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Baby names

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

Original poster

Too many princess names?

240 replies

twinmama2021 · 01/04/2021 11:21

We have an older daughter (6) called Arabella and are expecting twins any day now really. We are struggling so much on their names and had settled on Audrey & Quinn but are now considering Aurora to replace one of those two names.
But, my question is, is having Aurora and Arabella(Belle) too many princess names / does it sound like we spend all our time watching Disney+?!

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Nancydrawn · 01/04/2021 20:12

Um, of course I know that Aurora and Ariel didn't start as Disney names.

But in America, that's what they're most associated with. Disney Princess fever is quite big in the States amongst some people, and you are far, far more likely to have someone think you've named them after a Disney character than after the Roman goddess of the dawn. Just as you'd have people assuming you named Ariel after the Little Mermaid, not after the Shakespeare character (who's male, of course) or the angel (also male).

What I was saying is that Aurora and Ariel aren't particularly common in Greenwich, which doesn't go much for Disney names in my experience.

If one wanted the Roman Aurora connection, I suppose you could go Aurelia.

TatianaBis · 01/04/2021 20:02

Isis is an international terrorist movement responsible for atrocities.

Aurora is a name in a film popular with girls under 8 that no-one else cares about or watches.

GertrudeTheGreat · 01/04/2021 19:52

@TatianaBis

In my experience, Disney names aren't particularly common

🤦🏻‍♀️

Aurora is the Roman goddess of the dawn.
Ariel is the lion of God/city of Jerusalem/character in The Tempest.

Isis is also a goddess. But the name has another connotation now, which some people may find offputting. This may be the same for some people who would prefer to avoid the Disney connection.
TatianaBis · 01/04/2021 19:49

In my experience, Disney names aren't particularly common

🤦🏻‍♀️

Aurora is the Roman goddess of the dawn.
Ariel is the lion of God/city of Jerusalem/character in The Tempest.

Nancydrawn · 01/04/2021 19:14

PS as you know, almost no one in America knows what the word quim means. (I'm betting the only time they've heard it is in The Avengers). And even if they did, it's not a common enough word that anyone would hear Quinn and think it sounds like quim.

Nancydrawn · 01/04/2021 19:12

I know Greenwich well.

In my experience, Disney names aren't particularly common. I don't know many baby Auroras, Ariels, or Jasmines. Your Grace/Charlotte/Olivia/Katherine is far more common.

I'm not saying you have to pick a common name.

If I'm not pulling my punches (and don't read this if you're feeling sensitive), I just think Aurora is a bit much. "Hi, these are my twins, Aurora and Audrey." It's twee and precious. Neither is a particularly strong name, and the Au/Au makes it feel like you're not thinking of them as individuals.

Back to regular tone: I don't know why you don't stick with Quinn. It's an important name to you, and the babies will be growing up in America where it isn't unusual. I mean, I'd actually revisit Audrey, personally, as it's not a favorite of mine, but I like Quinn a lot.

JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn · 01/04/2021 19:08

Sorry I really don't like Quinn - the poor girl will be called quim at school which is just awful!

Audrey is great. Aurora is too princessy and will drag Arabella down with it...

Audrey and Quinn if you have to have Quinn - but I wouldn't choose Quinn as a name for a little girl.

TatianaBis · 01/04/2021 18:46

The Araminta I know is called Ara not Minty if that helps.

Original poster
twinmama2021 · 01/04/2021 18:46

@twinmama2021

Because we A) love the names Audrey and Aurora so don’t want to have to choose two new names with the twins due literally any day now. Having to choose between these three is hard enough! B) want to name our kids as individuals rather than a group (generally speaking), so things like sharing initials, etc, don’t bother us too much as they won’t live the majority of their lives in the close quarters that they will during childhood. That said, I don’t want one to feel blatantly ‘different’... the other names share a common theme simply because they’re names we loved, not because we looked for matching sib sets. But with naming twins, we don’t want one to feel left out or like they’ve drawn the short straw.

Naming humans is difficult!!

@cordelia16 Sorry, I meant to reply to you rather than post separately.
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Original poster
twinmama2021 · 01/04/2021 18:45

@Nancydrawn

Aurora will not go over well in Greenwich.

10 to 1 she gets called Rory.

If you must name them all A names, go for a classic: Alice, Abigail, Anne, Amelia. Or I guess classical? Athena, Aurelia, Allegra. I'm still also a fan of Astrid.

If you don't like Alexandra, you can always try Alessandra. (Say it's after Alessandra Ferri rather than Alessanda Ambrosio.) Nicknames there are harder to control.

Quinn is far, far, far better than Aurora. It also means a lot to you. I'd keep it. If you're moving back to America in 3 years, you know Quinn won't seem weird.

Finally, I'd say it's a bit odd that you want your daughters to have the same initial while your sons get to have their own. I think that feels weird. If it were me, I'd keep Quinn and ditch Audrey.

We know two Aurora’s in Greenwich and they feel quite differently so I’m not worried about it not ‘going over well’. Both of them seem to get a lot of compliments, in fact, so I think quite the opposite is true. Do you know the area/live in Greenwich? Curious as to why you don’t think it would go over well so wondering if you have a connection to the area.
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Original poster
twinmama2021 · 01/04/2021 18:43

I love Araminta but don’t like the nickname ‘minty’. Also worry that Arabella and Araminta are too similar?

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Original poster
twinmama2021 · 01/04/2021 18:41

Because we
A) love the names Audrey and Aurora so don’t want to have to choose two new names with the twins due literally any day now. Having to choose between these three is hard enough!
B) want to name our kids as individuals rather than a group (generally speaking), so things like sharing initials, etc, don’t bother us too much as they won’t live the majority of their lives in the close quarters that they will during childhood. That said, I don’t want one to feel blatantly ‘different’... the other names share a common theme simply because they’re names we loved, not because we looked for matching sib sets. But with naming twins, we don’t want one to feel left out or like they’ve drawn the short straw.

Naming humans is difficult!!

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Celeryhead · 01/04/2021 18:37

...I dont know if this has been said as I haven't read the whole thread but I just needed to put this out here, I'm probably totally alone of this..
But when your said quinn and she would be a twin.

Quinny Twinny was my immediate thought.. totally immature, but might be something to be mindful of!

RosesAndHellebores · 01/04/2021 18:25

If you must have 3 A names what about:

Arietty
Araminta

PurpleFlower1983 · 01/04/2021 18:23

Audrey is gorgeous but I always thought Quinn was a boys’ name.

Ismellphantoms · 01/04/2021 18:22

If I was called Quinn I'd definitely feel that I'd drawn the short straw. It's so masculine and especially unsuitable for a twin because of the rhyming. Audrey is due a comeback. Can't you think of another A name? Aurora is truly dreadful. Amelie, Anna, Augusta, Annie, Alexandra and Alice to name a few that are prettier. Please don't do what an American friend had done. Three girls, one has a pretty A name, but the others are Holland and London. Poor girls.

pigglepot · 01/04/2021 18:00

Sorry to throw a spanner in the works but I actually think Audrey is the name that might seem a bit odd in the UK. It's definitely not a popular name for a child- it's more of a name for the over 50s and hasn't come back round yet to be trendy again. I think in the US it's maybe a lot more common for younger people but that might be the name in the UK that raises eyebrows for a baby rather than Quinn. I love love love Quinn but I do see it as more of a boys name: but I'm sure I would get over that quickly if I met a girl called Quinn. I also don't think it really matters that two of your daughters will have A names and one doesn't. I don't know how often that will be picked up on. Me and my husband share the same initial for example and it's not something anyone ever mentions or considers! Sorry I don't want to be negative about any of your names- choosing a baby name is very stressful and whatever names you choose will end up being perfect for them.

babbaloushka · 01/04/2021 16:40

I know you said you weren't keen on Alex, but the issue of one having a more masculine name would be solved if you had Quinn and Alex(andra) as they're both unisex.

Phrowzunn · 01/04/2021 16:27

I know @TatianaBis having two young girls and a Disney+ subscription... SO tacky! Should have just leaned into it and called them Merida and Moana.

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 01/04/2021 16:26

If you're not bothered about the names matching then no worries but I wouldn't put Quinn with Audrey. I don't get where people are coming from when they're saying 'Oh they go well together. Audrey is old fashioned and quite frumpy and dowdy whereas Quinn is hip fresh and modern. Anyway that wasn't why you called.
Aurora and Quinn are okay together. Although some may say you should stick with the A,theme.

FeelLike · 01/04/2021 16:13

@twinmama2021

You’re overthinking this way too much, especially for 3 years in the UK. Quinn is absolutely lovely (I’m in the UK). Aurora is popular and IMO not as nice as Audrey. I don’t think she’ll feel left out because of the letter her name starts with. I also don’t think Quinn is harsh/ tomboyish!

ThatWouldBeEnough · 01/04/2021 16:13

I love the name Quinn - I don’t know why others think she would draw the short straw! And I think it goes fine with your other children’s names! Slightly prefer Audrey over Aurora but both are lovely.

TatianaBis · 01/04/2021 16:10

Personally I prefer Aurora to Audrey, but my frame of reference is not Disney and beauty pageants.

I like Aurora and Alexandra together - both classical names. I can’t stand Lexi so that would be banned but I like Zsa/Xa. Rory and Zsa is cool.

sarah13xx · 01/04/2021 16:00

@twinmama2021

Yes! That’s us! Quinn is quite possibly my favourite name of all time but (and perhaps this is my fragile pregnancy brain feeling overwhelmed) I can’t stop thinking about all the negative and at times, really unkind comments about the name Quinn and I just don’t want to set my baby girl up for life with a name that doesn’t go over well in the U.K. If we were in the US I wouldn’t be wavering at all but as we’ll be in the U.K. for the next 3 years at least, or until OH is transferred back to NYC, I’m just feeling a little worried :(
Quinn is lovely, I considered it for a boy but think it’s nice for both!
GwendolineWindowlene · 01/04/2021 15:51

IMO the names of your existing children are very much of a type - quite Joules-esque. Audrey to me feels a bit more Muswell Hill, but I like it and it does work with the others. Aurora is just too Disney, I can't get on board with that at all. Quinn just makes me think either 'boy' or 'quim'.

I also think it would be weird for Quinn to not only have a completely different type of name to everyone else - no big deal if you only have two kids but very noticeable when you have five - but to be so explicitly named after two grandparents. If that was me I'd feel simultaneously denied my own identity but also marked as different to all the other kids.