Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Baby names

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

Middle name: Anne or Autumn?

42 replies

Yardley42 · 09/11/2023 13:28

I have decided on a first name beginning with C and my last name begins with T. I have therefore decided I'd like a middle name beginning with A - I think having CAT as initials is kind of sweet and could be a cool nickname for DD if she wants when she's a teen.

But I am torn between two possible middle names...

Anne is a family name - it's my grandmother's, mother's and sister's middle name. It's also the French version of my best friend and the baby's godmother's name Hannah. I also like that it's quite plain and chic - a good middle name, and sounds well with the first name which is multi-syllable and a tiny bit 'frilly', albeit classic. Altogether, the full name has a good ring to it. My sisters and I all have more unusual first names and plainer middle names, mostly taken from family.

But! I don't actually love the name Anne especially. I like its qualities, as I've described here, but I don't have any emotional connection to it as a name. Is that a waste of a name that could be one I love just for the sake of an initial?

Additionally, a long time family friend named Anne is in a very bad way at the moment, and that's an upsetting/really quite negative association that's putting me off a bit. This isn't a person I'd name a child after, so if she passes around the birth that might seem a little odd?

A name I do love is Autumn. It's my favourite season and I think a lovely name. It's a bit more 'out there' and possibly a bit hippy (my mother will hate it!!), and doesn't sound quite as classy as a full name with the first and last - but no one knows your middle name later in life, then only the initial really matters.

Plus, I think Autumn is a middle name DD could think was a bit cool when she's older, as opposed to Anne, which is plainer? It's also a more gender neutral name, in case she wants something like that - the first name is definitely 'girly'. It also sounds great with just the first name, in case she became a pop star or influencer and wanted to drop the surname, lol! (To be clear, these are not my ambitions for her! Just things you consider. Her first and last names would happily suit a judge or Prime Minister!!)

Autumn is quite popular / common right now, Anne is not that well used despite how classic it is, but don't mind a popular middle name.

What does everyone think, if you made it this far? Thanks.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Crazycatladyy · 09/11/2023 18:44

Anna or Amber

useitorlose · 09/11/2023 18:35

Anna instead of Anne

Sandysandwich · 09/11/2023 18:03

Autumn is lovely, the reasons are nice for Anne but it is boring

DesertSnow · 09/11/2023 17:52

It's important to pick a name you love.

FindingMeno · 09/11/2023 17:51

Heart choice.
Autumn.
It's beautiful!

coldcallerbaiter · 09/11/2023 17:49

Anne

JamSandle · 09/11/2023 17:34

Autumn

YourWinter · 09/11/2023 17:32

Anne. Middle names hardly get used and it’s better it to not be “out there”.

MaloneMeadow · 09/11/2023 17:29

Autumn! Anne is too dreary and old fashioned

Ittastesvile · 09/11/2023 17:28

I had almost this exact dilemma. Anne was the family name but I really loved Adelaide (DH vetoed it as a first name).

We ended up choosing neither! We went for another name I also loved which incorporated Anne as a sound - there are loads! Anneliese, Anjuli, Anastasia, Annabel, Anita, Angela, Andrine, Annika, Antoinette, Angelica, Anna, Anya....

Throwing that out as an option! But basically, as someone now on the other side, I'd choose my heart name over head name.

Sealover123 · 09/11/2023 17:00

Go with your heart, it's YOUR baby! 💓

Yardley42 · 09/11/2023 16:55

Thanks everyone! Fairly even split so far, haha. At least I probably can't get it wrong...

This has helped a bit tbh, because seeing people vote Anne makes me feel no, I want Autumn! I think realistically Anne is the 'head' choice and Autumn is the 'heart' choice.

OP posts:
diggermama · 09/11/2023 13:59

Autumn all the way OP! I think it's a beautiful middle name

riotlady · 09/11/2023 13:59

I love Autumn

sunflowerdaisyrose · 09/11/2023 13:37

I personally like middle names to mean something (seeing as they're rarely used day to day). Neither of my children have middle names I'd use as a first name but they are family names that have a connection to the past - I'd go Anne.

LlynTegid · 09/11/2023 13:32

Anne as a family name. Autumn is a season.

justalittlesnoel · 09/11/2023 13:31

I actually love Autumn as a middle name - it's a bit out there compared to what I normally like but it's actually lovely.

Swipe left for the next trending thread