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Baby names

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

It's actually a girl, unusual girl names please

158 replies

Girlsnamesarealsohard · 21/09/2022 07:47

Hi,
I posted on here a while back because I'd done nub theory and had all the symptoms of a boy pregnancy. Someone ended up suggesting a lovely name, Tristan, which I really liked and managed to convince husband of.

Turns out I was wrong and it's a girl.

Seeing as I managed to have success with suggestions last time I thought I'd try and set the impossible task again, so...

I need a girl's name that:

Is not top 200 and more unusual to go with my son's name.
Is Celtic or Roman (possibly Greek)
Has a longer and shorter version.
Is a bit more modern sounding than old fashioned.
Is less common so I am unlikely to have taught or met one (long in the tooth teacher so meet a lot of children)

My husband has suggested a few names that I like but have taught before, so I feel they belong to that child if that makes sense. Husband thinks once you use a name it becomes yours and you forget prior associations, but I'm not so sure. It's not about negative or positive associations, taught some lovely children with lovely names, but after knowing them really well for a year I can't help but associate that name with them.

Has anyone else had similar and used a familiar name that became their own?

Thanks again!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Harrystylestutu · 21/09/2022 15:59

Bathsheba - Biba?

Facecream · 21/09/2022 15:22

Aisling (means dream in Irish)
Aoife (pronounced ee-fah)
Moira
Mari
Saoirse (meaning freedom in Irish)

Girlsnamesarealsohard · 21/09/2022 14:40

MadeinBelfast · 21/09/2022 14:15

I agree with this post. Your child will be the most important child in the world to you and their name will become associated fully with them. Don't go out of your way to pick a name that you might not be quite as keen on just because you haven't taught one. Chances are, you might find a unique name and one would turn up in your class after maternity leave! Just pick what you love.

Yes thank you for both your perspectives.
Most of my shortlist have been mentioned on this list so just have to work out which I guess.

We do like unusual names anyway so going for something unique is not a chore and will go well with our first, but interesting to see most of our maybe list came up, so I reckon I've exhausted my options haha!

OP posts:
zoopigi · 21/09/2022 14:25

Ariadni (Ari)
Andriana (nana)
Persephone (foni)

MadeinBelfast · 21/09/2022 14:15

pinkunicorns54 · 21/09/2022 13:31

No name suggestions, but I do a similar job and worked with a child, who was actually quite challenging to work with, for a period of a year.

I had my heart set on their name from before we conceived, but was put off when I was pregnant because I was working with them (only one I've ever worked with in my 10yr career).

I actually talked it through with my line manager, who convinced me to use it. I did, and now our DC is all I think of when I hear their name!

I agree with this post. Your child will be the most important child in the world to you and their name will become associated fully with them. Don't go out of your way to pick a name that you might not be quite as keen on just because you haven't taught one. Chances are, you might find a unique name and one would turn up in your class after maternity leave! Just pick what you love.

notangelinajolie · 21/09/2022 14:02

Kirsten

ODFOx · 21/09/2022 13:58

Antigone- Tiggy or Ani
Apollonia - Polly

megosaurusrex · 21/09/2022 13:55

Pandora, can be shortened to Dora

FlamingoSocks · 21/09/2022 13:51

I knew a Brynja, she was lovely. (Pron. Brinn-ya, think it’s Icelandic). She was often Brin for short.

Witch708 · 21/09/2022 13:50

Morgan

Works for both sexes

YeOldeTrout · 21/09/2022 13:45

Make something up. Why wouldn't you?

SleepingStandingUp · 21/09/2022 13:31

Persephone

pinkunicorns54 · 21/09/2022 13:31

No name suggestions, but I do a similar job and worked with a child, who was actually quite challenging to work with, for a period of a year.

I had my heart set on their name from before we conceived, but was put off when I was pregnant because I was working with them (only one I've ever worked with in my 10yr career).

I actually talked it through with my line manager, who convinced me to use it. I did, and now our DC is all I think of when I hear their name!

CovertImage · 21/09/2022 13:30

Vitalite, pronounced “Veet-al-eet-ay”

Roman goddess of sunflowers

NotABeliever · 21/09/2022 13:19

Aurelia
Olimpia
Both Roman names

AleynEivlys · 21/09/2022 13:14

Thora

Dreamingcats · 21/09/2022 12:56

Sephryn

wellhelloitsme · 21/09/2022 12:48

Isolde
Ariadne
Ariette

SophiaLarsen · 21/09/2022 12:48

Bronwen
Seren
Niamh
Iona
Fiona

Snog · 21/09/2022 12:47

Aphra

MissCrowley · 21/09/2022 12:44

Persephone
Athena

Nsky62 · 21/09/2022 12:42

Lydia
elia

Dogsandbabies · 21/09/2022 12:41

I love Nefeli - you can shorten to Efi

RebeccaCloud9 · 21/09/2022 12:38

Araya, could use Ari as a shortened version.

FetlocksBlowingInTheWind · 21/09/2022 12:37

Athena?

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