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Baby names

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

Original poster

Annalise, Josephine, Frederica or Sophie

38 replies

RainbowFish4 · 12/09/2023 13:26

Would love to get thoughts on our girl name shortlist!

Annalise (I like this, and the nn Annie, or also considering Annie just as a name on its own)

Josephine -(nn Sephy - I actually LOVE Sephy on its own, after the Noughts and Crosses series, but not sure if I’m brave enough! Also like Josie as a nn)

Frederica (nn Freddie)

Sophie

Thank you so much 😊

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Original poster
RainbowFish4 · 14/09/2023 13:34

@PickledScrump This was my feeling too 😂But when I googled it, seems that some parts of the US say it that way. Not a fan myself!

OP posts:
Springduckling · 14/09/2023 13:28

Frederick is nice. Wouldn't like nn of Freddie tho

DinnaeFashYersel · 14/09/2023 13:27

Sophie

Insommmmnia · 14/09/2023 13:27

Frederica and Sophy are two of my favorite Georgette Heyer characters so I would vote for those two although all you have suggested are lovely

PickledScrump · 14/09/2023 13:26

@RainbowFish4 Josie is pronounced Joe-see. How on earth has he got Joe-zee?

Original poster
RainbowFish4 · 14/09/2023 13:20

Thank you! Mentioned Josie to my DH, but we couldn’t agree on how it was pronounced! I said ‘Joe-see’ and he thought ‘Joe-zee’ - any thoughts on this?!

OP posts:
user1492757084 · 13/09/2023 06:19

I love them all but, like above, would choose Erica over Frederica.
Do you like Johanna?

Hazelnut9 · 12/09/2023 22:43

Josephine is lovely and I like Sephy for short too.

ghislaine · 12/09/2023 22:18

I can’t say I have ever met a Frederica, which seems like an excellent reason to use it. If you want to avoid the boys-name-with-an-a-tacked-on concern, how about Frederique?

Daisybuttercup12345 · 12/09/2023 22:07

I love Sophie.
Mot keen on the others.

continentallentil · 12/09/2023 21:53

Annalise for sure

I wouldn’t use Seffy or Annie as a full name, it just sounds like you can’t be arsed. But fine as nns.

IBelieveInAThingCalledScience · 12/09/2023 21:36

Frederica is beautiful. I know a few back home.

Very regal name (Greece/Prussia etc). Also has a lovely meaning.

Backhometothenorth · 12/09/2023 21:29

Annie is my favourite and the name of my first daughter. Lovely as a name in its own right - we went through the same debate about using a longer form until we finally met her and it was just so perfect for her.

OopsieeDaisy · 12/09/2023 21:25

I love Annabel, Annalise and Annie, although I would personally use Annie as a nn rather than first name on its own. I also really like Sophie, it’s pretty and classic and I don’t think it’s boring.
I know a couple of Josies which are not short for anything so that could be an option. I’m really not keen on Josephine or Frederica, they’re both quite dated and not very pleasant sounding imo.

DuchessOfSausage · 12/09/2023 20:42

I don't have anything major against them.
Annalise - not keen, seems a bit 1990, but like Annie
Josephine - no to Sephy. Jo and Joss are nice, Josie needs the right personality for it, which this remarkable young woman has. Home | Josie Russell
Frederica (nn Freddie) - 'Mummy wanted a boy'. Erica is better
Sophie - like it a lot but it's popular, with Sophia/Sofia overpopular

Josie Russell

https://www.josierussell.com/

GoodVibesHere · 12/09/2023 20:11

Frederica is cumbersome and just seems like you've taken a boy's name and forced it to be a girl's name. I think this can work (e.g. Georgina) but Frederica is too much of a cumbersome mouthful for my taste.

Annie is prob my favourite of the names you've mentioned.

cloudjumper · 12/09/2023 20:03

I love Josephine - I have one 😉 She's Josie in everyday life

andholatoyou · 12/09/2023 19:58

I'm biased as I have a Josephine ❤️

Very outing but she has a twin brother whose speech was much slower to progress as hers and not as clear - he got as far as "phine" which when he said it sounded like "Bean" and that's the nickname that has stuck 😂

I've also heard before that Posy is actually a well known nickname for Josephine

BCBird · 12/09/2023 19:54

I prefer Sophie. Don't like the others.

user1471523870 · 12/09/2023 19:52

I was in two minds whether to reply to this post or not. Is Frederica spelled correctly? I am Italian and we spell it Federica. But if the spelling is correct in another language ignore me!

LadyEloise1 · 12/09/2023 19:44

Annaliese. I don't like the others

shoopshoopdedoo · 12/09/2023 19:19

I like them all apart from Annelise, though I do like Annie and Annabel.

I think Josephine is my favourite but I wonder whether you’ll struggle to get your preferred nickname to stick? I have found that people default to the more obvious shortening when they see or hear a name - it can get annoying! I really like the name Josie but I’d avoid Josephine if you’re not keen on this.

Frederica, Freddie and Sophie are all nice.

GLORIAGloriarse · 12/09/2023 19:06

Josephine is utterly beautiful.

Sephy may or may not stick- the /zef/ or /sef/ aren't stressed in the full name so it doesn't seem an obvious shortening to me, but Jo or Josie are great too so I wouldn't let that put me off

Jeannie88 · 12/09/2023 19:02

Josephine is beautiful 😍

PickledScrump · 12/09/2023 19:01

Absolutely love Annalise, it’s strong and beautiful.

Not a fan of any of the others