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Baby names

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

Original poster

Baby girl name

29 replies

Catkin7 · 24/06/2021 14:22

Hello,

I want to ask what you think of the name Mae as a first name?
My daughter has her heart set on it.
Me and her dad like Sofia as well.

If you could choose would you go for Mae or Sofia.
Just wanting some other opinions or suggestions similar. We are living more traditional names nothing too out there.

TIA x

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MrsSchadenfreude · 26/06/2021 22:53

May/Mae is the Louise/Jane/Anne of previous generations, in that it has become a “filler” middle name. Better as a first name, but still quite dull. Sophia is better.

user1493494961 · 26/06/2021 22:48

I think the May spelling is far more classy.

IamnotwhouthinkIam · 26/06/2021 22:47

If you like Mae and Sofia (old Hollywood glam in Mae West and Sophia Loren), you might also like names such as Lana, Ava, Theda, Greta, Clara, Lillian, Vivien, Rosalind, Audrey, Ingrid - all similar Old/Classic Hollywood Actresses.

IamnotwhouthinkIam · 26/06/2021 22:40

Like a pp I much prefer the classic May - partly because it's a flower but also because it's the dominant spelling thanks to all those girls with May as a middle name, and I think having to often spell out your name could be annoying. But you will likely have the same spelling issues with Sofia (Sophia) if you are in the UK.

So in this case between Mae and Sofia, I would choose lovely Mae. Sofia is nice too but will blend into the large numbers of Sophia's and Sophie's as well - Mae stands a much better chance of being the only one in her class/hobby groups.

clpsmum · 25/06/2021 21:11

I let my ds name his younger sibling!! I love mae/may and prefer it to Sofia which is really overused where I am. Prefer Sophie to Sofia

RickOShay · 25/06/2021 21:04

Love Mae as a first name.
I know one May of about eleven. It sounds fresh and cool.
Definitely go for it

EJM87 · 25/06/2021 21:01

How about Safia or Maeve

Pammy39 · 25/06/2021 11:40

I like Sophia, it is nice name

aSofaNearYou · 25/06/2021 10:50

I like both names equally, but agree with others you should go with what YOU want, not your DD.

Aside from anything else if they dislike the name they will resent that their sibling chose it when they are older.

FayCarew · 25/06/2021 10:32

Exactly.

Sofia is the less popular spelling, as is Mae.

Poor little Sofia-Mae wlll be 'Sofia-with-an-f-hyphen-Em-Ay-EE'

StevieNix · 25/06/2021 10:30

advice and then! Bloody autocorrect!

StevieNix · 25/06/2021 10:28

@Catkin7 why ask for advise on a forum them? Grin Biscuit

Original poster
Catkin7 · 24/06/2021 20:34

@Spied
Love Emily and Anna. They are on my extended list also!
Thank you

OP posts:
Spied · 24/06/2021 20:29

Sofia is my preference.
I personally see Mae as a bit of a filler middle name.
Traditional suggestions
Laura
Anna
Emily
Hannah
Jane
Kate
Lara

Original poster
Catkin7 · 24/06/2021 20:25

@StevieNix
Good job it’s my baby and my taste then when 😂

OP posts:
StevieNix · 24/06/2021 20:04

I hate the spelling Mae much prefer May but it’s a lovely name.

Original poster
Catkin7 · 24/06/2021 19:54

Personally don’t like the spelling May, I much prefer the way Mae looks. So if we choose that then it will be spelt that way. I work with children and find the name Sophie quite boring personally. But again it’s all personal preference. There aren’t many names we like because of working with children we associate a lot of names with people already.
I actually came up with Mae but my daughter really loved it as soon as I said it.
Obviously it’s me having the baby, we just want to include our daughter as much as possible. My partner prefers Mae over Sofia also. It’s just me that’s wavering. I love that I don’t know a Mae.
Thanks for all your opinions.

OP posts:
Hippohappiness · 24/06/2021 19:33

I think May is lovely as a first name. Not keen on it spelt Mae, and feel like it's overdone as a middle name. Sofia is pretty, but quite popular if that bothers you. I also prefer Sophie - less fussy sounding to me.

inappropriateraspberry · 24/06/2021 19:30

*unsure, not inside!

inappropriateraspberry · 24/06/2021 19:30

Another one here inside who is having the baby. If it's your daughter, it's nothing to do with you!
If it's you, your daughter doesn't have any say, although Mae is a nice name. I also like Maeve.
Sofia makes me think of Disney. Sophie is a good, traditional name.

ApolloandDaphne · 24/06/2021 19:26

Sophia Mae would be a lovely name.

EssentialHummus · 24/06/2021 19:15

I really like Mae and May, I think Sophia is too popular these days.

Fwiw DD named her sibling. She did choose something rather out there but DH and I quite liked it!

BigfatJ · 24/06/2021 19:10

May not Mae
Sofia is very overdone

Godmothered · 24/06/2021 18:56

Who is having the baby? You or your daughter? I was a bit unsure about that in your post.

I prefer Sofia out of the two. But if it's your daughter who is pregnant she should choose Mae.

FayCarew · 24/06/2021 18:42

Fay