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Baby names

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Just can't find a girls' name!

37 replies

laardvark · 03/04/2021 17:28

We do not know yet if we are having a boy or a girl. We have a boys' name but finding it so difficult to find a girls' name we like. I have literally been through the top 1000 from last year and haven't found anything we love.

Ideally we would like a name that is not too common but not unusual (e.g. the name of our 2yo was number 300ish last year).

I do tend to like names like Ivy, Isla, Scarlett, Ruby but I'm just put off by how popular they are. I also like Violet but my DH hates it.

The only ones we are vaguely considering are:

Orla - but this is still really popular
Beatrix - but I don't like the nn Trixie
Juno - but too pretentious? I can't see myself calling this out in Waitrose and keeping a straight face.

None of these seem right! Can anyone help??

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Edenember · 07/04/2021 13:34

I have the same problem. I tend to love shorter vowel names particularly E and I names but I’ve bored myself with them now, they’re just everywhere. It’s funny how that affected my taste though - it’s now slipped into clunky / fusty territory in reaction. Juno is not to my taste but I don’t think its pretentious at all. Orla is lovely but my brain sees oral and that puts me off which is daft. Personally prefer Beatrice to Beatrix but it’s lovely too... however if you’d live in fear of Trixie as a nn Beatrice might be the better option.

CaffiSaliMali · 07/04/2021 13:25

Some names outside the top 300 (E&W):

Rosalie
Emmeline
Cara
Juliet
Faye
Astrid
Evangeline
Cassia
Serena
Sylvie
Verity
Frances
Louisa
Mara
Sabrina
Juniper
Cecily
Rosanna

serin · 06/04/2021 23:51

Juno is lovely.

MyLifeNow20 · 06/04/2021 23:07

Delilah?

mamablondie33 · 04/04/2021 21:18

Without stating the obvious I do really notice the difference between a Top 25-40 name and the actual top 10 in terms of how often I actually encounter names.

I can’t remember the last time I met a baby Ruby. Whereas every other baby girl seems to be Isla or Olivia (I mean that nicely, nothing wrong with these names). I would definitely rule out Top10 if popularity is an issue but beyond that go with what you actually like or you’ll risk regretting your choice later on surely x

3AndStopping · 04/04/2021 21:04

Juniper/Juni

TatianaBis · 04/04/2021 17:55

Much prefer Beatrice to trix. Then you avoid Trixie.

Juno is fine. Phoebe?

AnxiousAnnie86 · 04/04/2021 16:43

@laardvark honestly impossible!! Eleanor has always been our number one choice but then a colleague called his baby Eleanor a few weeks ago! 😂

I love orla, but I do know a few!
Beatrix, love this, different to Beatrice which again I know a few of!
Juno is probably my favourite on your list! I just love the meaning!!! X

laardvark · 04/04/2021 15:37

@AnxiousAnnie86 it's hard isn't it. My favourites on your list are Eleanor, Maggie and Nellie :)

OP posts:
zigaziga · 04/04/2021 07:31

If you like Orla, do you like Iona?

I think Juno is fine and also a Beatrix would almost certainly just get Bea unless you nicknamed her Trixie. She might decide on that nickname herself as she gets older but you could always call her Bea / Beatrix.

AnxiousAnnie86 · 04/04/2021 07:22

@laardvark
Juno is on our list, but here are other, we also cannot decide!! Now we've got so many and not set on any! Let me know your thoughts! I'd appreciate the help too if I'm honest :)

Etta
Maggie
Eleanor
Connie
Pippa
Robyn
Delilah
Darcey
Ellen
Rae
Ellis
Esther
Fern
Pepper
Ginnie
Holly
Elsie
Elena
Riley
Lenny
Mallory
Juno
Nellie
Lois

Chilldonaldchill · 03/04/2021 22:20

I don't think it's pretentious not "pretencious" - not sure where that came from!

daisypond · 03/04/2021 22:19

Juno is fine - and surely it would fit right in at Waitrose.

Chilldonaldchill · 03/04/2021 22:15

Beatrix is great and I can't imagine anyone choosing to use Trixie when Beatrix or Bea are so much better.
Juno is fine - I don't think it sounds weird or pretencious (particularly not in Waitrose 😉 ).
Other names you might like:
Merryn
Meredith
Calista
Camilla
Hester
Heather
Rowena
Rowan
Tabitha
Carenza
Cara
Cassius
Cassia

Jessbow · 03/04/2021 20:55

Melissa
Bryony
Felicity
Eleanor
Elizabeth

MitheringSunday · 03/04/2021 19:59

Lilian
Josie
Estelle
Una
Lucille
Faye
Marlene (pronounced Marlena)
Katinka
Marilla (as in Marilla Cuthbert from Anne of Green Gables. I think Anne went on to have a daughter called Rilla. Do wonder why it's not more popular)
Damaris
Clemency

DotDotDotDotDot · 03/04/2021 19:49

You have some really lovely names on your list. Maybe Fern, Nina, Ione, Liv, Tess, Iris, Ines?

laardvark · 03/04/2021 19:46

Thanks all - there have been some lovely suggestions here, alas a lot of the ones I really like have been taken by nieces and good friends!

OP posts:
LynetteScavo · 03/04/2021 19:41

Beatrix nn Bea

Camandmitch · 03/04/2021 18:26

Hazel
Robyn
Millie

Krazynights34 · 03/04/2021 18:07

Lisette
Clarissa
Clarice
Esther
Dora
Maura
Evelyn
Nell
Rosa
Danielle
Antoinette
Lauren

IamnotwhouthinkIam · 03/04/2021 18:03

If you like the sounds of Scarlett and Juno but find them too popular/trendy then an obvious answer might be similar Juliet as it's well known, classical but currently very underused? Or if you like Violet and Isla, how about the rarer (but internationally used) Viola?

But for what its worth I don't find Juno pretentious and I think Beatrix would be more likely to get Bea than Trixie (unless you called her Trixie yourselves or she decides on it).

MojoJojo71 · 03/04/2021 17:58

I prefer Beatrice to Beatrix and it may reduce the chance of Trixie as a nn?

How about Constance, Verity or Felicity?

writingsonthewall · 03/04/2021 17:56

Maybe something 70s like:

Stephanie
Lisa
Claire
Jocelyn
Anna
Emma
Sally
Jenny
Victoria
Julia
Marianna

littleredberries · 03/04/2021 17:55

Beatrice or beatris?
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