We love Eleanor… BUT….

My family put me off my DC name. Still regret it. Go with what you love.

so stop letting her control you

what did you do with the hair cut money?

And to add once baby is here she will replace the school bully association. Eleanor will cease to be the school bully and become the adored grandchild in her mind

Nobody hates a name once it's attached to a dc they love. My mum didn't like dd2's name when it was an option of a few when pregnant however obviously now it's her name and the gc she loves and it suits her so she'd never think about not liking it. Eleanor is lovely

It's not your mother's decision. It's obviously a well-liked name.

Giovanna - not unless italian and it might be very dated
Temperance - just no, Temper
Clementine - easy peeler
Darcey - already dated and I never liked it
Penny - like if short for Penelope

Her choices are awful - this is your choice. Smile and ignore

It’s not her decision. I cannot understand choosing a name before baby is here safe and well, let alone telling anyone

Would it make it any better if you went for the spelling' Elinor' as in Jane Austen

Its your baby, it doesn't matter if your mum likes the name or not. Only 2 people's opinions matter when it come to naming the baby, you and your dh.
If possible ignore what your mum has to say, not sure of your baby is here on not, if not just don't mention baby names again and when baby is born register her with the name you choose, once baby is named she won't have a choice but to call your child the name you have given her

But. Definitely ignore your Mother if she's just being silly.

Eleanor was on our list for DD2 (we didn't go for it as a close friends child was Ellie)

Other names on the list included Helena, Phillipa and Martha.

We went for Louisa in the end. DD1 is Isla.

It does seem like you have zero boundaries with her.

Honestly, Eleanor is a lovely name, but the shocking thing here is why you seem to be allowing a dictatorial parent to determine key elements of your life.

All four of our parents hated DS’s name, but the difference was that we only told them what it was after he was born, as a fair accompli. And frankly, given the names they gave their children, I can’t say it lost me any sleep…

I agree with others stick with the name you like.

However if you are feeling swayed alternatives could be:
Elspeth
Gabriella
Eloise
Elise
Elizabeth
Arabella
Isobel

You have a dm problem.

Imagine if it was your mil that didn't like the name, and your dh was pandering to her?

Your baby (and dhs) you both choose the name

Don't listen to your mum. Her suggestions are awful too.l would bet acquiescing on this will let you up for more battles ahead with your mother. Eleanor is a strong queen's name - google Eleanor of Aquitaine.

In your shoes I would call my daughter Eleanor Eleanor!

Eleanor as a middle name too just to hammer the point home to your mum!

OP your mum thinks she has a say over your child's name because you have let her have a say. It's time to put boundaries in place and tell her to back off.

If you had come on and said this was your MIL acting like this and your DH was letting her everyone would be telling you you have a DH problem, well currently your DH has a DW problem. you need to stop letting your mum interfere with your family.

I’m sorry your Mum is hard work, must be so stressful. As many Pp have said this is your little girl. Your mum had her chance to name her little girl. She sounds so overbearing and needs to be told to back off a bit imo. Eleanor is such a pretty name and she’ll get over it eventually as you’ve said she has little nn/terms of endearment for all her grandchildren anyway so I’m sure she’d find something even if she couldn’t get over the fact that many moons ago she knew a bully named Eleanor 🙄

Grow a spine and use the name you want.

Don't tell anyone IRL your name choices in advance- whatever you pick there will always be someone who doesn't like it and if they're foolish enough to tell you you'll have to live with knowing that. I wish I'd never discussed DD's name online either as there was a name DH and I liked but when I mentioned it online it got a bad response from some and it put me off a bit- now wish I had just gone for it (although the name we gave her instead is also lovely so no biggie).

Eleanor is a great name and your mum will come to like it too because it will be her DGD's name.

OP, similar happened to me when I was pregnant with DD and made the mistake of thinking out loud about our preferred name. DM whinged and moaned, which was typical of her, and when word reached my DB in the UK he rang me at 2am Melbourne time to berate me. I shut them both down and told them not to contact me again until they were ready to apologise. It took two months but I stood my ground. Boundaries!

I could suggest alternatives to Eleanor, but I won't, because you and your DH have a right to name YOUR child as you wish. Eleanor is a beautiful name and suits all ages.

BTW my school bully was Eve, but I don't hate that name. She was just one kid, a long time ago.

Another ‘Mother of Eleanor’ reporting for duty here!

Obviously we like the name and, as mentioned, it is great for a child or adult (ours is now nearly 30), but I particularly like the association with two strong women, Eleanor of Aquitaine and Eleanor Roosevelt - who was a great one for the pithy comment.

The most apposite one here might be “Do what you feel in your heart to be right – for you'll be criticised anyway.”

You might also be tempted to tell your mother that you hope your daughter will be inspired by her name to be strong and not pushed around - another Eleanor Roosevelt quote: “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”

Wishing you much joy with your baby, whether she turns out to be an Eleanor or not!

Eleanor is a lovely name. I also really like Matilda which is from a similar age.

My mum gets very upset over middle names. And forgets that she and my father didn't name any of us with grandparent middle names 🤣 so why we would we?

Maybe this is a good opportunity to stand up to your mum. Set the tone for a new stage in your relationship? If anyone else likes the name is neither here no there. It’s not their child.