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Baby names

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

Original poster

Ottoline or Mirren?

68 replies

LizzieS88 · 24/04/2023 09:59

We are having a baby girl and really struggling for names. The current favourites are Ottoline and Mirren...
Ottoline: we love but does it come with too much baggage - too posh / grand / pretentious (nb we don't like Ottilie as an alternative)?
Mirren: maybe not as pretty but it is unusual but not difficult to pronounce. Also it's Scottish, where I grew up.

What do you think?

(Other names we've considered are Charlotte but it feels a bit too common and I don't really like the royal family connection; and Rosamund, but we don't like Roz / Rozzie as she'd get called...)

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ShittyPeasantsFromHampshire · 24/04/2023 11:32

I think I prefer Merryn to Mirren though.

ShittyPeasantsFromHampshire · 24/04/2023 11:31

Mirren.

For me, Ottoline suffers from an unfortunate combination of being both too clunky and too frilly.

Pammy39 · 24/04/2023 11:15

I like Mirren

WaltzingWaters · 24/04/2023 10:22

Ottoline sounds nice. Not a fan of Mirren personally but I’ve never heard it as a first name.

YouNeverCanTellWithBees · 24/04/2023 10:19

Definitely Mirren

Whichwhatnow · 24/04/2023 10:18

Fandabedodgy · 24/04/2023 10:06

Mirren - lovely Scottish name

Ottoline - far too posh and frilly

Exactly this. Love Mirren.

toastofthetown · 24/04/2023 10:15

I prefer Mirren. Ottoline is too fussy for and blends into the super trendy Ottilie.

Arewehumanorarewecupboards · 24/04/2023 10:14

Ottoline is by far the nicest of the two

ClaraThePigeon · 24/04/2023 10:12

Ottoline is ok.

Mirren doesn't have an especially attractive sound and it makes me think of the football team.

Original poster
LizzieS88 · 24/04/2023 10:11

Fuckingfuckssake · 24/04/2023 10:10

Mirren is the daughters name in Catastrophe I believe? The joke being that Rob Delaney can't pronounce it.

Ha, that's Muireann. Mirren (to me at least!) is much clearer in pronunciation!

OP posts:
Fuckingfuckssake · 24/04/2023 10:10

Mirren is the daughters name in Catastrophe I believe? The joke being that Rob Delaney can't pronounce it.

fairycupcakes · 24/04/2023 10:10

*of

fairycupcakes · 24/04/2023 10:10

Mirren is lovely! Never heard of Ottoline and much like the different pronunciations you get if Madeline/Madeleine I wouldn’t know which to go with so it could be a lifetime of correcting people 🤷🏼‍♀️

Fandabedodgy · 24/04/2023 10:06

Mirren - lovely Scottish name

Ottoline - far too posh and frilly

Evelynbrown · 24/04/2023 10:05

Mirren

MouthfulofMidwinter · 24/04/2023 10:05

I like both, though they're quite different. Mirren always makes me think someone is mis-spelling the Irish Muireann, though I do know it's the Scottish version of the same name.

Ottoline Morrell will always come to mind for me, but that might be a good thing!

Original poster
LizzieS88 · 24/04/2023 10:04

Thelastofbus · 24/04/2023 10:02

Is Ottoline LINE or LEEN?

Mirren just makes me think of mirin.

I think definitely LEEN (or how we would choose to pronounce it). I did worry that about Mirin, but I don't think that's a common association? I love the actress Mirren Mack.

OP posts:
Thelastofbus · 24/04/2023 10:02

Is Ottoline LINE or LEEN?

Mirren just makes me think of mirin.

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