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Baby names

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

Original poster

Rank my (current) Girl’s List

118 replies

Edenember · 30/04/2021 12:10

Eve
Esme
Eliza
Tilda
Rowena
Cordelia
Orpah
Iona
Eila / Isla
Imogen
Saoirse

If you can be bothered, feel free to give reasons, be as brutal as you like 😊

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Original poster
Edenember · 30/04/2021 13:36

@Hoowhoowho the popularity of Eve variants is definitely something to consider as they all get lumped together. It’s been my longest-standing loved name. I would pronounce Esme the Scottish way, Esmie, but I don’t mind the other pronunciation so wouldn’t bother me when people inevitably used that. Rowena would be Roweena, but again I like Rowenna so people pronouncing it like that wouldn’t annoy me.

OP posts:
Hoowhoowho · 30/04/2021 13:27

Eve - fine but so so popular especially when you add in all the names shortened to Evie
Esme- pronunciation minefield Esmee or Esmay
Eliza - pleasant enough
Tilda - prefer Matilda
Rowena - pronunciation again Rowenna (prefer this spelling) or Roweena
Cordelia - fine
Orpah- constantly will be mixed up with Oprah p
Iona - nice
Eila / Isla - prefer Isla but popular
Imogen - personally don’t like but it’s ok
Saoirse - if you have Irish heritage then yes

lavieengrenache · 30/04/2021 13:21

Like Eliza, Cordelia, Esme. Iona and Isla are really popular here (Scotland). Like Saiorse and think it's becoming more common and recognisable outside Ireland so that bodes well for spelling /pronunciation. Orpah - the Oprah thing would definitely get in the way - she'd be continually told her name was misspelled. Others - no opinion either way.

Original poster
Edenember · 30/04/2021 13:07

@steppemum I hear you. I nearly didn’t put Isla on for that reason tbh, but I just can’t shake liking it regardless of popularity, I think of it as similar popularity to Esme and Eve but according to ONS it’s number 3, thats too popular isn’t it.

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Original poster
Edenember · 30/04/2021 13:02

@Carouselfish thanks. Re Orpah, obviously I love the sound but concur re the Oprah thing.

OP posts:
steppemum · 30/04/2021 13:02

Yes Orpah is a perfectly innocuous OT character, but no-one has ever heard of her and everyone has heard of Oprah, so she will get called and written Oprah all the time.

The rest are pretty. I love Esme, especially as I am a fan of sewing bee and Esme is a great role model.

Isla feels very overused though, and I wouldn't use Saoirse, unless you live in Ireland, the constant pronouncing and spelling questions will drive her nuts

Original poster
Edenember · 30/04/2021 13:00

@ILoveShula yes the ‘I own a’ thing puts me off a bit too, it’s fine with current surname but there is still room for jokes. I love that -ona suffix but none of the other names with it come close.

OP posts:
Carouselfish · 30/04/2021 13:00

Tilda, Cordelia, Eliza
Love these

Esme sounds like a sneeze to me.

Imogen sounds like medication.

Orpah, I know it's a name but I bet you'd get Oprah a lot. Plus it's not a very nice sound.

Original poster
Edenember · 30/04/2021 12:57

@ShoppingPrecinctPrincess yeah. I’m not read up on the biblical figure but I don’t think it’s a good association. I just love the sound and look of the name, but I think Oprah has turned things around and people would think it’s a misspelling of that rather than the other way round.

OP posts:
ShoppingPrecinctPrincess · 30/04/2021 12:53

I remember reading that Oprah Winfrey was supposed to be called Orpah (OT name) but it was misspelt on her birth cert.

Eve - nice
Esme - nice
Eliza - nice
Tilda -nice
Rowena - okay
Cordelia - like it
Orpah - dislike
Iona - dislike
Eila / Isla - waaaay too many Islas about. I think it's this generation's 'Sandra' (no offence to all the lovely Sandras out there)
Imogen - nice
Saoirse - only if you're Irish

ILoveShula · 30/04/2021 12:53

Eve - nice but too popular
Esme - ok but not keen
Eliza - nice but El names too popular
Tilda - boiled rice
Rowena - nice
Cordelia - nice
Orpah - too similar to Oprah
Iona - nice but 'I own a'
Eila / Isla - Isla overused. Eila too similar
Imogen - fine, not keen on Immy
Saoirse - too 'Little Women'

Amdone123 · 30/04/2021 12:49

Eliza, I like.

Original poster
Edenember · 30/04/2021 12:49

@Justkeeprollingalong most people would say Ser-sha but I’d say it more like Sair-sha. There’s some regional variation with that first vowel sound, Seer-sha, Sayer-sha.

OP posts:
Amdone123 · 30/04/2021 12:48

I like Eve , Esme, Elizabeth, Iona, Isla. All lovely.
Love Imogen.
When I hear Tilda, I think of rice. But I do love Matilda.
Not keen on Rowen, Cordelia, Oprah.
Saoirse ( is it pronounced Sor-cha?)
I quite like it.

BeingATwatItsABingThing · 30/04/2021 12:43

Eliza
Eve
Isla
Iona
Esme
Saoirse

Not keen on the rest.

NoSquirrels · 30/04/2021 12:43

Eve
Esme
Eliza
Imogen
Iona

  • Like all the above pretty equally

Tilda - I’d use Matilda if I wanted this as a nn

Rowena
Cordelia

  • just don’t like them.

Orpah - never heard of it, sounds like a spelling mistake.

Eila / Isla - not a fan and haven’t seen it spelled with an E before
Saoirse - only if you’re Irish

polkadotpixie · 30/04/2021 12:40

Eliza
Esme
Rowena
Iona
Eve

Not so keen on the rest

Justkeeprollingalong · 30/04/2021 12:39

All beautiful names except Orpah and Saoirse
The first sounds harsh and I've no idea how to pronounce the second!!

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