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Baby names

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

Girls name - unusual but familiar

115 replies

MaryHadALittleLam · 14/11/2022 22:29

Hi, we are looking for DD name. And we're looking for inspiration

We are looking for a name that is unusual enough that it's likely that DD will not meet another person or the same name (or at least not many). But yet familiar enough that spelling/pronouncing is not going to be a big barrier. We would also like it to be recognised as a name, ie it's been used as a name for several decades or ideally longer.

Our previous DC has a name which is at about 400-450ish in popularity and fits this description. It's also a little similar feel to a very trendy name which means it feels unusual but not dated.

We were considering Imogen, Ottilie, Naomi, Harriett as a potential names. But nothing has stood out to us yet. With our first DC, when we saw their name we both liked it immediately. It could be harder because it's second time around.

I wondered if there are any suggestions that might help us?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Smallonesaremorejuicy · 14/11/2022 23:54

Tamsin
Madeleine
Vivienne

TossieFleacake · 14/11/2022 23:51

Felicity nn Flissy

PineapplePear · 14/11/2022 23:42

Heather
Lyra
Zoe
Roslin

urbanbuddha · 14/11/2022 23:40

Marina
Astrid
Dahlia

apalershadeoflight · 14/11/2022 23:39

How about an 'old lady' name?

Hilda
Doris
Mabel

SemperIdem · 14/11/2022 23:38

Serena
Lara
Lena
Felicity
Juliette

I really like Harriet, but not with the extra T.

Jaffacakeorisitabiscuit · 14/11/2022 23:38

Rosamund
Rebecca
Tamsin
Odile
Jennifer
Miriam
Dorothea
Abigail
Esther

Dartmoorcheffy · 14/11/2022 23:33

Harriet is nice. If I'd had a girl she would have been Kezia

MaryHadALittleLam · 14/11/2022 23:33

Kona84 · 14/11/2022 23:30

We chose Edith for our daughter. Edie for short

others on the list were
hazel
clementine
imogen
rosie
But they didn’t suit her

I like Edith, very nice choice

OP posts:
MaryHadALittleLam · 14/11/2022 23:30

Some great ideas here. Thank you. I will take some time to say these a loud a few times in the morning!

OP posts:
sevensocks · 14/11/2022 23:30

Lois

Kona84 · 14/11/2022 23:30

We chose Edith for our daughter. Edie for short

others on the list were
hazel
clementine
imogen
rosie
But they didn’t suit her

PPMMppmm · 14/11/2022 23:30

Lilith.

MaryHadALittleLam · 14/11/2022 23:30

Mañanarama · 14/11/2022 23:05

I keep thinking of Sylvie, I think it’s gorgeous. Also Meryl, why has that never become more popular! Paloma, too.

More mainstream: Lois, Eloise, Saskia, Freya, Iris, Orla.

Meryl is a nice one, are there any shortenings that with for it?

Love Freya, probably my favourite name, but I know quite a few little Freyas. Orla is nice but I haven't heard it before so will need to let myself get used to it

OP posts:
Sandysandwich · 14/11/2022 23:28

Claudia
Lilia

TheBirdintheCave · 14/11/2022 23:27

This is our type of name too: familiar yet uncommon and with a solid etymology.

We thought about:

Marion
Hester
Morwenna
Nerys
Cordelia
Bridie
Laurel
Sorrel

There were more but this is all I can remember at the moment.

MaryHadALittleLam · 14/11/2022 23:25

HR313 · 14/11/2022 23:22

We have an Imogen & Eloise. The eldest was born in 2017 and so far we’ve known of two other Imogen’s, one from nursery and the other one is in her year group at school. My youngest is a year old and so far only heard one other Eloise 🙂

Both are lovely. I have a relative called Eloise and always admired it

OP posts:
MaryHadALittleLam · 14/11/2022 23:24

apalershadeoflight · 14/11/2022 23:15

Annabelle

Lauren
Lorena
Lorna
Leah
Leona

Fiona
Faye

Tamsin
Tamara
Tanya

Ruby
Rachel

Elspeth

Hannah
Nina
Louisa

I really like Elspeth and Tamsin.

Tamsin particularly is one of my favourites, with Tammy as a potential nickname. But DH says it makes him think of tamiflu which I imagine is a very usual association.

OP posts:
HR313 · 14/11/2022 23:22

We have an Imogen & Eloise. The eldest was born in 2017 and so far we’ve known of two other Imogen’s, one from nursery and the other one is in her year group at school. My youngest is a year old and so far only heard one other Eloise 🙂

halfsiesonapotnoodle · 14/11/2022 23:19

Cassia, Yolanda, Emerald, Damaris.

apalershadeoflight · 14/11/2022 23:15

Annabelle

Lauren
Lorena
Lorna
Leah
Leona

Fiona
Faye

Tamsin
Tamara
Tanya

Ruby
Rachel

Elspeth

Hannah
Nina
Louisa

Fifiesta · 14/11/2022 23:14

Maryhada

Yes I was thinking of Ellie.

fairycupcakes · 14/11/2022 23:11

Genevieve
Vivienne
Clementine
Evangeline
Emmeline
Gabriella
Valentina
Francesca
Alexandra
Angelica
Carmella
Dominique
Constance
Eleanora/ Nora
Meredith
Xanthe
Ianthe
Sylvia/Sylvie

KylieCharlene · 14/11/2022 23:10

Carmen

Kikikik · 14/11/2022 23:10

I love Odette so second that!
Calanthe - it's a winter orchid and nn Callie is so cute