 10:02

Op - the names are all fantastically silly and twee. I dislike all of them, however none are offensive. But, it’s really not up to a group of randoms on the internet to pick the name of your child. It’s personal to you so go for it

MimiLaRue · 25/01/2020 10:01

I'm sorry but Tilly Tiger sounds like a cartoon character. Please dont give her a name that cant be taken seriously as an adult. Cutesy names are cute when young but as a young woman trying to push the limits of the glass ceiling, it just sounds ridiculous.

The others are fine but FGS please dont give her a name that will infantilise her forever

MsTSwift · 25/01/2020 09:59

And agree Dolly dear god

IVflytrap · 25/01/2020 09:59

Nice first names (except Sunny which makes me think of sonny), but I'd avoid the comedy middle name. Tilly Tiger sounds like you were inspired by Tony the Tiger. As a teen and an adult, she's going to be writing her middle name on forms and occasionally giving it down the phone, and you just can't know whether she'll be someone who doesn't embarrass easily.

You can use the nickname Tilly Tiger (which is cute on a toddler) without it being set in stone as her legal name.

MsTSwift · 25/01/2020 09:58

Nah. Karen’s a great name works well on adults. Cutesy names like Daisy Poppy Honey etc are always going to jar on a sensible adult woman no matter how numerous. Awful choices.

TheYearOfTheDog · 25/01/2020 09:55

@mstwift that's rare though. By the time the daisys are in their fifties there will be so many that it will be the Karen of 2045
Poor Karen.

I agree that Sunny is a good nn for Sunil (think that's where I heard it).

the only time I viscerally cringed at somebody else's name choice (and I don't know him/them) was David Baddiel calling his daughter ''Dolly''. That is just so kin ridiculous I feel social services just be involved. Joking. mostly joking but not 100%

Faye Ripley from cold feet called her daughter Parker and while that is a very unattractive sound imo, that's all, just not to my taste. But Dolly is all types of weird as a given name. HOly God Miley.

corduroyal · 25/01/2020 09:54

I tried to choose my kids' names allowing for the possibility that they'll grow up to be introverted conservatives who work as accountants or something.

Tilly Tiger might be cute for a kid but it would be wrong for certain kinds of adults so I wouldn't choose it. Call her that as a nickname but not an official name?

Not keen on Clover and Juniper etc for similar reasons.

Gigipixiz · 25/01/2020 09:46

I love clementine. Love love Juniper and the nn Junie. I like indie but I know quite a few girls and boys.
Molly I know loads of these I think it’s a ‘safe’ name not in the same category as the others. Also lots of dogs are called molly where I live.
Not a fan of Tiger but ok as a middle name. Don’t like clover at all think it’s a clunky name.
Sunny is a boys name to me, quite a few Asian and African kids have this name.
I have 2 dds one of them has one of the ‘boring’ names a pp posted the other has one off your list as a middle name and I love both names equally.

MsTSwift · 25/01/2020 09:45

I cringe when a sensible 50 something professional woman is called “Daisy” or similar just ridiculous

AlphaJura · 25/01/2020 09:43

People saying imagine how it would sound as an adult? Probably not too out there considering the names that are around these days.. all those people will be adults one day!

TheFormidableMrsC · 25/01/2020 09:40

I do like Ottalie. I tried to think ahead a little with my kids, how would they manage names with a professional role for example? If that's the path they chose. I had a list of names I liked but didn't actually choose until I saw the baby. The name I chose for my daughter and was at the top of my list was absolutely not her at all. My son's name is one that would normally naturally be shortened but never has been so I wouldn't assume nicknames either.

AlphaJura · 25/01/2020 09:40

Love Ottilie. What about Ottilie June. I really like June as a middle name.
Or Juno? (I'm biased with that one 😉)
Romilly?
You like Clover, how about Clodagh? I vaguely knew a girl years ago called that, think it might be Irish.

TheVanguardSix · 25/01/2020 09:34

By the way, your best names, imo, are Clover and Juniper.
How about Pearl?

TheVanguardSix · 25/01/2020 09:33

Lose the scent of that Tiger/Pixie trail you're on, OP and you'll be grand.
Steer clear of the silly.
You have to remember, one day, your child will be a woman in the world. Don't give your child a name that only sounds cool when they're waddling across foam number playmats in primary colours.
A name is for life. Bless them with a good one, not a handle.
In other words, give Tiger Tilly the biggest swerve.

LynetteScavo · 25/01/2020 09:28

Oh, I love the name Ottilie Tiger!!!

Not as keen on your other (still lovely) choices.

Certainly nothing cruel going on here Hmm