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Baby names

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

Thoughts on my list of girls’ names?

58 replies

recreationalcalpol · 18/11/2020 23:06

So far I have:

Lois - DH vetoed though
Helena
Erin - DH also not keen
Juliet (my current front runner, DH a bit meh about it)

DH likes Mary and Alice. I think Mary could be a bit grown up for a little kid, and it doesn’t go with my preferred middle name which is Margaret. Alice is just a bit forgettable IMO.

Any thoughts or alternative suggestions?

Her older brother is called Douglas if that’s helpful!

OP posts:
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MimiDaisy11 · 19/11/2020 09:47

I wouldn't worry about alliteration with the first and middle name. It's uncommon for someone's full name to be used to address them. Though I think Mary Margaret goes well together.

I like your list but not so keen on Lois.
I think Mary is due for a revival as it's a nice name and I think it's cute on a little girl.

cloverbug · 19/11/2020 09:28

@Mish85 little M&M, that's so cute!

Mish85 · 19/11/2020 09:19

Love Mary Margaret. Your little M&M. I know a now 3 year old Mary. She is a delight, and since she was born I've fallen in love with the name. Everyone thought it was a beautiful name and so unheard of now, so definitely received well.

recreationalcalpol · 19/11/2020 09:00

As much as would like another middle name before Margaret, she’s already getting my surname as a second middle name and I think three middle names is pushing it slightly. Might just have to have another baby Wink

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Purplekitchen · 19/11/2020 08:42

I quite like all your suggestions except Mary, the most boring name in the world imo.
My favourite is Elizabeth - gorgeous, classic, lots of nn potential.

CaffiSaliMali · 19/11/2020 08:20

Douglas is a fabulous name, I've always liked it. It's a family name for me too.

I love Juliet, pretty but not cutesy and it's well known but not overused (I believe it's currently 590 in the E&W charts).

Juliet Margaret - gorgeous.

Lois - Welsh or English pronunciation? ie Loyce or low-iss? Both nice.
Helena - I like both pronunciations but a lot of people will use the one you don't choose so weigh up if it bothers you or not
Erin - it's nice but perhaps a little plain compared to Douglas
Mary - it's nice but I agree with PPs that you need a 2nd middle name before Margaret e.g. Mary Alice Margaret
Alice - it's nice and goes well with Margaret

Chilldonaldchill · 19/11/2020 08:01

Lois - I don't love Lois but it's ok. It's a mouthful with Douglas though
Helena - this is gorgeous and my favourite from your list
Erin - really don't like this. It's a nothing name for me
Juliet - it's ok.
Mary - I can imagine this being incredibly cute on a little girl. I've not come across any small Marys. I think Mary Margaret works ok but you could add in another eg Mary Juliet Margaret to break it up
Alice - I really like Alice

My favourite is Helena but Mary or Alice would be next for me

recreationalcalpol · 19/11/2020 07:34

@Logoplanter

I am a Helena. Everyone mispronounces it if they only see it written down. I then have to decide whether to correct them or just leave it because I won't see them again. It is awful. Worse yet is if you do correct them and they still mispronounce it (like one of my line managers 😡) Don't do it to your child please.
This is really helpful, thanks
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recreationalcalpol · 19/11/2020 07:32

There’s a mixture of love and dissent for both Juliet and Mary it seems. I could be talked into Mary...

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recreationalcalpol · 19/11/2020 07:31

@Ghosts2020

1.Erin favourite 2.Mary like equally as 3 and 4 3.Lois ditto 4.Helena ditto 5.Alice boring reminds me of the song who tf is alice 6.Julie no sounds like a 50 year old office worker
It would be Juliet rather than Julie but I see that it could get shortened to that
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Logoplanter · 19/11/2020 07:00

I am a Helena. Everyone mispronounces it if they only see it written down. I then have to decide whether to correct them or just leave it because I won't see them again. It is awful. Worse yet is if you do correct them and they still mispronounce it (like one of my line managers 😡) Don't do it to your child please.

diddlediddle · 19/11/2020 06:24

Douglas and Helena, beautiful. Helena Margaret is lovely

Ghosts2020 · 19/11/2020 03:31

1.Erin favourite
2.Mary like equally as 3 and 4
3.Lois ditto
4.Helena ditto
5.Alice boring reminds me of the song who tf is alice
6.Julie no sounds like a 50 year old office worker

RoseMartha · 19/11/2020 00:35

I like Helena and
Mary

Followed by
And Erin
And Juliet

IamnotwhouthinkIam · 19/11/2020 00:15

I adore Juliet, closely followed by Helena - both are classic names (Shakespearean beauties) that are pretty, elegant and still sound interesting as although they're well known, they have never been overly popular/trendy.

Erin and Lois feel a bit blah in comparison to me (I think because they are less classical).

Mary is actually a bit too traditional for me - I think because it was the number one name for so long historically, it still feels a bit common old-ladyish (I believe it will make a comeback very soon though, so maybe you want to be ahead of the pack?). I actually think it goes fine with Margaret though and May is a sweet nn.

Elizabeth and Alice are also very traditional - I would say they are "can't go wrong", safe names (as they have always stayed fairly popular). Of the two I prefer Elizabeth (more than a dozen nn's to choose from!) but neither of them are as beautiful as Juliet or Helena.

cloverbug · 19/11/2020 00:12

I dislike Alice, Lois, Erin or Helena but I absolutely love Juliet! I actually really like Mary as well. Both Mary Juliet and Juliet Mary would be beautiful.

For Juliet I do slightly prefer it spelt Juliette. Some names you might like are Julianna, Lena and Adriana.Smile

janetmendoza · 19/11/2020 00:00

Mary is the winner for me

SimoneLeBone · 18/11/2020 23:51

Not Erin. Elizabeth/Libby is good. Mary and Alice are also good.

Margaret = Marguerite = Daisy.

alphajuliet123 · 18/11/2020 23:48

Eloise Margaret sounds lovely and is kind of a mixture of some of the names you've suggested. Or Eliza Margaret. I also love Louisa for a bit of a comeback name.

Ikeameatballs · 18/11/2020 23:40

Lois would be the winner for me but I agree with pp that Lois and Douglas are a bit of a mouthful.

Next it’s Mary or Alice.

What about

Hannah
Cecelia
Lydia
Frances
Diana
Harriet
Miranda
Serena

recreationalcalpol · 18/11/2020 23:34

Oooh, Elizabeth nn Libby. I like that a lot.

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recreationalcalpol · 18/11/2020 23:31

@August20

I really like Mary, I don't think it's too grown up and it has a lot of traditional nicknames like Molly, Polly, Mimi, May.

How would you pronounce Helena? I like all the variations.

Juliet is nice (I also like Julia).

I quite like Alice but I agree it is quite soft sounding compared to the other names you have chosen.

Do you like Elizabeth, Catherine, Sophia, Erica?

I think I’d be pronouncing it Hel-EN-a, but I see that the various ways would get irritating.

Ah, totally forgot about Elizabeth, that was also on my list! Yes, I like it a lot. And lots of NN potential. Love Erica but DH is not keen.

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recreationalcalpol · 18/11/2020 23:27

@emilybrontescorsett

I like Lois best. I do think Margaret is due a come back.
Thank you. Margaret was my grandmother’s name, we lost her earlier this year at the start of lockdown. I can’t use it as a first name though because Douglas was my grandfather’s first name, and I can’t really have another Douglas and Margaret!
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August20 · 18/11/2020 23:26

I really like Mary, I don't think it's too grown up and it has a lot of traditional nicknames like Molly, Polly, Mimi, May.

How would you pronounce Helena? I like all the variations.

Juliet is nice (I also like Julia).

I quite like Alice but I agree it is quite soft sounding compared to the other names you have chosen.

Do you like Elizabeth, Catherine, Sophia, Erica?

JustanotherTuesday · 18/11/2020 23:25

Erin is the nicest and it goes well with Margaret.

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