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Baby names

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

Original poster

Iris Deborah/Deborah Iris

57 replies

Lulu828 · 08/04/2020 18:33

Hello!
Two significant names that we want to use (and love, obviously) are Iris and Deborah.

We were thinking Iris Deborah, but now we are thinking would Deborah Iris be better?
Thoughts please!
Thank you 😊

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cheercaptain · 09/04/2020 13:07

I love Iris and would choose this a first name over Deborah but I agree with Astronica. Which name you prefer as the first name and/or sounds better with your surname should be your criteria to selecting which order to put the names.

Letseatgrandma · 09/04/2020 13:01

Iris is a beautiful name-really pretty! I really don’t think it ‘goes’ at all well with Deborah though. I’d liken it to putting names together like

Florence Tracey
Beatrice Sharon
Ava Susan

When I first started work, every other woman in the office seemed to be called Debra/Deborah/Debbie/Deb/Debs (or Sue, Sharon or Tracey actually!). I detested working there though so that’s probably skewed my view of the name!

Pemba · 09/04/2020 12:50

Nonsense. It's more like DEB-ruh, or DEB-urruh if you're going to get phonetic about it. It's far from horrid IMO.

JoyceDivision · 09/04/2020 12:50

Prefer Iris as first name, although both lively names.

As a nickname if you use Deborah as first name will you be getting "It's Detective Inspector" quips.l?

I have too much time on my hands Grin

Whatsyourflava · 09/04/2020 12:47

Deborah has a horrible sound to it sorry

It’s got “bore” in there and also “bra”. Not great.

I’m cool with dated or old fashioned names. But not this one sorry it’s horrid

Love Iris

Pemba · 09/04/2020 12:44

Many people (with rigid thinking) will say that Deborah/Debbie is too dated, because it was so popular in the 1960s. But I actually like Deborah, it has a really nice soft sound, features in the Bible etc,. So therefore I feel Deborah is not a name only associated with women born in that era in the same way as, say, Beverley (which I do NOT like). Time for a comeback maybe? To make it more 'now' you could avoid Debbie as a shortening, I suppose.

Iris is OK, I like it more than Ivy, but it still has that rather harsh 'eye' sound at the beginning. It has a beautiful meaning though. I'd be brave and go for Deborah Iris!

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 09/04/2020 12:07

Deborah Iris.

Original poster
Lulu828 · 09/04/2020 12:02

Thank you everyone 😊
I guess maybe the world isn't ready for Deborah just yet, which is a shame because I really like the sound and the look of it. I don't however want everyone thinking it's an odd choice.
It's such a shame that Iris is so popular now, but it is beautiful and timeless I think.
Food for thought.
Thank you!

OP posts:
Astronica · 09/04/2020 02:00

I love both names. As a combination I think Iris Deborah works a lot better, but that really doesn't matter - it's which name you prefer as the first name. I have a sister called Deborah who is only ever Deborah. Occasionally someone tries Debbie and they get corrected. It hasn't been a problem, and I wouldn't avoid the name for that reason. Not much help here about which to put first - they are both such strong, lovely names. Does one sound better with the surname?

babynamelover · 08/04/2020 21:40

I like Iris Deborah it's very sweet 😊

DramaAlpaca · 08/04/2020 21:39

I like Deborah a lot, but really don't like the inevitable diminutives. So it's a name I'd only use as a middle name where there's no chance of it getting shortened.

Iris Deborah sounds gorgeous, and flows better than the other way round.

LotusClover · 08/04/2020 21:01

Deborah is a very outdated name. If that's what you like about it though then go for it.

I'd use it as the middle name personally.

Iris Deborah.

TheWordmeister · 08/04/2020 20:54

Not Deborah - that's a Sharon/Tracey/Karen name. Not good.

Iris243 · 08/04/2020 20:52

^ as you can probably tell by my username! Smile

Iris243 · 08/04/2020 20:52

Iris is a beautiful name. I absolutely love it.

daisypond · 08/04/2020 20:50

I like both but would go for Iris, which I really like.

IdblowJonSnow · 08/04/2020 20:44

Middle names are almost irrelevant really arent they.
I'd go for Iris. Not keen on Deborah, although makes me think of the song by Pulp which is awesome!

SnowdropFox · 08/04/2020 20:38

I prefer Iris as a first name but I don't think it flows as well as Deborah Iris. So I'd go with that as long as your surname doesn't begin with E!

Ginginwine · 08/04/2020 19:07

I like Deborah but deb, debs, Debbie I don’t.

Iris is a lovely name.

TheEndIsBillNighy · 08/04/2020 19:05

I much prefer Iris. Deborah is definitely a name I associate with a much older generation.

ofwarren · 08/04/2020 19:05

Deborah is my name.
Be prepared for shortening. Everyone does it. I get Deb, Debs, Debbie and hardly anyone calls me by my full name.

Rio5555 · 08/04/2020 19:03

Iris. I think Deborah is about mumsy, she won’t thank you for it. My school friend was called Deborah and her nickname was bra.

Fivefourthree · 08/04/2020 19:02

I think it depends on what you want to call her on a daily basis. Once the birth announcements wear off, middle names become largely forgotten except as a formality, ime

CalleighDoodle · 08/04/2020 18:59

Id go for Deborah. And if people shorten it, correct them every time.

Read her story in the Old Testament too. Pretty cool.

pilates · 08/04/2020 18:56

I think Iris is more current and so it would be Iris Deborah

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