Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Baby names

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

Name wobble - opinion on the following please

67 replies

Violetandpurple · 11/07/2022 10:28

Having a wobble on chosen name (have included in list below) have 3 other girls with traditional names with perhaps a slightly modern vibe to them but suit all ages etc

madeleine (pronounced line not Lyn)
annie (just Annie not Anna or anne)
phoebe (only issue is this is dds 3 middle name but she doesn’t mind)
violet (I love Violet but dislike nn Vi which I think rules this out for us but it will be a middle name)
evelyn (pronounced ever-Lyn not eve-Lyn)
ruby
Nancy & Betsy (I’m unsure on these I think they’re lovely but not sure if she’d thank me)

thank you

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
RockingMyFiftiesNot · 11/07/2022 22:07

I like all the names (not helpful!) but would avoid names that can be pronounced different ways, especially if you choose a different pronunciation to the norm, as they will spend their whole lives having their name pronounced incorrectly.
One of my best friends since school is called Karen, pronounced Care-en. Teachers got it wrong all through school It still pisses her off.

Backhometothenorth · 11/07/2022 22:00

Annie is so lovely. Mine is ten and I love saying it every time.

Imightbe · 11/07/2022 21:55

Annie is my all time favourite name . Pretty and timeless.

uncomfortablydumb53 · 11/07/2022 21:53

I like Nancy and Evelyn

Augend23 · 11/07/2022 21:46

In my school/uni/post uni life violet would probably have been shortened to V(ee) if that would be any better?

growandhope · 11/07/2022 21:38

never heard the name Evelyn pronounced with an r in it, so I'd ditch that one. Annie and Ruby are quite sweet

HahahaBoomBoom · 11/07/2022 20:51

I have a Violet, and I also hate Vi. Unfortunately folk have started calling her Vi already. I actually love Violet as a middle name though, and am sometimes gutted that me and DH couldn’t agree on another first name to have Violet as a middle name.

Annie Violet gets my vote!

JasmineVioletRose · 11/07/2022 20:30

Everyone will pronounce Madeliene "lynn" as that's how it's pronounced.

Love love love Violet.

Violetandpurple · 11/07/2022 20:08

Thank you everyone
interesting as I’m also midlands and I don’t know any that pronounce it Ever-Lyn

OP posts:
GrowlingManchego · 11/07/2022 19:54

They are all nice really so do what you feel, but I don’t personally go for Annie because people may assume it’s a nickname for Anne or Andrea. I also wouldn’t use Betsy because it sounds cute on a little girl but not so much on an adult. Hmm, and Madeline makes me think of Madeline McCann too. Violet is lovely.

ChagSameachDoreen · 11/07/2022 19:43

Violet is awful. Sounds like violent.

Annie is cute.

est1899 · 11/07/2022 19:42

17caterpillars1mouse · 11/07/2022 16:02

Just to add in my area (the Midlands) all Evelyn's are Ever-lyn automatically. Nobody would go with the Eve-lyn pronunciation at first glance, though I know this differs in other areas

I'm in the midlands and know of several pronounced Eve-Lyn, including my born and bread Brummie mother.

Scirocco · 11/07/2022 18:50

Madeleine (pronounced line not Lyn) - I think most people will pronounce it -Lyn.
Annie (just Annie not Anna or anne) - feels like a nickname.
Phoebe - Lovely but if it's another DD's middle name then I'd avoid it so that both DDs can have names which are just theirs.
Violet - Lovely. Vi is the most common nn though, I think.
Evelyn (pronounced ever-Lyn not eve-Lyn) - Nice but there are lots of Eve-/Eva- names being used at the moment.
Ruby - I like it!
Nancy & Betsy - Feel more like nicknames. Also, Betsy is a really common name for cars.

AppleHa · 11/07/2022 16:17

AppleHa · 11/07/2022 16:17

Because of Violet Beauregarde from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory!

And/or Violet Elizabeth Bott from Just William

AppleHa · 11/07/2022 16:17

pbj · 11/07/2022 16:05

Annie is the best by far.

Violet is a really horrid name and always conjures up the image of a right spoiled brat to me! No idea why.

Because of Violet Beauregarde from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory!

AppleHa · 11/07/2022 16:16

Madeleine (pronounced line not Lyn) - just to throw another spanner in the works I would be inclined to pronounce it Madelaine initially
Annie (just Annie not Anna or Anne) - one of my favourite names and I was going to call a daughter (had I had one) Annie Rose - but her name would have been Anna Rose as for me Annie is a nickname and it would have given her more options, it's obviously your call though
Phoebe (only issue is this is dds 3 middle name but she doesn’t mind) - I do think it is a bit weird to use an existing middle name, it might not make Phoebe 2 feel very special
Violet - not keen myself
Evelyn (pronounced ever-Lyn not eve-Lyn) - OK
Ruby - like it
Nancy & Betsy (I’m unsure on these I think they’re lovely but not sure if she’d thank me) - I love Nancy and don't see why she wouldn't thank you. Betsy is also nice but again I would go for Elizabeth, that's my own preference though.

It is true that names don't have to be shortened (eg Violet) - I have a name that has two traditional and popular shortenings and neither of them has ever stuck, even when one or two people have tried to use them (and I have never told anyone not to, I just haven't used the shortenings myself).

pbj · 11/07/2022 16:05

Annie is the best by far.

Violet is a really horrid name and always conjures up the image of a right spoiled brat to me! No idea why.

Eek3under3 · 11/07/2022 16:05

I have a 2 year old Annie so that’s my favourite! Madeleine was also on my list. I like Ruby and Betsy. Would avoid Phoebe as you’ve used that already. Don’t like Evelyn.

17caterpillars1mouse · 11/07/2022 16:02

Just to add in my area (the Midlands) all Evelyn's are Ever-lyn automatically. Nobody would go with the Eve-lyn pronunciation at first glance, though I know this differs in other areas

17caterpillars1mouse · 11/07/2022 16:00

Madeleine (pronounced line not Lyn) - if you want Line then you need to spell it Madeline. All the Madeleine's I've met and Lyn or Len

Annie (just Annie not Anna or anne) - I really like it

Phoebe (only issue is this is dds 3 middle name but she doesn’t mind) - DD might not mind but the new baby might. Give her her own name

Violet (I love Violet but dislike nn Vi which I think rules this out for us but it will be a middle name) - not a fan.

Evelyn (pronounced ever-Lyn not eve-Lyn) - pretty but popular, even more so if you count all the Evie's too

Ruby - I like it
Nancy & Betsy (I’m unsure on these I think they’re lovely but not sure if she’d thank me) - Nancy has really taken off in my area but I'm not a fan. I quite like Betsy but only as a NN for Elizabeth or Elspeth / Elsbeth. My DD always calls herself Betsy in pretend play roles

pogostickplastique · 11/07/2022 15:56

What about Lettie as nn for Violet?

PancakesWithCheese · 11/07/2022 12:53

Typed out a long reply but it bloody well disappeared.

Evelyn is overdone, and she’ll just be yet another Evie.

I like Madeleine.

Bouledeneige · 11/07/2022 11:57

I like Evelyn best (but you're an optimist if you think people will pronounce it that way) - I'm sure most people would say it either as Ev-lin or Eve-lin. The latter is really exactly how it's spelt.

My other preferences are Ruby or Madeleine ( pronounced Mad-a-len). But I don't like the Shortening to Maddy.

What about Elodie as an alternative?

Ilikecheeseontoast · 11/07/2022 11:47

I love all of your name choices!

LunchPoems · 11/07/2022 11:46

There’s no need for names to be shortened or have a nickname! I have a name which is commonly shortened, but never has been. People ask me if I’m nn x or y, I say no, that’s it. So Violet could just be Violet