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Baby names

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Original poster

Baby name help - Juliette or Esme/Esmée??

58 replies

Snuffleupagus2021 · 14/01/2021 18:35

Hi ladies,

Some help please - after a crap time with IVF I'm very happy to be expecting a daughter in late April/early May. First child and stuck between the two names above.

We've been calling her Esme/Esmée but really love Juliette as well. The issue the Esme/Esmée thing is that technically Esme is a boy's name in French and if you want to feminise it, Esmée is correct. My husband is a French speaker and is open to Esme because it's simpler, easier and probably less pretentious... but he also shudders a little as it is incorrect. We definitely want it pronouced Ez-may rather than Es-mee.

Middle name would be Madeleine which is a family name.

Appreciate any thoughts - not asking any family or friends for obvious reasons Wink

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NeonSparkle · 21/01/2021 18:28

I can’t stand the name Esme! Juliet/Juliette is so beautiful though!

MumofSpud · 21/01/2021 18:22

I have an Esme - spelt like that and pronounced Es-May. But 9/10 it is pronounced Esmee.
I think I would have put the accent on if I had to do it again - also seen it spelt Esmay (whilst practical that gives me the shudders Grin)
When she was born - 2005- it wasn't as popular as it is now and people still comment on it being a lovely name!

ByeByeTrain · 18/01/2021 19:06

I am biased because I have a Juliet, who is 2. People always tell me what a lovely, underused name it is Grin.

Fab90 · 18/01/2021 18:53

Juliette is a lovely choice. I’ve known a Juliette for many years. She has never had a problem with pronunciation or spelling.

Ebee19 · 18/01/2021 17:55

Esme or Esmee Madeleine is absolutely beautiful :)

Marley20 · 18/01/2021 15:42

Esme xx

notalwaysalondoner · 18/01/2021 15:41

Esme

LuckyAmy1986 · 18/01/2021 15:38

Juliette

Bruce2 · 18/01/2021 03:52

Juliette 100%

Liana2021 · 17/01/2021 23:13

I’m French myself and I love both so fantastic choice!!!
Esme would be my choice for my own DD but DH refuses to put an accent as it should be in my opinion as he says it would be an administrative nightmare since there is no accent here. I would tend to agree. That and the fact that Esme is much more popular (number 40 I think) would make me sway in favour of Juliette.
Would you spell it Juliette or Juliet?
Congrats ☀️

Cressie2 · 17/01/2021 22:16

I’ve heard Juliette being shortened to “Jules” which is cool. It doesn’t have to be Julie!

KirstenBlest · 17/01/2021 11:51

@TheQueenRaven, because long names usually get shortened, and on MN, everyone planning on a short or twee name needs to bare [sic] in mind that when little Evie or Alfie become high court judges they will probably prefer to go buy their BC names, Genevieve/Evangelina and Alfaeus/Alfonsino.

TheQueenRaven · 17/01/2021 10:47

Juliette is gorgeous.

I don't know why people on MN obsess about nicknames though. Just call your DC their given names without lumbering them with a twee diminutive.

ParisJeTAime · 17/01/2021 10:41

I was coming on to say Esme, but after reading your DH is French, then definitely Juliette! It's a lovely name and nice to have a French name which doesn't get massacred in a British accent.

daisypond · 17/01/2021 09:48

Julie might seem dated to some but I do know a young person with a Julie-type name - Julianne - who chooses to go by it. However, I have never known a Juliet to be shortened to Julie.

Teensandtoddler · 17/01/2021 09:39

If you call her Juliette then it will get shortened to Julie and she will get called 'me Julie'......

Chilldonaldchill · 17/01/2021 09:35

I honestly wouldn't worry about Julie as a shortening. I have 3 great friends (my age) called Juliet (te) and not one of them was called anything other than Juliet until their teens. Then one chose to go by Jules and another is called Ju by her very closest friends and family but still Juliet in every day life - the other has still always been Juliette. I can't imagine anyone shortening it to Julie. It's a totally different name.

Cressie2 · 16/01/2021 22:46

Juliette, it’s beautiful.

KirstenBlest · 15/01/2021 17:51

Julie is pretty in a French accent.

Original poster
Snuffleupagus2021 · 15/01/2021 17:20

Thank you all so much, looks like a clear landslide for Juliette (or Juliet) which I actually wasn't expecting but has very definitely swayed me! The reason we'd go with the Juliette spelling is the subtle difference in pronounciation (although very much accept that it will be misspelled and mispronouced all the time!) and to me, it just looks nicer... but appreciate some might see it as a little flowery!

Not keen on Julie as a nickname though so will have a little think about Ettie/Etta as someone suggested!

OP posts:
MercyBodle · 15/01/2021 12:16

Juliette

whoamongstus · 15/01/2021 11:49

Juliette! Gorgeous name 🥰

Cbeebiesrehab · 15/01/2021 11:48

Juliette 100% and with that spelling I would call her Etta/Ettie to avoid the Julie diminutive!

KellyMarieTunstall2 · 15/01/2021 11:36

Juliet

CeibaTree · 15/01/2021 11:35

I personally don't like Esme, it's not a nice sound to my ears, but Juliette is lovely. Congrats on your long awaited baby :)