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Baby names

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

Original poster

Viola, Violet, Ella, Eleanor

41 replies

misslucy92 · 21/12/2022 15:29

Could you give me your thoughts on:

Viola - do you say vy-I-la or vy-o-la?
Violet
Ella
Eleanor
Eleanor ‚Ella‘

Sister is Ruby.

We are trying to find something not too popular but I’m worried our favourites are too popular yet again. We love Ruby‘s name but we’ve met too many, so usually she‘s Ruby Surname which we want to avoid this time.

Viola we only like as vy-o-la, so like Violet with an -a.

Is Violet too common? Ella or Eleanor too?

Is Eleanor called Ella pretentious? We thought that way we could use two names we like and if another Ella is in her class she can be Eleanor. Eleanor doesn’t seem common among little kids, am I right? At least around here.

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mumonherphone · 25/12/2022 23:00

Ruby and Violet sound so cute together so that gets my vote.

purpledalmation · 25/12/2022 16:23

Love them all. Especially viola

Spidey66 · 25/12/2022 15:51

I mean Ella not Ellie.

Spidey66 · 25/12/2022 15:51

Eleanor is my favourite girls name together with Rhiannon.

I like Ellie, then Violet, then Viola.

KirstenBlest · 25/12/2022 15:34

@OhBeAFineGuyKissMe , that site has many errors. There are several boy's names listed, and a few non-Welsh names, and some misspellings.

OhBeAFineGuyKissMe · 25/12/2022 14:29

KirstenBlest · 25/12/2022 13:16

@TheBirdintheCave , you didn't. Sorry.

@OhBeAFineGuyKissMe , it's not a welsh name, although it does occasionally get used by welsh-speaking parents.
Like Elisabeth, it doesn't fit into the pattern of welsh words having the stress on the penultimate syllable.

I was going from this site welshgirlsnames.co.uk/elinor/ that said it was the Welsh spelling. Which I know is different from a Welsh name.

KirstenBlest · 25/12/2022 13:16

@TheBirdintheCave , you didn't. Sorry.

@OhBeAFineGuyKissMe , it's not a welsh name, although it does occasionally get used by welsh-speaking parents.
Like Elisabeth, it doesn't fit into the pattern of welsh words having the stress on the penultimate syllable.

TheBirdintheCave · 25/12/2022 13:09

@KirstenBlest I didn't say it was a Welsh name 🤔

KirstenBlest · 24/12/2022 17:21

@TheBirdintheCave , it's not a welsh name, although it does occasionally get used by welsh-speaking parents.
Like Elisabeth, it doesn't fit into the pattern of welsh words having the stress on the penultimate syllable.

reallyisthisallthereis · 24/12/2022 17:20

I named my dd Eleanor thinking she would probably shorten it, but as lots of Ella's Ellie's etc around she stayed Eleanor. She prefers it pronounced with NOR at the end.
I like that you can keep it long or shorten it many ways. Versatile classic name.

TheBirdintheCave · 24/12/2022 16:27

OhBeAFineGuyKissMe · 24/12/2022 16:02

I like Eleanor but so much prefer Elinor (think it is the Welsh spelling but also from Sense and Sensibility).

Same :)

OhBeAFineGuyKissMe · 24/12/2022 16:02

I like Eleanor but so much prefer Elinor (think it is the Welsh spelling but also from Sense and Sensibility).

RambamThankyouMam · 24/12/2022 15:49

Viola and Violet are awful names. They sound very close to violent and violate.

Eleanor is lovely, but Ellies are ten-a-penny.

NewToWoo · 24/12/2022 13:52

viola (VYE-o-la) is a lovely name

So is Eleanor.

I don't like Violet. Ella is quite popular but nice as a nickname for Eleanor.

Theoldwoman · 24/12/2022 13:47

Ella is beautiful, and timeless.

Ruby and Ella are gorgeous together.

Leggingslife · 24/12/2022 10:58

Eleanor. Classy, the best choice

FatGirlSwim · 24/12/2022 10:44

We almost used Elena but didn’t because of the pronunciation issue of Eh-lay-na vs Eh-Lenn-a

I didn’t use Eleanor as i didn’t want Ellie, and I regret not using the name!

Soozikinzii · 24/12/2022 10:39

My grandma's name was Vida which is similar to Viola and I've noticed Michaelbubles daughter is called Vida, so I dont know if you like that as an unsual name choice ? . I do like viola though. I used to play the Viola at school !

Frazzled2207 · 24/12/2022 10:33

Ps I also like Elena if that is an option.
basically pronounced like Eleanor would be to most people.

Frazzled2207 · 24/12/2022 10:31

Sorry Scottish people do pronounce the -NOR at the end or Eleanor

Frazzled2207 · 24/12/2022 10:31

Scottish people def do

Frazzled2207 · 24/12/2022 10:30

I play the viola (vee-oh-la)
I would pronounce the name VI-oh-la like in twelfth night but tbh i would expect some people would get it wrong

anyway I like Violet -very similar really- most from your list.

not Ella or anything that could be shortened to Ella/Ellie as so many of them. Violet is popular but not as ubiquitous

Luredbyapomegranate · 24/12/2022 10:26

Viola is vye-OH-luh - I like it

The rest are all very popular so I wouldn’t as that bothers you, and Ruby and Violet is too twinny, although nothing pretentious about Eleanor nn Ella.

Ruby and

Stella
Robin
Zoe
Lara
Jasmine
Clara
Zara
Lois
Lydia
Frances
Carys
Claudia
Cassia
Jocelyn
Esther
Honor
Oona
Ida
Thora

hadenoughforever · 23/12/2022 05:22

How about Helena or Elena

Billslills · 23/12/2022 05:18

Oh I love the suggestion of Polly (or Penny?). ❤️

All your make choices are currently very popular… Except Viola which I really don’t like (sorry). It sounds like it should be a body part.