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Baby names

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

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Original poster

Julia, Juliet or Lara

36 replies

Glitterywellies · 01/03/2020 20:53

We are expecting a second little girl in July and have more or less narrowed it down to these three names. I'm not asking which one people prefer as that is very much personal preference and if I wanted the most popular name I'd go with Amelia or Sophia or something! But my DH and I have quite different taste and we each have different favourites and different reservations. Could you help us resolve these?

Re JULIET:

Is this name becoming a bit trendy? It seems to be suggested fairly often on here but it is something like 500th in the popularity list which would suggest not... is it becoming popular among a particular (middle class?) demographic (eg Wilfred is seemingly not popular in the charts but half the boys under 4 I know are called Wilfred)?
Is Juliet chavvy? Is it pretentious (my DH has raised both of these worries...!)? Is it naff/cheesy/sickly sweet?
Our DD4 is called Rosanna. Is Rosanna and Juliet too similar to Romeo and Juliet, will people think it's silly?
Do you think a Juliet is likely to face constant and tedious references to Romeo and Juliet, maybe even teasing, to the point where she wishes it wasn't her name?

Re JULIA:
Is it boring? Dated?

Re LARA:

Is it boring?
Is it becoming common or trendy in any demographic (I know it's in the top 100)? I really don't like the name Laura as it is so very common, and if Lara were to be similarly common or even halfway there it would put me right off it. Right now I'm thinking it seems classic, elegant and not very common - is that right do you think, and do you think it's in any danger of being the next Amelia?

Thank you!!!

OP posts:

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gretasmum · 05/03/2020 23:53

Lara is my fave, Juliet becoming popular again where I am but also lovely.

ArriettyJones · 05/03/2020 23:32

Lara. Or Larissa if you want both DDs to have longish names that shorten well,

Peccary · 05/03/2020 23:28

I have a Juliet(aged 2), never had Julie or met another young one. If I had another girl she'd be Lara. I think Juliet goes better with Rosanna though

Babybel90 · 04/03/2020 18:26

If you choose Juliet or Julia people will constantly call the child Julie and they will have to correct people ALL. THE. TIME.

Same for Lara with Laura.

SpokeTooSoon · 04/03/2020 10:09

Juliet by a mile.

vampirethriller · 03/03/2020 19:12

I love Julia! It was going to be my daughter's name but she looked nothing like it.

userxx · 03/03/2020 07:50

downy bearded one
Nooooo 😱😱. Saying that, now I'm in my 40's it's quite fitting 🤣

BatleyTownswomensGuild · 02/03/2020 18:16

Quick post to say Lara is gorgeous! Would have loved to have a DD named Lara but I ended up on Team Blue!

Batqueen · 02/03/2020 15:28

Julia is timeless not boring and very international.

Juliet is nice too although does seem to be growing in popularity and yes, very Shakespearey

Lara is also growing but also in a growing trend of L names at the moment (Lyra, Lily) so maybe less special.

In conclusion I would choose Julia.

SideEyeing · 02/03/2020 15:18

I have a 12 week old Julia :) I like the fact it's not used often these days and I think it's a gorgeous name for both a baby and an adult. Breaks away from lots of the "cute" names that are popular at the monent. Only downside is the meaning.. Think it's something like "downy bearded one"

maa1992 · 02/03/2020 15:15

Lara

CruCru · 02/03/2020 15:11

Hi OP

My real name is Julia and I love it. One downside of Julia / Juliet is that certain people will decide to shorten them to “Julie” (which is a completely different name and is quite irritating).

At school some people will go on about Romeo to a Juliet - but that is because people are irritating and not because the name is bad.

Lara is okay but I would assume that the parents are German or Swedish (because all the Laras I know have foreign parents). There’s nothing wrong with that though.

CaffiSaliMali · 02/03/2020 12:05

I know a Juliet and a Juliette. Seems a solid name to me, to the best of my knowledge neither got much childhood teasing. One early 30s, other late 30s/early 40s.

I really like it, it's well known but not overly common. I don't think it's particularly pretentious or chavvy - just a nice normal but not overused name.

Julia and Lara are nice too.

Thefaceofboe · 02/03/2020 11:16

Love Juliet, really lovely and classy. Lara is also lovely but I think Juliet goes better with Rosanna in my opinion

Cucumbersalad · 02/03/2020 10:30

Lara is lovely

LBOCS2 · 02/03/2020 10:15

FWIW, I've got a 7yo Juliet (in London) and we've never met another - nor do I know any friends of friends with girls called Juliet (if you see what I mean). We get lots of unprompted positive comments about her name.

Whatsyourflava · 02/03/2020 10:13

I like Lara best. Can’t be nicknamed a nice classy name that has held steady in the charts for 15 years so not even on an upward trajectory. Why would you worry it’s going to be an Amelia when the numbers have stuck so consistently to the same level.

DoctorBambino · 02/03/2020 08:59

I had a friend at school who was a Juliet, she definitely got a lot of the Romeo and Juliet stuff as this was a text we had to study. I dont think it bothered her that much though. I dont find it a heavy or pretencious name.

Julia I find a bit middle aged woman sounding but probably because those are the only Julia's I have met.

I like Lara a lot. It sounds classy to me but also pretty.

Astronica · 01/03/2020 23:55

Juliet - more often talked about on name forums than used in real life. Neither pretentious nor chavvy. I don't think it's either cheesy or sickly sweet. I really like Juliet for Rosanna's sister as I feel it holds its own more than the other 2 names (distinct sounds and presence) however I know what you mean about the Romeo and Juliet sound - not sure about this. It would concern me too, though I don't know if it's actually a problem. Again, don't know about 4th question... you would hope not...

Julia is not boring and not dated. More timeless classic. Lara is okay but I do find it a little boring. All 3 are good names - and I see your dilemmas as well. Probably not much help here!

Grandmi · 01/03/2020 23:42

Julia or Lara ...both pretty timeless names .

AlliKaneErikson · 01/03/2020 23:39

Lara. My dd is Lara and I love it!

Kanga83 · 01/03/2020 23:00

@glitterywellies I'm in Kent, Canterbury way. London you will get a mix of names wherever they end up (we moved from London back to Kent a couple of years ago).

20viona · 01/03/2020 22:37

I like Lara, but I love Lana (I would say this as Iv got one 😍)

mrwalkensir · 01/03/2020 22:32

I know a lovely Julia and a Juliet....wondering where Kanga83 lives (is it Birmingham)

Original poster

Glitterywellies · 01/03/2020 22:25

Thank you so much to everyone for the responses so far, really helpful. Thanks especially to @cushtynumba for the detailed response, much appreciated!

@kanga83 You say Juliet is very trendy where you live, do you mind telling me where that is? We are in London

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