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Baby names

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

Original poster

Eileen

56 replies

Teddyyybeaaar · 15/03/2022 10:03

Hi, i like the sound of the name Eline(eh-leen), but i am afraid that its would be hard to pronounce and often mistaken for other names like elaine, ellen.. Now i am thinking of Eileen. Its well known, kind of rolls better off the tongue than Eline. What are your thoughts on Eileen? I regularly see that its an old lady name. I haven't found any new opinions on this name as first name. What do you think about this Name today? Still dated? Ready for an comeback, if so? Professional? Whimsical? Does it suit a cool girl? Eline or Eileen?

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OverByYer · 16/03/2022 22:06

Oh come on!

peaceinourtime · 16/03/2022 22:04

It's my mum's name, very nice. There are lots younger girls in the US I believe with that name. Eileen Gu the American/Chinese skier for example. Go for it.
I've never been a fan of the name Elaine, I knew one in primary school, the first I had in counted it obviously my first thoughts were I don't like that name. It had nothing to do with that Elaine herself who I didn't mind and had no strong feelings about personally.

MusselMam · 16/03/2022 21:59

The way you've pronounced Eline (eh Leen) sounds more like Aileen, so I'd go with that if that's how you expect people to say it. I'd say Eh Line for your spelling.

She will get Come on Eileen all her life. But it's a great song!

NurseBernard · 16/03/2022 21:47

My first thought was ‘old lady’, but if I try to look at it objectively, it is actually a nice name.

I think the issue is that it gets lumped in with all the Maureen, Pauline, Doreen, Charlene type names - none of which are exactly lovely.

But … I was given the definitive ‘old lady’ name in the 70s, and now you can’t move for young ‘uns with the name. And I love having a name that’s current as an adult, rather than a tired-sounding name from my generation, IYKWIM.

ThrobbingToothacheOfTheMind · 16/03/2022 21:41

I'm in my 20s and my first thought was "Come On, Eileen."
That song is never going away.

SummaLuvin · 16/03/2022 17:37

Aileen recommended a few times now. Aileen Wuornos was a serial killer in America in the 90's. She is fairly well known - there have been multiple documentaries and a film that got Charlize Theron nominated for an Oscar.

This may not put people off using it, but I feel like knowing all potential associations for names is best so decisions can be made fully informed.

Laureatus · 15/03/2022 22:12

Would Arlene be closer to Eline for you? Just a thought! I went to school with an Arlene and still she was plagued with people singing 'Come on Arlene' at her everywhere as a joke... and this was 25yrs after Come on Eileen was released.

canary1 · 15/03/2022 21:44

You can’t do this!!

Aspidistra1 · 15/03/2022 21:43

I would pronounce Eileen eye-leen and Aileen ay-leen so they are different names.

Howeverdoyouneedme · 15/03/2022 21:31

Elidh(Ay-Lee)

ISeeTheLight · 15/03/2022 21:24

Eline is gorgeous. She'd constantly be spelling her name though. I'm not British, similar name, constantly spelling it.

Eileen is awful. Come on Eileen is still very much a thing and not going anywhere anytime soon (my Bosnian colleague was singing it today on a call so its not just a British thing either).

DemBonesDemBones · 15/03/2022 21:20

How embarrassing, as a Scot, that I thought Aileen was a younique spelling! Ignore me and definitely go for that!

DemBonesDemBones · 15/03/2022 21:19

I actually love it! I'm not a fan of yoonique spellings but someone suggested spelling it Aileen above and I much prefer it.

Aspidistra1 · 15/03/2022 20:57

Eileen does scream old lady to me, but not coming back like Ivy or Mabel or Elsie.

What about the Scottish Aileen?

MaryStuart · 15/03/2022 20:53

It’s bloody awful

DogsAndGin · 15/03/2022 20:51

Very dreary

Frazzled2207 · 15/03/2022 20:09

No.

Eline is unusual but I have met an Aline and also Alina

Luredbyapomegranate · 15/03/2022 20:06

Still dated sorry, same as Maureen. She’s have to be very cool indeed to pull it off.

Ellen is alright though. Or Elowen? Emmeline..

scottishnames · 15/03/2022 18:11

I don't particularly like Eileen (though it's fine IMHO), but I do like Aline (Ah-leen) and I've met a very nice Aileen (Ay-leen) and I know a really lovely Maureen. Just wait and see, a lot of these Anglicised-Irish/Scottish names from the early/mid 20th cent will eventually come back into fashion. And, on the topic of names from that era, if anyone is a fan of 1930s female-author detective fiction, remember the book in which two very glamorous dancers were called- yes, really- Doris and Charis??

Everything changes, as the saying goes...

SkiingIsHeaven · 15/03/2022 17:55

As long as your last name isn't Dover she will be ok.

TulipCat · 15/03/2022 17:52

Eileen has friends called Maureen and Peggy. They were all born in 1932....I don't think this old lady name is due a comeback anytime soon.

WineGetsMeThroughIt · 15/03/2022 17:52

I see it as an old lady name. But then a lot of popular names I've the years that I think sound like old people names

BillyBarryBoo · 15/03/2022 17:49

Old granny's name imo
What about Elienne? Eh-lee-EN

thebellsesmereldathebells · 15/03/2022 17:44

Oh, and it does remind me of a song, but it's not that horror you all go on about. It reminds me of The Spinning Wheel, a very old Irish song that my Auntie Maureen used to sing.

If I'd had a girl she would have been Eileen.

episcomama · 15/03/2022 17:43

I think it's absolutely hideous, sorry. Dreary and downtrodden middle aged/old woman.

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