Iris Deborah/Deborah Iris

Definitely Deborah. Iris is way too common and unimaginative. You'll be ahead of the curve with your lovely little baby Deborah

My name is Deborah and people always ask first before shortening it and quite a few people use my full name. It's not a common name and I've never been bullied or had silly nick names. I vote for Deborah Iris.

I think Deborah Iris flows better and would be an unusual name for her.

Debbie or Dora are nice 🥰 because they don’t have the “Bore” (as in boring or a pig) and “bra” sounds that Deborah does. Honestly Deborah in full is one of the worst sounding names I’ve come across.

Deborah Iris. Deborah is a classic biblical name and it would be wonderful to see on a little one IMHO.

Deborah was popular in the 50s and 60s.
Iris is back in fashion.
Deborah Iris sounds better.
Dont like Debbie or Debs.

Deborah is so much nicer - and more unusual. Or, Devorah, the Jewish version, means Bee

I love both names, but I’d be inclined to go with Deborah. She’ll probably be the only one in her class and you’ll be ahead of the curve when it inevitably comes back in fashion!

I love the name Deborah and definitely think it's due a resurgence. Think Deborah Mitford.

I also really like Julia.

Iris is more frequently used these days and I think you'd see lots of them around. (I do like it as a name though too - sorry no help).

I prefer Iris as a first name, I think it’s beautiful

I'm back too. I like Deborah and all the diminutives and nicknames. I agree you'll be ahead of the curve.
The point is, whether you like it. Also think of initials. Are you happy with DIC?

Deborah is ok as is Debs but never EVER Debbie!

If you prefer Deborah, go for it. It’s lovely name and will be at the start of a naming curve. Iris is lovely but I know teen Irises, so it has had a bit of a run already.

I posted earlier but just wanted to come back as your update about Deborah (along with just reading another thread by someone with anxiety about choosing a name) made me sad, and I wonder why we're being so influenced by other people in this. Deborah is a really lovely perfectly good name that you love and feel is very special. And yet you're disappointed because a few strangers don't think it's a great choice! It goes with the territory that any name that's not popular in the statistics generally also won't be popular among posters. If you want a name not commonly used that's what you'll get.

Sorry for the rant but I'd be delighted and really impressed to meet a little Deborah and was so sorry that you've come to think 'the world isn't ready for Deborah yet'. What 'world' are you trying to please when it's your baby that you're naming? It makes me sad that people have so little trust in their own judgment. And although it became very popular in the 60s it's still a timeless name. Rant over.

Deborah Iris flows better. I think you can insist people use the full version of Deborah when your child is young but once they are older they will decide for themselves. I knew an Andy who’s mum hated it and always called him Andrew. No one else did because he preferred Andy. By the same token I know a Victor who wouldn’t allow anyone to get away with calling him Vic. Make sure you like the diminutives of Deborah.

I really like Deborah. I think it sounds unusual, strong and rather sophisticated - but realise that's because I've never met anyone who is consistently called Deb-or-ah (rather than Deb-ra, Debbie, Debs etc), or pronounced more like Deb-er-uh. It's the 'or' that's cool.

I quite like Debbie. I can see Deborah being revived in a much more low-key way than during it's peak of popularity in the 60s/70s. I can see it becoming fashionable again, in an Ava, Marnie sort of way. I think it deserves to sit alongside its biblical sisters Esther and Ruth as a nice, classic, name.

Iris though is very fashionable right now (and for the last five years) and will go out of fashion again within five years. I think it will be a very 'dating' name.

You could use Debra as your choice

You need to pick the name YOU like best and have that as the first name, because that is the one you will be using every day. A middle name is insignificant really, as if how they sound together.

Please don’t call a child Deborah. That isn’t a cool old lady name.... it’s a middle aged woman from Essex.

I would say think of the reasons why you like the names and which you would prefer your child to be. Middle names don’t really mean much unless your child is known by both names.

My nan meant the world to me and if I ever had a daughter I would like her to have my nans christian name as her middle name. Only family and her would know it so whether the name goes, or is dated is irrelevant.

I really like the idea of middle names being sentimental rather than another name that could have just been a christian name.

I’d love to see Deborah on a baby! I think it would actually be very cool.

Iris is a lot better. Deborah is very 1960s, 60s names are not due a comeback.

I really love Deborah. It'll probably be fashionable again I'm a few years, so your Deborah will be a trailblazer.

100 PERCENT IRIS DEBORAH.

I love Iris. I don't love Deborah. This is why. But honestly, Iris is so beautiful. I would use it but partner doesn't like it really! x