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Baby names

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

Original poster

Margaret or Margot?

39 replies

Nme8961 · 14/02/2021 20:25

Margaret is a family name that I would like to use somehow, it sounds quite old fashioned and a bit harsh to me for a baby so would definitely use a nn, my favourite is Margot. Do we go with Margaret as her formal name and just call her Margot...or do we just put Margot on the birth certificate?

My concern with Margot is that it is becoming very popular around me and I'm worried that by the time she starts school there will be loads of others in her class, so calling her Margaret gives her a choice to use other nns if Margot explodes.

But if we don't actually ever intend to call her Margaret, is it silly to make that her formal name? Will she hate having to constantly correct teachers and feel awkward because her proper name is a bit of an old lady name?

My name is a 2 syllable name that doesn't lend at all to nns so I feel like I've no insight into this...Blush

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ThreeTwoOneBlastOff · 14/02/2021 20:46

My DM is Margaret, she hates it. When asked about her name she says ‘where on earth did they get that from?’.

Pemba · 14/02/2021 20:43

Sorry that was to bourbonne.

Pemba · 14/02/2021 20:41

I hardly think Princess Margaret is someone that people will be naming their babies after. She was reportedly an awful person.

Theredone5 · 14/02/2021 20:40

Margot is cute!!!
When I think of someone called Margot, I think sassy queenie!
Margaret is a old frumpy lumpy name IMO 😂

Tambourina · 14/02/2021 20:39

Margot

Pyewhacket · 14/02/2021 20:39

Neither

MillieEpple · 14/02/2021 20:39

I like Margaret much more

adrianmolesmole · 14/02/2021 20:38

Margaret is a horrible frumpy name, the first person I think of is Thatcher.

Margot is trendy, yes, but more glamorous and classic.

BallsToYouSue · 14/02/2021 20:36

I'd go with Margaret and then she can choose her nickname later. You can call her Margot day to day, but then if she decides she likes Maggie or whatever, then she has that option.

FWIW, I love both Margaret and Margot (and Maggie).

snowone · 14/02/2021 20:35

I wanted to remember my DGM who died just as I found out that I was pregnant with DD2. Her middle name was Margaret so we called DD2 Maggie.

Chunkymenrock · 14/02/2021 20:31

I completely dislike the frumpy name Margot. It looks like Maggot too. Margaret is a much nicer name.

MiddlesexGirl · 14/02/2021 20:31

My son is always called by his shortened name but has a longer less popular version on his birth certificate. Just occasionally he chooses to use it so it has proven useful.

Ginandplatonic · 14/02/2021 20:29

If you like Margot, and dislike Margaret and never intend to use it, put Margot on the BC. Margot feels like a stand alone name to me, not a nickname, as do most Margaret nicknames these days.

You can’t plan nicknames from birth anyway I’ve found - they have a way of evolving! And an unusual name is no guarantee of not having another on the class. My son has a name well outside the top 100 and had another in his class all through school. His friend James was the only one. 🤷🏼‍♀️

bourbonne · 14/02/2021 20:28

I love Margaret, actually. I think it could well come back, after The Crown. It's been consistently well-used in America for generations too, so there are younger Margarets in US media - heard of a new film today with a teenage Margaret.

Agree that Margot is super trendy, yet lovely, so Margaret nicknamed Margot is perfect to give her extra flexibility and timelessness.