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Baby names

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

Final three girls names

131 replies

ClaraBean · 14/10/2021 07:43

These are our final three girls names (I think!)
Shirley (my favourite)
Doris (dp fav) Dorrie for nn
Eileen

DP doesn't like 'frilly' names so can't get things l love like Cordelia, Sally or Ramona past him at all!!

I never used to see Shirley on a child, but when did was 4 (she's now 16) she demanded to be called Shirley for ages and I've adored it ever since!!

Opinion?

OP posts:
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ZimZamZoom · 14/10/2021 09:03

Shirley is the best out of your final three.

Doris doesn't suit a baby, a toddler, a young girl, a teenager or a young woman. Does Dorothy appeal? NN Dottie?

I know a young woman called Eileen and it's never not jarring to hear the name compared to her face. And she will always have some 'joker' singing the song at her.

Samzzz · 14/10/2021 09:01

* Sorry I meant nn Dottie **

Samzzz · 14/10/2021 09:01

Really sorry but all of those names are really not very nice at all and I think you're leaving her open to being bullied. Not trying to be horrible.
How about a name that is vintage but 'coming back?'- Mabel, Ivy, Opal, Ada, Ava, Florence, Lillian, Esther?

  • Out of your list I would change Doris to Dorothy and nn her Dornie which is SO cute! Imo.
HHSchultz · 14/10/2021 08:57

Doris is quite nice, Shirley I think is dreadful, sorry.

Darceyhemingway · 14/10/2021 08:55

Sorry op but I really don't think it's fair to give a child any of these names. Have a look at Baby name lists from years ago like years and years I did that and some really lovely names came up

EducatingArti · 14/10/2021 08:54

What about Ellen rather than Eileen?

fancyfrogs · 14/10/2021 08:49

At a push, Dorrie. Not Doris though. The others are hideous

MysteriousMonkey · 14/10/2021 08:45

Dorrie is nice, Doris is hideous.

Shirley... Hmm I had an aunt Shirley and she was a cantankerous chain smoker... But actually I don't mind the name.

Eileen. I thought it was awful, but then I thought about how fun the song is and how I'd sing 'come on Eileen' every day and it grew on me Grin

vampirethriller · 14/10/2021 08:44

I like Shirley.
I know two Eileen's and they both get the song sung at them a LOT. Granted they're older women but still it's a thing.

Cantstopthewaves · 14/10/2021 08:39

Erm, I don't like any of them. I think they are bloody awful names.
If my life depended on it I'd choose Eileen but use nn Lena everyday.

Chunkymenrock · 14/10/2021 08:38

Truly awful I'm afraid, all of them. But it's your baby, choose whatever you like!

ClaraBean · 14/10/2021 08:35

@TheNarwhalBalloon - hmmm. If I were called Eileen hearing that song alllllll the time would annoy me. Something to think about, I'll mention it to dp tonight.

OP posts:
ClaraBean · 14/10/2021 08:34

My children from my previous marriage are older so I have no idea what is 'cool' in baby names at the moment.
We do live in England!
But my 16 year older loves the name Shirley too, so I didn't really think of it as frumpy and terrible (I think Shirley Manson and Shirley Hughes). DD is 16 and called Pearl, which I thought Shirley had a similar vibe to!

OP posts:
elfran · 14/10/2021 08:34

@CampagVelocet

You're ahead of your time, OP; this will be the next generation of retro names. I quite like Shirley, and Doris (not Dorrie) has a good sound to it. Don't like Eileen at all.
This. Guaranteed our kids will love these names one day!

I can't really get on board with Shirley or Eileen, but Doris I actually like. Maybe because it reminds me of Lois, an all-time fave (and midcentury gem)?

TheNarwhalBalloon · 14/10/2021 08:27

I suspect with Eileen she will hear "Come on Eileen" said 100 times per week.

Shirley and Doris are very unusual! I kind of like the reclaiming of these rather frumpy vintage names. Why not? I think people saying "oh they're terrible" are feeling the same way my mum feels about the victorian old lady names which were in fashion recently.

TheSpiral · 14/10/2021 08:25

I know a ten year old with Shirley as a middle name. I think it’s lovely. Like Anne of Green Gables (Anne Shirley).

BabyLove22 · 14/10/2021 08:23

They are all god awful, how old are you and your partner OP?
I'm getting the vibe you don't live in England judging by the old names which now carries an average age range of 60 year old 😐

PoetryLaser · 14/10/2021 08:13

Of the three, objectively I probably prefer Shirley but I wouldn't personally use it. I am trying hard to see cute little Shirley Temple with her blonde curls and not Big Daddy, wrestler Shirley Crabtree!

Dorrie is pretty enough but I really dislike Doris. It sounds so lumpy and solid.

They're all 1920s names which have not come back into fashion (though I've seen some chatter about Doris on here recently - NB not all positive). They are all very unusual in this day and age, and being brutally honest, I expect you will get a pretty muted reception from family and friends - especially the older generation as they will be the names of their parents generation - are you prepared for that?

DurhamDurham · 14/10/2021 08:07

Dorrie at a push I suppose. Shirley is hideous, it wasn't v nice the first time around and should be left in the past.

Well you did ask for opinions Smile

Whinge · 14/10/2021 08:06

I don't like any of them, and I think if you're set on them asking for opinions isn't a great idea as I suspect many will feel like me.

I think there are plenty of names that aren't frilly but won't be so divisive.
such as Zoe, Rebecca, Helen, Zara, Naomi etc.

Disfordarkchocolate · 14/10/2021 08:06

Eileen is my favourite, I think it's fairly classic.

I'd work on Sally though, I absolutely love this name. It's definitely not frilly.

Youcancallmeval · 14/10/2021 08:04

For a human?
It's like a roll call at my Nan's sheltered housing bingo event.
Eileen probably has the best nns, so I'd say that.

CampagVelocet · 14/10/2021 08:03

You're ahead of your time, OP; this will be the next generation of retro names. I quite like Shirley, and Doris (not Dorrie) has a good sound to it. Don't like Eileen at all.

Forgothowmuchlhatehomeschoolin · 14/10/2021 08:03

I think there are much nicer, traditional names out there that haven't dated as much. Sorry op don't like any of them.

DuvetDayIsEveryDay · 14/10/2021 08:01

Shirley and Doris are pretty awful. At least they will be the only one at school.