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Baby names

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

Original poster

Holly or Hollie?

107 replies

dadtobe22 · 28/07/2022 16:55

My wife and I are due a baby girl later this year. We'd settled on the name Holly.

However, my wife sprung a surprise on me Tuesday night be saying she wanted to spell the name Hollie. I don't feel this is the traditional spelling and I worry that they would spend their life correcting people. It is also a different spelling to holly, the plant, which the name is obviously derived from!

It's a shame I can't do a poll but what do people think. It would be helpful to get a sense check.

Holly or Hollie?

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ThatsGoingToHurt · 28/07/2022 21:41

Holly!

bbqhulahoop · 28/07/2022 21:34

Normal spelling. I have a variation of a classic name and I hate saying hoop, spelt HOUP... not comparable but...

Ellmau · 28/07/2022 20:53

Holly.

Hollie is (a) wrong and (b) terribly cutesy.

Newmum110 · 28/07/2022 20:40

Definitely prefer Holly, I would feel the same & prefer a different name than compromising on the spelling.
For what it's worth it is definitely a joint decision so there is no point in one person settling for something they really don't want.

Blowyourowntrumpet · 28/07/2022 20:35

Holly

UserError012345 · 28/07/2022 20:34

Holly

Selfbuildnewbie · 28/07/2022 20:34

I’m a Holly, I’m in my 30’s. I’ve never had to correct the spelling of it until the last 5 year or so when some people have started spelling it Hollie or asking for clarification (Y or IE?) - so I guess Hollie becoming more popular.

Frazzled2207 · 28/07/2022 20:34

Tilly is the more traditional spelling here not Tillie.

Katie is an interesting one because both Katie and Katy seem equally OK these days

Frazzled2207 · 28/07/2022 20:31

Holly is my preference
But I know a few Hollies and don’t think it’s a massive deal
if you like a name though I’m not sure why you’d try and be different with a spelling
as you say, hollie doesn’t really mean anything

Papyrus · 28/07/2022 20:29

For what it's worth I'm a Holly and would hate it to be spelt Hollie. Feel the same about Poppy/Poppie and Lily/Lillie. There's just no need for it and will cause pointless hassle and confusion.

lickenchugget · 28/07/2022 20:21

Both spellings are ok, but personally I prefer Holly.

Love the name itself.

PancakesWithCheese · 28/07/2022 20:19

I know a Hollie and I like the spelling. There are also several Hollys at my children’s school.

Pluto302 · 28/07/2022 19:40

I’m a Hollie, I’ve never felt I was ‘lumbered’ with the wrong spelling. It bothers me more that people assume I was a Christmas baby, I wasn’t.

I’ve had to correct people before but I can’t say it’s ever really bothered me. A lot of people these days know there are 2 spellings and will say is that with a Y or an IE so it’s not a big deal got me.

custardandcuddles · 28/07/2022 19:01

Or even Hallie? Very similar but correctly spelled with -ie

custardandcuddles · 28/07/2022 19:01

Definitely Holly. In my view (although I do try to challenge myself on it) misspelled names give a bit of a bad impression of someone from the get go! You are right in standing your ground. If the same name ending is very important to your wife, you could always choose a different name that is correctly spelled ending in -ie and go for that instead of Holly?
Like Maisie, Rosie, Julie, Marie, Sophie, Katie, Tillie...

margegunderson · 28/07/2022 18:58

Hollie is a sillie spelling and too frillie.

abadgutfeeling · 28/07/2022 18:57

Definitely stuck to your guns. Names with an ie spelling are so twee, you're right to use the traditional spelling.

If you spell it with a Y then your daughter can always choose to change it to the more nicknamey ie option later if life if she desperately wants to copy her mum.

I think your wife needs to get a grip really. Why does she feel it so necessary to have the same name ending?

Pretty much all names that end in ie are twee and girly and nicknamey so if you start looking for another name you might find you have the same problem.

pimlicoanna · 28/07/2022 18:54

Holly

sleepyhoglet · 28/07/2022 18:50

Ok I will be serious now. I would suggest finding an new first name which will be her formal name then use Hollie as a middle name, but call her that. This way she has choices if she grows up and hates being Hollie.

Oojamaflipp · 28/07/2022 18:49

I prefer Hollie personally, but I prefer ie names to y names.

My own name is a y name, and I always thought it looked nicer spelt ie. And to be honest, even though my spelling is the more common, I always have people asking "is that with a y or an ie" !

I don't think Hollie is that uncommon. Not like Hollye, like a pp mentioned, which really is uncommon.

bakewellbride · 28/07/2022 18:48

My friend used hollie but her reason was the older child had an 'ie' ending name and she wanted them to go.

sleepyhoglet · 28/07/2022 18:45

'Whole-eye'

sleepyhoglet · 28/07/2022 18:45

Ivy

Blue2021 · 28/07/2022 18:44

If a December baby Holly if not then Hollie. I know a 6 hollies and all but one spelt ie.

bruce43mydog · 28/07/2022 18:43

Holly

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