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Baby names

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

Original poster

Thoughts on these names?

36 replies

Amy891 · 09/11/2022 00:37

Hello,

Would really appreciate any thoughts/ favourites on the following names, which we have narrowed down to.

Or if you get our vibe and have any other suggestions, we’d love to hear them too. :)

Second name is a traditional -son name, so we’d prefer shortish names.

Thank you!

Girl:

River
Joni
Juno
Millie
Olive

Boy:

Haines
Leif
River (again)

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KirstenBlest · 11/11/2022 07:23

@Luredbyapomegranate , Haines' Panes?

jackod · 10/11/2022 23:22

Love Joni, Juno and Olive for a girl.
Also prefer River on a boy.

Other girls suggestions:
Blair
Cara
Cleo
Cory
Demi
Eden
Elle
Etta
Fawn
Ginny
Ivy
Izzy
Jovie
Leonie
Nina
Pearl
Roux
Wren

Luredbyapomegranate · 09/11/2022 21:47

Girls:
River - no, naff, and confusing as more usually a boys’ name
Joni - nice as a nn (but I’d call her Joanna or something as a full name)
Juno - my favourite
Millie - nothing-y as a full name. Overused as a nn for Emily etc
Olive - only in a salad

Boy:
Haines - sounds like a double glazing firm
Leif - nice, the spelling will be a PITA though
River (again) - still naff, just less confusing

others -

Clio
Zoe
Lois
Linos
Carys
Carey
Lowri
Jocelyn
Ffion
Mirren
Oona
Laurel
Robin
Olwen
Julie (early for a revival but you could be the vanguard)
Marie (same)
Jean
Liv
Bay

Blaise
Rafe
Kester
Jethro
Lorne
Innes
Corin
Ronan
Ivo
Jerome
Joel
Beau
Seth
Joss
Gawain
Owen
Stellan
Rory
Caspar
Linus

Jean

Original poster
Amy891 · 09/11/2022 17:06

Thanks, again! Yeah was only 🙃

OP posts:
Mumofgirls2017 · 09/11/2022 16:56

Girl:

River- like
Joni- like
Juno- love
Millie- meh
Olive- like

Boy:

Haines- no
Leif- ok
River (again)- like

how about

Wren
juniper
clover
tansy
edie
beatrix
betsy
penny
willow
meadow
honey

seth
heath
rafe
fletcher
orson
rowan
jasper
spencer
ocean
rio
cosmo
jesse
myles
levi

pairofrollerskates · 09/11/2022 16:43

Isn't Haines an American underwear brand?

MassiveSalad22 · 09/11/2022 16:42

Girl:

River - not for me
Joni - just think of Mitchell, which is ok. But Joanie is totally different and FAR more preferable to me.
Juno - fine
Millie - overdone
Olive - adore

Boy:

Haines - like it but couldn’t be bothered with the looks and the ‘huh?’s and the ‘oh!’s
Leif - ok. Do you have scandi links?
River (again) - nope

RandomMusings7 · 09/11/2022 16:40

Would never get*

RandomMusings7 · 09/11/2022 16:40

@DuchessOfSausage is absolutely right.

I thought the whole purpose of such thread was to get honest uncensored feedback that you wouldn't never get from close ones? We're doing you a favor really 😄

Angelicat · 09/11/2022 16:39

Great choices. I love Leif but I worry it would be mispronounced in English.

Other options could be:

Evan
Ola
Atle
Luca
Frank
Vide

Liv
Siri
Siv
Signe
Tindra

DuchessOfSausage · 09/11/2022 16:30

@Amy891 , the comments you get on here are what people in the real world will be thinking but will probably be too polite to say.
They will say something like 'Oh, that's lovely' or 'It's a bit different' to your face but might think something else entirely.

Original poster
Amy891 · 09/11/2022 16:19

Thanks to everyone with helpful comments. Such an interesting psychological insight into how people comment and communicate on these threads.

Think I can tell the people who might just need a hug and maybe didn’t get enough as kids (and who perhaps spend time away from these forums)😀

OP posts:
maddiemookins16mum · 09/11/2022 16:11

Olive wins. The rest are meh (and as for Haines 🫢🫢🫢).

AlwaysFoldingWashing · 09/11/2022 15:50

Love Juno and Olive

PinkSyCo · 09/11/2022 15:39

I quite like Joni and Millie’s ok too. All your other names are awful.

LadyKenya · 09/11/2022 15:31

Leif is a really nice name.

Theoldwoman · 09/11/2022 15:26

The only ones I like are Millie and Olive.

mathanxiety · 09/11/2022 15:26

Haines is too close to Hanes, the maker of underwear.

mathanxiety · 09/11/2022 15:25

Love Joni and Juno.

Leif is nice.

nancydroo · 09/11/2022 15:24

I think if you would call your child River for a boy or a girl then your child is River. Nice

caitlinrose · 09/11/2022 15:22

Joni - no, this is way too associated with a single person like Beyoncé or Shakira.
River - okay on a boy. A bit trendy.
Juno - awful story in mythology, trendy 10 years ago, dislike movie.
Millie - too cute, not great for an adult.
Olive - the best one.

Haines - no
Leif - no
River - nice a bit trendy.

Not trying to be rude but this combination of names makes you sound a bit like a teenager living in the late 90s/early 00s ;)

River Phoenix, Juno the movie, Leif Garrett, Olive from "Easy A", Joni Mitchell (whose music had a revival due to "Love Actually". I was a child in the 2000s and still remember all of these things being a thing (River Phoenix admiration cult revival, the movies etc.).

How about:

Livia
Rowan
Jane
Amelie
Ophelia
Ruby
Maia

Titsflyingsouth · 09/11/2022 15:15

I like:
Joni
Juno
Olive

Dislike all your boy choices - a lot. Isn't Haines a type of car manual???

TalkisChips · 09/11/2022 12:56

Millie is just really dull. There are hundreds of them and every Amelia/Emilia/Amelie is also a Millie. Especially if you stick Rose/May/Grace on the end of it which are the filler middle names currently.

I like Joni and Juno, Olive I find really clumpy and drab.

I like River, for either. Not a fan of Haines, it sounds very American surname type of name.

Confusion101 · 09/11/2022 12:51

River: hate, sorry
Joni: love and love this spelling (I pronounce it as Joan-ee in my head but after reading other comments am wondering is it John-we in which case I don't like?)
Juno: not a fan, not the worst
Millie: adore this
Olive: not bad

Haines: eerrrmm not a fan
Leif: how do you pronounce this? Leaf? No. Sounds made up
River (again): again, hate, sorry

RandomMusings7 · 09/11/2022 11:43

Camellia nn Millie?