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Baby names

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

Julia or Laura?

27 replies

danascully96 · 23/11/2020 19:46

Which do you prefer? Is Laura more classless? I know a Julia and she is only ever called Julia, so I don't think the nickname "Jules" is necessarily inherent. I love classic movies, so both would fit into the mold of a classic heroine.

For instance, Julia's so utterly romantic, but I fear it may indicate an upper class upbringing and I don't want her name to seem snobby... although I never got that impression from those named Julia, so maybe I'm overanalyzing.

Meanwhile, Laura is so hauntingly evocative, but it's got two different pronunciations -- "Lore-uh" vs. "Lahr-uh" (in the English speaking world, that is). I wonder if that will become a pain?

I also adore the summery name Lily (with Jane as a middle name) and I don't want to get trapped in a Laura and Lily sibset where every name that follows has to start with an L thereafter.

For now, I think Laura and Lily are my favorites, but I could easily be swayed toward Julia and Lily or Julia and Laura as well.

Thoughts? I'm not pregnant, just mulling these over. Thank you!

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Liftup · 23/11/2020 20:12

Laura, but never heard it pronounced anything other than. lore-ah
unless you're in italy/Spain and then its Lowra

IamnotwhouthinkIam · 23/11/2020 20:10

I'm a Julia and really like it. I've never been called Jules (even though I don't mind it) and have only once been called posh (I'm boringly middle class, unfortunately!). I love the fact that it's well known and international and one of those girls names that has been used so widely in literature (it's Biblical and used by Shakespeare, Bronte, Austen, Dickens etc); yet it's rarely been in the top 100 girls names in this country.

Having said all that, Laura is gorgeous too (although I've only heard it pronounced "Lore -uh" in the UK, whereas the equally lovely Lara is pronounced "Lahr -uh"). The only problem with Laura over Julia is that Laura was the number one girls name for a while in the 70's/80's. So because there are a lot of 30-50 year old Laura's out there, a few people find it dated (although I think it's classic).

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