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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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KirstenBlest · 15/01/2021 08:41

I commented on your other thread, but now understand why you used the Juliette spelling.

If you are likely to spend a lot of time in France, use Juliette or Esmée, but be prepared for the name to be written as Juliet or Esme.

lobsteroll · 15/01/2021 00:06

Definitely Juliette! Love it

partyatthepalace · 14/01/2021 23:58

Congratulations!

I’d go for Juliette as that will be pronounced as you want it. But if you are in the UK I would consider spelling it Juliet, if misspellings are going to bother you.

Esme is nice but more popular, and you are going to get misspellings and mispronunciations either way.

RememberSelfCompassion · 14/01/2021 23:43

I don't like Ezmay pronounciation as I grew up with an Es-me which to me sounds far prettier.

I didn't them all and go with Madeleine as a first name. Underused and beautiful.

Sarcobaleno · 14/01/2021 23:40

Esme being overused must be a regional thing, I've never met one and I work in a primary school

Baskethandle · 14/01/2021 21:30

Juliette! I have a niece with the name and it's beautiful, classic and not used very often. She's a lovely little girl too

JiltedJohnsJulie · 14/01/2021 21:29

Oh congratulations OP! Juliette gets my vote by a mile. There are far too many Esmes, you don't need to add to the number Smile

Firebird83 · 14/01/2021 21:15

Definitely Juliette. Esme is overused where I live.

daisypond · 14/01/2021 21:13

I prefer Juliette. I assume you are using the French pronunciation. It’s nice.

RubyandPearl · 14/01/2021 21:07

Juliette is really pretty and could have lots of nice options for shortening. Esme is pretty too but agree with others about pronunciation problems etc. Good luck!

Onekidnoclue · 14/01/2021 21:04

Juliette. But I’m wondering why the longer spelling? Is it not pronounced the same as Juliet?

DramaAlpaca · 14/01/2021 20:40

Juliette for definite. Such a gorgeous name.

squishedblueberry · 14/01/2021 20:33

Juliette is gorgeous. Congrats op!

CaffiSaliMali · 14/01/2021 20:28

I would pick Juliette, it's beautiful, well known but not overly used.

DotDotDotDotDot · 14/01/2021 19:25

I also had Esme on my girls list but reading through some of the threads on here for this name totally put me off to be honest. Opinion is so divided on pronunciation and spelling so I went for something more straightforward for my DD. I know people say that you just correct people when they mispronounce (or pronounce it the other way to what you like) but personally I would find this annoying. As it happens Juliette or Juliet are both lovely, so sophisticated and a great choice so you can’t go wrong. Massive congratulations also on your pregnancy.

Superstardjs · 14/01/2021 19:07

Juliette. And congratulations!

Original poster
Snuffleupagus2021 · 14/01/2021 19:06

Whoops didn't mean to kill the comments by thanking people - would still love more opinions if possible!

OP posts:
Original poster
Snuffleupagus2021 · 14/01/2021 18:50

This is fantastic feedback, thank you all!

OP posts:
Sexnotgender · 14/01/2021 18:49

Juliette! Love it❤️

Cakeandslippers · 14/01/2021 18:49

I love the name Juliette, it might've been my son's name if he was a girl. Esme is a lovely name to but more common so I'd go Juliette.

IamnotwhouthinkIam · 14/01/2021 18:48

I'd stick with the gorgeous Juliette to avoid the Esme/Esmee thing personally. If you live in the UK, Esme is quite popular and I think mispronunciations and misspelling of Esme/Esmee/Esmay/Esmae could annoy you and your DH (and your daughter).

Having said that (just to confuse things), despite the French heritage I'd use the more common Juliet spelling rather than Juliette as (unless you live in a French speaking country) imo most people will still think of "Romeo and Juliet" and automatically spell it that way.

MagratsDanglyCharms · 14/01/2021 18:48

Juliette - as a person who has a name that was popular at the time (like Esme has been in recent years) I would say that I hate my name as its so boring and lacking imagination (cheers ma!)

HouseofBrieandBanter · 14/01/2021 18:47

In England Esme will be Es-May

Love it, also love Juliette Smile

Arrierttyclock · 14/01/2021 18:47

I've recently come to love the name Juliette, it's beautiful!

Oneearringlost · 14/01/2021 18:45

Juliette! No contest