Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

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

Original poster

Mumsnet's most loved baby names

235 replies

SmeleanorSmellstrop · 10/03/2021 03:01

I feel like there are a bunch of names that Mumsnet posters unanimously adore. I have never seen Josephine or Rosa get a negative comment, for example. As for boy names, I think Edward seems really well-loved. What do you think?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
LadyMonicaBaddingham · 10/03/2021 13:32

Olive
Ottilie
Persephone
Clementine
Wren

Never heard any of these 'in the wild', as it were - and I've worked in primary schools for 12+ years

HyggeTygge · 10/03/2021 13:21

Oh yes, Reuben is suggested a lot. I have an irrational hatred of that name (sorry)

AliasGrape · 10/03/2021 13:03

I know at least 4 baby (or preschool anyway) Christopher nn Kits. I feel like there were a couple of a years of Teddy and then it was Kit in my circles anyway.

I've taught 3 Serens and know one other, not in Wales. It's not as common as Isabella etc but I certainly don't think of it as an 'only on mumsnet' name. We strongly considered it for dd but I'm glad we didn't use it now as it wouldn't have suited her.

I taught an Ophelia last year. I thought that only existed on mumsnet.

I clearly quite like mumsnetty names as my dd has a name that is suggested fairly often but not super common in my real life (not unheard of either). Sylvie is another one that's often suggested and I do quite like that too.

Wondermule · 10/03/2021 12:56

It’s silly because names really do not hold as much sway as they did over jobs/social standing. Granted the name ‘Chardonnay’ might raise an eyebrow, but being ‘Ivy’ or ‘Ella’ on a CV won’t hold you back any more than being MN’s beloved Charlotte or Catherine. It’s only in their own minds that that level of snobbery exists.

All that happens is your child ends up with a beige name that doesn’t sound very pretty.

sadpapercourtesan · 10/03/2021 12:56

I admit to an internal eye-roll when I see names lauded on MN such as Margot and Otillie. IRL they're ridiculous.

CaffiSaliMali · 10/03/2021 12:53

Juliet, Susanna and Nina get suggested a lot. I have never met anyone under 30 with the first two names and under 50 with Nina. That said, Juliet is high on my list and Nina is towards the end of the top 100 in E&W so people must be using it.

I've never met a Seren but it is reasonably popular in Wales. A Welsh colleague says half the children in her home town are named Seren and the other half Osian.

Seren does seem to be used in the rest of the UK as well although I think it peaked about 10 years ago. It's my DH's favourite Welsh girls name option.

KirstenBlest · 10/03/2021 12:52

Clementine
Aurora nn Rory
Aurelia
Ottilie
Tabitha

Sebastian
Kit (often short for Christopher)
Nathaniel
Gabriel
Raphael

Any name that has a long version to provide plenty of options for nn and that can be used for when the DC is a high court judge

stickybear · 10/03/2021 12:41

@JemimaTiggywinkle

Tristan, Quentin, Rupert, “Reuben (nn Roo)”
Quentin seems to come up on every single boys names thread. I've never met a real life Quentin of any age!
willibald · 10/03/2021 12:20

I have a Tristan. I just liked the story.

WitchWife · 10/03/2021 12:16

@JeanClaudeVanDammit

Seren is really popular in Wales so no, it doesn’t just exist on mumsnet, that’s a crap example.

Margot is the one I see on here a lot that I’ve never encountered on a child in real life.

That would make sense if this was a largely Welsh board or if the posters saying it were Welsh but often they make a point of saying they aren't.

Where I'm from there are a lot of babies called Sennen and Jago but it would be weird if MN started recommending them on every thread as they're not commonly used across the UK.

imsoinmyhead · 10/03/2021 12:06

I've seen a lot of people like John, David, Richard, Daniel, Susanna, Katherine etc etc - all dated imo but people lap it up on here!

EdgeOfACoin · 10/03/2021 12:06

I do actually know a Persephone in real life. Nn Sephy.

MobyDicksTinyCanoe · 10/03/2021 12:00

Jonathan
I always wanted to use Evangeline but didn't dare.

Same4Walls · 10/03/2021 11:54

@JemimaTiggywinkle

I’ve seen a few posts recently suggesting that Cole is a nn for Nicholas... I’ve never encountered this in real life.
I mean I suppose a parent could try and make the tenuous link and use it as a nickname. Nevertheless just like with Christopher's becoming Chris he's almost certain to end up as a Nick or Nicky so it seems rather a pointless endeavour. If you want your child to be named Cole isn't it just far more sensible to just call him Cole.Grin
HyggeTygge · 10/03/2021 11:51

Ottillie, Christopher nn Kit, and Lysander all came to mind when I saw the thread title! Also Felix?

Hephzibah is always one that people had wished to use but not been brave enough Grin

Llamapolice · 10/03/2021 11:47

Pearl and Coral/Coralie seem to get a lot of love, I can't stand them.

Original poster
SmeleanorSmellstrop · 10/03/2021 11:37

That's weird... I like Cole, but it definitely isnt a nickname for Nicolas! Confused

OP posts:
JemimaTiggywinkle · 10/03/2021 11:28

I’ve seen a few posts recently suggesting that Cole is a nn for Nicholas... I’ve never encountered this in real life.

MuddleMoo · 10/03/2021 10:31

Astrid

RedRec · 10/03/2021 10:21

... just realised a few other people have mentioned Ottilie too. Didn't read the whole thread before posting.

RedRec · 10/03/2021 10:19

... just realised lots of other people have said Ottilie too. Didn't read the whole thread before posting.

RedRec · 10/03/2021 10:17

Ottilie (awful) seemed to get a lot of love on here and appeared on every list until some influencer with a child of that name crashed and burned after some scandal. Sorry, not being disingenuous, honestly cannot remember her name but think the scandal was something to do with her husband.

AdaColeman · 10/03/2021 10:11

Hazel
Willow
Ivy
Olive
All seem to be popular at the moment on MN, though I'm not a fan of any of them.
There must be many Noahs, Kits and Dexters who owe their names to MN, as these were very popular here a couple of years ago.

AnonymousArmadillo · 10/03/2021 10:05

I see Clara recommended regularly. Really hate it. My DD is called Cara but adding in the L ruins it completely.

BeingATwatItsABingThing · 10/03/2021 10:02

Tristan is another one I only hear on MN and have never met.

I know two Tristans. Very different backgrounds and I would be astounded if one of their mothers was on MN.

Swipe left for the next trending thread