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Baby names

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

Original poster

Beth

39 replies

DIACT · 13/05/2023 08:39

I love the name Beth, but my husband's closest friend's daughter is called Beth, short for Bethany. We can't decide whether or not this matters (It doesn't bother his friend, we've asked) or not, given that we hardly see her anyway. What do others think?

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labsarelife · 05/10/2024 20:37

Not sure what you called your daughter but my daughter is Beth - plain old Beth. She is the most lovely, sensitive, empathetic and kind, unassuming soul there ever was. Make no mistake, she is also very intelligent and quietly very ambitious and is certainly not plain or boring. Beth is a name that will serve her well in her future life, as it’s solid, secure and well grounded, just like my girl 💕

BettyBoopy · 15/05/2023 19:52

Lovely name.

Original poster
DIACT · 15/05/2023 18:26

sillyonehetpes · 15/05/2023 16:23

Maybe he was being polite?

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No, he wouldn't lie. Believe me, we know him very well.

OP posts:
HighHeelsHurt · 15/05/2023 16:31

It a beautiful name and was on the top of the list for one of my DDs until I told my FIL and he said ‘Yeah Beff - lovely’. I couldn’t put up with that for the rest of my life so disregarded it.

All the Beth’s I know are glorious - it’s a lovely name

sillyonehetpes · 15/05/2023 16:23

yellowmeerkat · 13/05/2023 12:39

If you love it and have got the all clear from your husband’s friend I would definitely go for it! You might regret it otherwise

Maybe he was being polite?

TallulahBetty · 15/05/2023 12:52

Wet. Very 'meh'.

Drywhitefruitycidergin · 15/05/2023 11:20

I have a Bethany used in full by us and shortened by her friends/football coaches/everyone else....and just one note of caution which had never crossed my mind.
We live in an area where local accent/dialect (never sure) makes th sound f quite frequently. I wouldn't have chosen Beff as a name.

Londonlady1423 · 15/05/2023 10:45

I like Beth as a name on its own, not sure about Elizabeth, sounds a bit older to me.

I wouldn't be put off about your friends daughter if you don't see them often and the children won't be in the same social groups etc

alrightbab · 14/05/2023 13:40

I think Beth is lovely. Very pretty in its own right. I think if you love it, go for it.

Mindyourfingers · 14/05/2023 07:55

Similar here to be honest, I like Beth a lot and always have but I really dislike Liz and am hard pushed to think of an uglier name (sorry to any Liz’s reading this!)

I would probably go with Bethan.

Newnamenewname109870 · 14/05/2023 07:51

Bethan

ClaireSweeneyStuntDouble · 14/05/2023 03:35

Despite the dire warnings from the Mumsnet massive Beth is absolutely fine as a standalone name. Beth Rigby is out there succeeding in her profession. She gets criticism for her accent but I've yet to hear anyone slagging her for being a Beth rather than an Elizabeth*

*and yes, Elizabeth may be her birth cert name but Beth is the one she's chose to use in her professional life, so deal with it.

SpringIntoChaos · 13/05/2023 16:52

Love it ♥️

cocksstrideintheevening · 13/05/2023 16:44

Bethua will always be Beth

PickledScrump · 13/05/2023 16:42

I absolutely love Beth, and Bethan but not Bethany. It would have been DD name but there’s already one on my side and one on DH so couldn’t. I don’t think it matters if DH friends child has the same name especially if you don’t see them much.

SheilaFentiman · 13/05/2023 15:41

Yes, I would go Beth or Bethia (never heard that but it’s pretty)

Kote · 13/05/2023 15:38

I'm an Elizabeth who goes by Beth. I've never been called Liz or Lizzie. In my experience people usually ask me what short form I prefer instead of assuming it's Liz etc.

I have had people think my full name is Bethany a couple of times though. It's not always obvious to people that Beth is short for Elizabeth and some people are surprised after I tell them!

Original poster
DIACT · 13/05/2023 15:17

Thank you. I won't have Bethany, I am not particularly fond of it. I recently came across the name Bethia though and am considering that. It's quite an unusual name and would certainly get shortened to Beth.🙂

OP posts:
ourflagmeansdeath · 13/05/2023 15:02

I really love it, it's so beautiful. I'd check with the friend for the Bethany thing, it's best to make sure but really they shouldn't have control over a name, it's a pretty popular one anyway.

I feel a need to defend Beth from Little Women as well as it's a really lovely connotation imo!

2chocolateoranges · 13/05/2023 14:55

I loved Beth when dd was due but it just didn’t sound right with our surname. I see it as a name in its own right.

SheilaFentiman · 13/05/2023 14:54

And don’t worry about the other girl, be different if she was next door but she’s not!

SheilaFentiman · 13/05/2023 14:53

I love Beth and think it’s absolutely fine as a birth certificate name.

FayCarew · 13/05/2023 14:39

@oldnorsesaga , Beth is a short form of Elizabeth.

oldnorsesaga · 13/05/2023 14:38

I love Beth - it would be good middle name.
If you want full name, I would go with Bethany cause that name only has Beth as nickname. I love Bethany.

CharlieBoo · 13/05/2023 13:33

I find it really dull, but I do know a lovely Beth

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