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Baby names

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

Original poster

Baby girls names-help-be critical !!!

102 replies

PartySuziPlease · 08/01/2022 19:31

Second baby girl due in next few weeks and still havent decided on a name!

Please help me decide. Our surname starts with F and my first daughters name starts with F.

So far on the list we have,

Fern
Liv
Neve
Betsy
Edie

Is there any of these that are not nice/have negative connotations/bad nicknames?!

Thanks for your help xx

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celestebellman · 10/01/2022 22:11

Of the ones you have suggested, I like Lois best and think it goes really well with Phoebe - both Greek in origin (I think!) and both proper names though quite short.

Fern is a bit bland.
Neve - prefer Niamh but it is overdone
Betsy - OK, might date
Edie - trendy, will date
Liv - feels unfinished

Like the suggestion of Zoe to go with Phoebe too.

Margo34 · 10/01/2022 21:54

@PartySuziPlease

Lizzieant- i agree Edie and phoebe are too rhymey! I do like Eden with nn Edie.

I agree, Betsy is off the list. Its a bit frilly. Betsy off the list.

Thanks for the critical responses. I've not told any friends or family my list as i want it be a surprise. Its good to talk through it with you all

There's a poem called "Betsy Pud" (she ate more than she should). Good job you've struck Betsy off your list!
DebbieHarrysCheekbones · 10/01/2022 21:50

Phoebe and Edith or Phoebe and Fern just don’t flow or sound like the best sib set you could create

Sorry I don’t think you asked but I love these names with Phoebe

Iris
Ramona
Clarissa
Freya
Juno
Zoe
Fleur
Hannah

They’re all a little bit quirky and allow the other name to stand out but still work with the other

Original poster
PartySuziPlease · 10/01/2022 21:47

@Leeloo1233

All nice names :)

Keira Knightly's daughter is Edie, I think it's cool although outside the UK people might confuse the pronounciation to Eddie.

Liv is also mega cool and fresh, Betsy and Fern too. Very nice list!

Thank you, leeloo1233
OP posts:
Original poster
PartySuziPlease · 10/01/2022 21:45

Anna was also on the list, my daughter loves the name but mainly due to her love of frozen!

OP posts:
Original poster
PartySuziPlease · 10/01/2022 21:43

Lots of great suggestions, thank you mumnetters!! Freya and Zoe/chloe were on the list previously, they are lovely names but I don't get excited about them as much as the others. Don't like Harriet because I wouldn't want the 't' on end dropped, don't like francesca as they would get fran/ franny and that sound a bit like something rude!
🙄😂
Down to Edith and Fern I think... Liv still in back of head but doubting it a bit more than I was. Xxx

OP posts:
Forgothowmuchlhatehomeschoolin · 10/01/2022 21:19

I always thought Phoebe and Francesca sound nice together.
Or Phoebe and Freya.
Or Phoebe and Zoe.

Bortles · 10/01/2022 19:15

Edie is my favourite.
Neve is the anglicised version. Seen it many times, it's not unknown, MN!
Fern is nice but lacks the pretty feel of Edie.

Edenember · 10/01/2022 18:14

I would personally scratch Fern for another repeated F sound, and I don’t think the v endings of Liv and Neve go great with a F initial surname either- kind of hard to say, I distinct and blends into one. So I’d veto for that reason. Which leaves Betsy and Edie - both of which I like. Betsy sounds more like a name in its own right to me. Edie is gorgeous but I think I’d prefer Edith as formal name with Phoebe, with Edie in normal use. So if you were open to it, Edith and Phoebe would be my shout.

Covidtrap · 10/01/2022 05:50

Fern or niamh. I dont like liv its too short and i too assumed its a nickname. Betsy is cute as a baby or when older but think of when shes like 21/22. Also people will assume shes called elizabeth.

nightdune · 10/01/2022 05:43

Betsy is the only one I really don't like. I love Liv but I think people will assume it's short for Olivia. Neve is okay but I prefer Eve.

Edie or Fern would be my picks! Smile

Crispynoodle · 09/01/2022 23:01

Phoebe and Viola

Skeumorph · 09/01/2022 22:09

Hate Violet - harsh, terrible short form in Vi.

I like Fern, but next to Phoebe it sounds drab.

I think you need a different letter and a different sound!

Phoebe and Anouk
Phoebe and Saskia
Phoebe and Cassia
Phoebe and Sylvie
Phoebe and Anna

PattyPan · 09/01/2022 22:04

I like Violet. I like Fern but I don't like Phoebe and Fern together. Likewise agree about Edie and Phoebe.
I don't like Liv as a given name, it feels too unfinished. Olivia is nicer, or Lavinia for something a bit different?

Marimaur · 09/01/2022 21:53

Fern - it’s ok
Liv - lovely, i’d assume it was short for Olivia? I know it’s insanely popular but it’s a beautiful name.
Neve - lovely
Betsy - too cutesy
Edie - i think

I love most of these but would consider using full names on the birth certificate.. just cos if they grew up to be a lawyer or MP or CEO, Edith or Olivia have a bit more gravitas.

Ajl46 · 09/01/2022 21:32

@Leeloo1233 I can imagine it may be difficult to be taken seriously in the workplace with a cutesy name like Betsy. Imagine trying to host a conference or chair a meeting... that's hard enough for most women already (given most senior leadership environments are male dominated) without any name preconceptions to overcome.

Nicknames as a given name remove a child's options. Eg if instead of Betsy someone were called Elizabeth, she could choose to be Betsy as a child, Beth as a teenager & Elizabeth at work.

Antiqueanniesmagiclanternshow · 09/01/2022 21:24

Fern is a bit meh
Edie is a scullery maids name from an old novel
Betsy is too cute- might be ok on a baby/ toddler but not a grown adult
Liv is awful- so incomplete and reminds me of Lav
Neve is better as Niamh

Leeloo1233 · 09/01/2022 21:11

Momsnet is obsessed with not giving 'nicknames' as actual names. I don't get this at all, Betsy is so much more fresh than Elizabeth and Liv is a totally different (and cooler) name than Olivia

Patapouf · 09/01/2022 21:10

Get rid of the nickname ones, liv and Betsy are not "proper" names in their own right.

Fern is lovely!!

Leeloo1233 · 09/01/2022 21:08

All nice names :)

Keira Knightly's daughter is Edie, I think it's cool although outside the UK people might confuse the pronounciation to Eddie.

Liv is also mega cool and fresh, Betsy and Fern too. Very nice list!

sheroku · 09/01/2022 21:03

Having to introduce myself as "Betsy" in my male dominated workplace would be pretty painful. I think Fern is nice, I didn't associate it with Fern McCann and (I'm ashamed to say) I've watched all of her programmes! Neve is lovely but she would spend her whole life correcting people's spelling.

RestingStitchFace · 09/01/2022 20:58

Fern and Edie are my favs

Betsy is a bit infantile imo. Cute on a baby but sounds ridiculous on a grown woman.

Mum2Be36 · 09/01/2022 19:46

I love Neve and Edie, but personally prefer Neve spelt the Irish way (Niamh).

Heepers · 09/01/2022 18:48

Liv, Betsy and Edie are shortenings IMO. I'd call them proper names (Olivia, Elizabeth and Edith) and then shorten as you wish.

I love Edith/Edie and Liv is sweet. Not a fan of the others.

KirstenBlest · 09/01/2022 18:47

Chloe peaked about 25 years ago but is still being used.
She'll be one of several Chloes throughout her life.