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Baby names

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

Original poster

Laura or Martha?

106 replies

Sell123 · 30/07/2023 12:36

As the title suggests. Which would you use?

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tigpig · 07/08/2023 21:29

I have always thought Laura is a lovely name. I like both. but Laura is still lovely bit also quite rare now for babies.
I also know 4 Martha's so I guess that implies it's popular at the moment.

FoodFann · 07/08/2023 21:17

Laura

continentallentil · 07/08/2023 10:15

Laura

Martha a bit overdone

VenusClapTrap · 06/08/2023 11:57

Lorna? You don’t come across many of them these days.

SneezyEvie · 05/08/2023 22:41

Martha 100%

KirstenBlest · 05/08/2023 19:40

Laurel makes me think of the plant and of Laurel & Hardy. Not great.

Tomatina · 05/08/2023 19:33

Laura - by several miles. It's a beautiful timeless name. Martha is fine, but a lot less romantic somehow.

MerryMarigold · 05/08/2023 16:21

Just to put it out there, Laurel is also beautiful and in a similar vein n to Laura but less common.

Callmecuppa · 05/08/2023 10:26

Laura, lovely name.

ZoyaTheDestroyer · 05/08/2023 10:03

Daphnis156 · 04/08/2023 23:32

They both sound rather plain and dated, as if they might be in The Rovers Return.

Ugh, working-class northerners? The HORROR.

Daphnis156 · 04/08/2023 23:32

They both sound rather plain and dated, as if they might be in The Rovers Return.

SemperIdem · 04/08/2023 21:40

starrynight19 · 04/08/2023 18:55

Martha is beautiful and elegant

Interesting, I find Martha to be a very clunky and cumbersome sounding name.

SemperIdem · 04/08/2023 21:38

Laura, of the two. Though she will share her name with plenty of her peers mothers.

Martha is an awful name.

HunterHearstHelmsley · 04/08/2023 21:30

HunterHearstHelmsley · 04/08/2023 21:29

Martha feels like the embodied of mothballs. It's not a good name.

Laura is lovely and due a revival for sure.

Embodiment!

HunterHearstHelmsley · 04/08/2023 21:29

Martha feels like the embodied of mothballs. It's not a good name.

Laura is lovely and due a revival for sure.

Mrsfussypants1 · 04/08/2023 21:25

Laura I love, such a different choice but in a food way. Martha has been popular for the last 5 years or so, it's not for me and a bit of a safe choice.

Lou670 · 04/08/2023 20:47

@JaninaDuszejko My Laura was named after the Laura in LHOTP! I loved the show.

Beeswood · 04/08/2023 19:26

Laura is one of my favourite names.

I'm not so keen on Martha.

MirandaBlu · 04/08/2023 19:23

I really like Laura. To me it's not really tied to a decade or period but more of a now-underused or unpopular-at-the-moment long-time classic. The only thing is, it's pronounced differently in several European languages, with the first syllable rhyming with how or now, or almost stretched into three syllables: L'OWW-rah. I like the English language pronunciation best.

MeMeMeYou · 04/08/2023 19:16

Laura is beautiful! I also like Flora

AvidMerrian · 04/08/2023 18:58

I used house share with a really nasty horrible Martha, so it’s a no from me.

pilates · 04/08/2023 18:55

Martha definitely

starrynight19 · 04/08/2023 18:55

Martha is beautiful and elegant

JaninaDuszejko · 04/08/2023 18:54

Both are lovely classic names, either would be good. A friend of mine had a Laura in the 90s but that's the only one I know, it is a favourite name of mine due to the LHOTP books. Martha feels more fashionable right now.

17caterpillars1mouse · 04/08/2023 18:48

I prefer Laura, it's a family name for me. Plus it's more unexpected these days. I know quite a few Martha's though admittedly mote the 6-10 age range than babies