Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Baby names

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

Honest opinions? Cut down my girl names list!

68 replies

SarahTTCx · 07/05/2020 17:01

Hi! Looking for honest opinions on my girls names list, cut it down and tell me why you've removed the ones you have? It's so long and me and OH constantly argue about which names deserve to be at the top (not pregnant yet but on month 5 of trying).

Amelie

Lyla/Lilah/Lylah

Leila/Laila

Sophia

Elia

Elliot

Ruby

Lilia

Nora

Elsa/Elsie
Sylvie

Aurora

Jolie
Joie
Jovie
Sienna

Elodie

Zoey

Caoimhe

Dolly/Dollie
Avie
Adelie
Nina

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Shmithecat2 · 07/05/2020 23:39

Zoe (drop the Y) is ok. The rest are awful. Particularly Joie. They make cars seats FGS.

babycakes1010 · 07/05/2020 23:36

Love ruby and Sienna

EmmaC78 · 07/05/2020 23:35

I like Nina and Sophia. Elliot is my least favourite.

Acidrain · 07/05/2020 23:30

Amelie - not for me
Lyla/Lilah/Lylah - ok as lyla wouldn't have the h on the end
Leila/Laila nope
Sophia - i like it prefer Sophie personally
Elia - half a name
Elliot - not for me
Ruby - no
Lilia - what about Lillian and use it as a nickname?
Nora - cute
Elsa/Elsie - frozen
Sylvie - bit to cutesy for me what about Sylvia?
Aurora - makes me think of a strippers name (no offence to anyone)
Jolie - makes me think of that dolly Parton song sorry
Joie - baby brand name
Jovie - makes me think of sailors dont know why
Sienna - ok
Elodie - ok
Zoey - ok without y
Caoimhe - lovely name but personally wouldn't use unless i was Irish
Dolly/Dollie - go with Dorothy and use this as a nickname
Avie - not for me
Adelie - don't know how to say it
Nina - like this

Out of your list without changing it i like Nina or Nora or ude Dorothy with the nickname dolly

123Dancewithme · 07/05/2020 21:59

Most of them are a bit bland and will sound dated in a few years. I do like Nina and Sylvie though.

delilabell · 07/05/2020 21:51

Elodie or joie

SarahTTCx · 07/05/2020 21:49

@17caterpillars1mouse Dolly was my great grandmothers name... her real name was Dorothy but to us she was always granda Dolly and I loved it so maybe i'm bias!

OP posts:
17caterpillars1mouse · 07/05/2020 19:58

Amelie - it's nice enough, people often say it's overly popular but I only know 2, both are 4 years old

Lyla/Lilah/Lylah - I don't like the trendy for L names like this at all, I just find them all a bit bland and they mash into each other in my mind

Leila/Laila - see above

Sophia - its pretty, very popular but pretty

Elia - not a fan
Elliot - love on a boy, not on a girl
Ruby - lovely name
Lilia - see above on L names
Nora - I like it though prefer Norah

Elsa/Elsie - I like Elsa, not a fan of Elsie
Sylvie - pretty
Aurora - the only appeal. I can see if this is that Rora or Rory are nice nn. I've met a few Aurora's ranging from 10 to newborn and I've honestly not felt like any of them have suited the name

Jolie - not a fan, makes me think of Angelina

Joie - like the baby brand who make carseats and pushchairs?

Jovie - no
Sienna - dislike alot
Elodie - dislike
Zoey - nice I like it
Caoimhe - I like if Keeva not if Queeva
Dolly/Dollie - find it silly
Avie - not a fan
Adelie -no sorry
Nina - don't like sorry

I'd keep Amelie, Sophia, Ruby, Nora, Elsa, Sylvie and Zoe plus Caoimhe depending on pronunciation choice. Elsa would be my number 1 followed by Nora and Ruby

Edenember · 07/05/2020 18:46

@SarahTTCx from your list I like Nora but I’d spell with an ‘h’- just personal preference like how it looks , Sylvie and Aurora. Sylvie is gorgeous and vastly underused yet everyone knows how to say and spell it, it’s also one of the few names ending in an ‘ie’ sound that isn’t too cutesy and is sophisticated and beautiful on a grownup lady. Chic and continental.

AcrobaticCardigan · 07/05/2020 18:39

Love Ruby, Lyla & Sylvie - gorgeous.

peperethecat · 07/05/2020 18:33

Amelie - Pretty but a bit overdone these days.
Lyla/Lilah/Lylah - Lila or Lilah yes, Lyla/Lylah no. The Y is ugly.
Leila/Laila - Lovely.
Sophia - Lovely.
Elia - Is this even a name? Don't like it, it sounds made up.
Elliot - For a girl? No.
Ruby - Nice.
Lilia - No, sounds like you can't decide between Lily or Leila.
Nora - Not a fan.
Elsa/Elsie - Elsa yes, Elsie is a bit Victorian scullery maid.
Sylvie - OK but a bit of a French old lady name.
Aurora - OK but a bit fussy.
Jolie - No.
Joie - Yes but spell it Joy.
Jovie - No.
Sienna - OK.
Elodie - OK.
Zoey - Yes but spell it without the Y.
Caoimhe - Nice name but you will have spelling and pronunciation issues.
Dolly/Dollie - No. No one will take her seriously.
Avie - Sounds made up.
Adelie - Sounds like you can't decide between Adele or Amelie. Adeline?
Nina - Yes, lovely.

I would go for Leila/Laila, Sophia, Zoe without the Y or Nina.

Fiflowertot · 07/05/2020 18:32

Amelie - 3rd favourite.
Lyla/Lilah/Lylah - Not a fan at all.
Leila/Laila - Same as above.
Sophia - Overused where I live, I know several toddlers/babies.
Elia - Not a fan.
Elliot - Same as above.
Ruby - Nope.

Lilia - Nope.
Nora - Too old lady.
Elsa/Elsie - Elsie is lovely! My favourite.
Sylvie - Same as Nora.
Aurora - 2nd favourite.
Jolie - Nope.
Joie - Too close to the baby brand name for me.
Jovie - Nope.
Sienna - It’s sweet, a few years ago it was very popular.

Elodie - Nope.
Zoey - Nope.
Caoimhe - Nope.
Dolly/Dollie - Nope.
Avie - Nope.
Adelie - Nope.
Nina - Quite like this name actually!

EarlGreyT · 07/05/2020 18:28

Why are you arguing about names when you’re not pregnant? You might find that your name choices completely change when a baby becomes a reality rather than hypothetical. And if you have a boy the arguments over girls names will be completely irrelevant.

IVflytrap · 07/05/2020 18:25

My "Keep" list:

Lyla/Lilah (don't like Lylah, it looks like a typo)
Leila (prefer Leila spelling over Laila)
Sophia
Nora
Sylvie
Jolie
Jovie
Caoimhe
Adelie
Nina

Most of the names I removed were due to them being similar to extremely popular names of the last few years:

Amelie - names like Amelie, Amelia, Emily are everywhere
Elia - She'll probably end up being another Ellie
Elliot - see above, also generally a boys' name
Ruby - Not keen on the sound, extremely popular a decade ago.
Lilia - Too similar to Lily, which has been popular recently
Elsa/Elsie - Too Frozen. Elsie is better than Elsa.
Aurora - Not bad, but can be difficult for children to say. Bit Disney Princess.
Joie - Unintuitive spelling. Would be on my "keep" list if spelt Joy
Sienna - seems to be the most popular name for newborn girls where I am
Elodie - Very pretty, but she'll probably be yet another Ellie
Zoey - Nice name but I don't like that spelling. Would be on my "keep" list if spelt Zoe
Dolly/Dollie - Too childish
Avie - Nice, but will blend in with all the Ava/Eva/Evie/Evelyns

wonderrotunda · 07/05/2020 18:20

Ruby
Nora
Nina
Are the only ones I like. The rest I find to ‘frilly’ for my taste. But it is just my taste. I think the CEO comment about is a good barometer. Something robust or at least not whimsical. Or classic? Rebecca? Constance? Yvonne? Arana?

alexdgr8 · 07/05/2020 18:11

Sophia is the only proper name among them.
that would be the wise choice.
what does your husband think of it.

whatausername · 07/05/2020 18:02

They were pretty when 'new'/done to death/my ears are tired:
Amelie
Lyla/Lilah/Lylah
Leila/Laila

Sophia
Elia - See Lilia. Also looks like half a name? Where's it from?
Elliot
Ruby
Lilia - looks misspelt? Lily-ah? Ly-lee-ah? Dislike. Screams "my mummy wants me to be dainty".
Nora - bloody/flaming
Elsa/Elsie - no. Just no. Please stop with the feckin' Elsas!
Sylvie - sounds slippy or silly...I can't put my finger on why I dislike it.
Aurora - for something that looks so pretty and is associated with such beauty, boy, does it sound ugly!
Jolie - Angelina
Joie - I don't even know what this is. Joey? Joy? Zhwa?
Jovie - too close to a slang word for poo. Especially when calling across a park or supermarket
Sienna
Elodie - popular for a reason (pretty), nicer in some accents than others. Might become yet another Ellie?
Zoey - drop the Y. It is a pain constantly having to spell your name. I know it, so do many of my applicants who instantly trot out some tired old sentence instead of giving a one word answer for their name. The exasperation is very palpable with many of them.
Caoimhe
Dolly/Dollie - is for dolls. The baby is not a toy.
Avie - sounds like a half-baked name
Adelie - a deli? As in the place to get lovely meats and cheeses? Really?

So I guess I'd keep Sophia, Ruby, Elliot, Sienna, Caoimhe and Zoe. Zoe being my least favourite by a long way but that is all down to personal taste. Caoimhe is very pretty. She might still need to spell it for some in the UK but it is the standard and there is not even another spelling as there is for Zoe. The loveliness of it will offset the irritation of having to spell it or correct pronunciation I should imagine. I assume you're going for Kee-va and not Kwee-va?

Pixilicious · 07/05/2020 18:00

Amelie - no too popular
Lyla/Lilah/Lylah no
Leila/Laila no
Sophia ok
Elia no
Elliot no
Ruby ok
Lilia no
Nora lovely
Elsa/Elsie Elsa so Elsie lovely
Sylvie lovely
Aurora no
Jolie no
Joie no
Jovie no
Sienna no
Elodie no
Zoey Zoe yes not Zoey spelling
Caoimhe no
Dolly/Dollie no
Avie no
Adelie no
Nina ok

Rebelwithallthecause · 07/05/2020 17:59

Leila and Nina on my list too and I can’t decide between them

CountFosco · 07/05/2020 17:56

Nora - to me this is an explorers name

You're thinking of Dora.

xeniiia · 07/05/2020 17:56

I love Ruby

StellaDelMare · 07/05/2020 17:56

I would remove:

Elia (pronunciation issues, is it e-lee-yah or el-i-yah)

Elliot because to me it's more of a male name

Lilia because although it's pretty it sounds like lily and as a teacher I hate saying that name (don't know why!)

Caoimhe the spelling just seems clunky

And dolly, I feel like isn't a name that would be taken seriously as a first name.

Use the name test:
Could you see them as a teen? A powerful CEO? Try to imagine the name in different walks of life.

Like the rest though!

ProfessorFrockdown · 07/05/2020 17:53

Amelie - no, too common
Lyla/Lilah/Lylah - no, too downmarket
Leila/Laila - no, will always be having to spell it
Sophia - nice
Elia - no, due to always having to spell it (again)
Elliot - no, this is a boy's name (or preferably a surname)
Ruby - fine
Lilia - fine
Nora - no. Faddish.
Elsa/Elsie - no, too cutesy
Sylvie - no, too Mumsnet
Aurora - quite like it, but fear it's also too Mumsnet
Jolie - no, because nobody would ever be able to spell it. Plus it's asking for trouble to call a girl anything to do with being "pretty", as it would invariably attract comment.
Joie - no. Is this actually a name?
Jovie - no. Bon Jovi.
Sienna - no, a bit downmarket
Elodie - nice, but becoming super-popular
Zoey - No, Zoe is better
Caoimhe - no, because I haven't the faintest idea how to pronounce it, and would not be the only one.
Dolly/Dollie - no, because it's too reminiscent of Dolores Haze
Avie - no, because it sounds like Avian
Adelie - no, because of the penguins (cute as they are)
Nina - no, because of 99 Red Balloons

Of those, Sophia is my favourite. Though I also like @CountFosco's suggestion of Ruth.

CurlyEndive · 07/05/2020 17:50

My favourites are: Lyla, Sophia, Sylvia.

Least favourites: Elliot, Jovie, Nora.

ThatAgent99 · 07/05/2020 17:49

Hi,
I'm American, so take this fwiw:

Amelie - corny movie, no way
Lyla/Lilah/Lylah - first 2 spellings ok, ditch Lylah
Leila/Laila - trying to hard, no way
Sophia - ok if you don't mind super popular for the past 10 yrs
Elia - no way
Elliot - definitely not, boys name + trying too hard to be edgy
Ruby - ok
Lilia - no way, it's like milia which are those white dots in skin
Nora - good
Elsa/Elsie - don't you guys have Frozen?? Elsa no way and Elsie is a cow here, so no. Also, as someone whose proper name ends in -ie, I can tell you I wish I had a more formal first name
Sylvie - good
Aurora - good, crunchy though
Jolie - no, French try-hard
Joie - no
Jovie - no
Sienna - no too popular
Elodie - ok but again, the -ie problem
Zoey - no and I agree with above, Zoë if you must
Caoimhe - hell no, do you want her to suffer with people mispronouncing it her whole life?
Dolly/Dollie - no, corny and hick
Avie - no, unappealing
Adelie - no, Adele is better
Nina - good

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.

Swipe left for the next trending thread