Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

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

Original poster

Eden or Shay for our baby girl

114 replies

AutumnLoves · 29/06/2020 18:05

Hi everyone, my boyfriend and I are really struggling picking a name for our daughter who is due in September. My boyfriend has his heart set on the name Shay but I love the name Eden. If we choose shay the middle name will be either Olivia Talia or Alexia. If we choose the name eden the middle name will be Renée. The surname is Smith. What do you guys think.. Shay smith or Eden Smith?? Just thinking to think if the names will age well too.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
QuantamBaby · 29/06/2020 21:25

I'm not sure that just because someone called a girl Shay, it's suddenly a unisex name....

I really don't like Shay, and the only ones I've ever met are boys.

Eden is rather pretty - I'd go with that!

Somethingkindaoooo · 29/06/2020 21:24

I think they are both nice, but I've only known boy Shay's.

What about Shayna ?

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 29/06/2020 21:21

"Shay's a boys name."

Actually it's unisex as is Eden

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 29/06/2020 21:19

Oh I love both. The only thing about Eden though. It makes me think of the horror movie Eden Lake. On that basis I think I prefer Shay.

PMTRex · 29/06/2020 21:15

Eden much better than Shay.

I thought Shay was a boy's name anyway- like that goalkeeper Shay Given?

RuthW · 29/06/2020 21:10

Shay is a boy's name, so it's Eden for me.

ElevenSmiles · 29/06/2020 21:00

My DD is called Shae it's unisex.

BMaman · 29/06/2020 20:49

Shay is awful, sorry.

Thisismytimetoshine · 29/06/2020 20:48

I know an (Irish) little girl called Shay, spelled Shay
That's very odd, because it's short for Séamus. I can't believe any Irish person would give that name to their dd.

superram · 29/06/2020 20:48

Shay is a boys name. I’ve taught 2 Eden’s one boy, One girl, both naughty.

AllHallowsEve14 · 29/06/2020 20:48

Eden is a beautiful name ;-)

worriedmama1980 · 29/06/2020 20:45

I know an (Irish) little girl called Shay, spelled Shay. Really didn't like it when I first heard it but its grown on me. Neither name is particularly to my taste but Shay Smith is nicer than Eden Smith.

Eden is just a name that is in too many strip club names (Garden of Eden, etc etc) for me to think its nice to associate with little girls, to be honest. I also think its a bit 90s - I'd put it in the same category as Jade.

Fishfingersandwichplease · 29/06/2020 20:44

Shay is a boy's name for sure - l know a Shay and although l am not keen on the name, (sounds like a nickname) he is the loveliest most caring little boy.

Nacreous · 29/06/2020 20:42

I don't mind Eden, much prefer it to Shay.

ElizabethMainwaring · 29/06/2020 20:41

Hello op.
Both of your names sound quite nice to me, but they have already dated. What you think is unusual isn't any more
I would suggest that you look at more names

Saharafordessert · 29/06/2020 20:40

Eden is lovely
Shay is a boys name!

HotSince82 · 29/06/2020 20:38

Eden is quite downmarket for a girl.
Shay is quite downmarket full stop.

SeigneurLapindeGrantham · 29/06/2020 20:37

Eden is lovely but Shay not so much and I think Eden goes better with your surname.

GrapefruitGin · 29/06/2020 20:36

They sound more like boys names

TrickyKid · 29/06/2020 20:35

Shay is awful and one of those names the kid will be judge on unfortunately.

Magicbabywaves · 29/06/2020 20:34

Eden isn’t great, but way better than Shay.

Hippocampe · 29/06/2020 20:32

Really not keen on either. Eden definitely sounds more feminine (despite being used for boys also) than Shay, so I'd reluctantly say that it is best for a girl. It's definitely going to become a VERY popular/common name though, I know of a handful that have been born in the past year (1 boy and 4 girls) I know of one Shay that is a girl, but still strikes me as a boys name.

Wecandothis99 · 29/06/2020 20:25

Not shay.

Peachbubble · 29/06/2020 20:24

Definitely Eden, not keen on Shay at all especially for a girl

NameChange84 · 29/06/2020 20:22

Shay is an Irish man’s name.

It also sounds like Che Guevara.

Through work, I’ve also known two female to male transgender teens who chose Shay as their “boys” name.

So I’d avoid Shay.

Eden is ok. Uncommon and acceptable as a girls name.