lots of honest opinions on my girls list please!

I would say that Iris is a classic name - it has been used consistantly for ages - I would put it with names like Florence, Bearice and Rose - not overwhelmingly popular but always one or two in each generation (am i making sense?)
Violet i would say is a bit more 'of the moment'.
Have never met a Mary under the age of 35 so there cant be many of those, or Pearl (someone said that was 'of the moment' - i dont see them - where are they all hiding??).
I too know a couple of Audreys.

I am loving Hilda
as i said good list.

I only really like Pearl, although Gwen is nice too, but definitely not Gwendolyn. And I have to admit I really don't like Winnie as a nickname (for a child that is, would be quite cute for a pet or a cuddly toy though ). To be honest I think a lot of the names on your list sound quite old-ladyish (Enid, Phyllis, Audrey). Having said that, I know some babies who were given pretty terrible names but then the names kind of seem to grow to fit them IYSWIM.

Agree with those who say they are old-fashioned and harsh. DH's aunt has a whole album full of family pictures from the late 1800's, and that is what those names conjure up in my mind.

I don't usually vote on name threads but here's my 2c

Yes
Penelope
Polly
Audrey
Sally
Mary
Margaret (Maggie)

Maybe
Gwendolen - I quite like it (but nn Gwennie)
Iris
Dorothy
Cordelia - can be lovely
Pearl
Prudence - went to school with a nice one. But not for me.
Phyllis - I like but perhaps not a baby name these days
Enid - maybe
Juniper - maybe
Jean - middle name with a pretty first name, perhaps

No
Winifred
Esmeralda - no (but I like Esme)

Not that my maybe and nos are not nice, just not names I'd use.

sorry, they are all awful .

Gwendolen (nn Winnie) - I surprised myself by thinking hmm, that's lovely, actually.
Winifred (nn Winnie) - sorry, think of St Winifred's choir. Obviously I am just showing my age though
Iris - increasing in popularity very quickly, may therefore date.
Dorothy - as others have said, prefer Dorothea
Cordelia - love
Penelope - only if you don't mind Penny. My ex was called Alexander and it was a source of enduring distress to his parents that everyone called him Alex. I thought really, what did you think would happen?
Pearl - cute, but very of the moment and again may date.
Polly - love. A Polly takes charge.
Prudence (i ike P's !) - love
Audrey - beautiful but increasingly popular - I know a few little ones.
Phyllis - I adore this, possibly because of warm & fuzzy associations with elderly family friend. Love Phyllida even more.
Enid - sorry, too harsh. Prefer Edith if you want an E name.
Sally - pretty and under-used
Mary - a bit blah in comparison to your other choices
Esmeralda (NOT nn Esme though) - sorry, too witchy
Margaret (Maggie) - classic
Juniper - possibly my favourite
Jean - again, a little bit blah. Might work if you had a very frilly or exotic surname.

There was a girl at dd playgroup called Esmerelda, it was shortened to Merry. She was a lovely girl always merry and smiling

IMO don't do Dora-anything, much too popular atm (ie the explorer)
I Gwendolyn but only cos i named my favourite doll that name

Still loving Polly (never met a bad one) and Mary (ditto)

Cordelia,phyllis, enid and Prudence-too stern!

Penelope and audrey-luuuuverly!

Pearl and iris- so over..

Jean-middle name

Sally,not really up to much..

esmerelda-reminds me of a cow..

Juniper-reminds me of gin..

Ooo i enjoyed that

From your list I would only choose Iris or Polly.

I always liked Seren too, but found it after I'd had dd flippin registered!

Sorry, not a fan of any of them. Iris is ok. Love Gretta which I think somebody else mentioned, think that's very pretty. What about.......

• Hermione
• Rose
• Audrina
• Aurora
• Emilia
• Alice
• Catherine
• Kate
• Poppy
• Elizabeth
• Jane
• Kitty
• Lydia
• Charlotte
• Sophia
• Issabella
• Lauren
• Fiona
• Lindsay
• Kimberly
• Jemima
• Beatrice
• Matilda
• Trudi
• Georgia
• Ethal
• Janette
• Julia
• Juliet
• Joanne

???

Gwendolen (nn Winnie) - don't really like
Winifred (nn Winnie) - ditto
Iris - Lovely, lovely name (though I know 2 under 5 years old so maybe getting more popular. Hwvr, if my friend had not got there first I would have this top of my list)
Dorothy - Like others I prefer Dorothea. Infact I love Dorothea, nn Dora or Thea
Cordelia - OK but very Sloaney
Penelope - don't like
Pearl - not so keen
Polly - OK but a bit boring
Prudence (i ike P's !) - hate it
Audrey - Lovely name.
Phyllis - No.
Enid - OK
Sally - So dull. Dull, dull, dull
Mary - ditto
Esmeralda (NOT nn Esme though) - no
Margaret (Maggie)
Juniper
Jean

I love Cordelia

I like Mary,Polly,Margaret and possibly Sally,all the rest are awful I'm afraid.

I like Juniper and Iris. Not keen on any of the others TBH.

My favourites are Polly and Penelope (Penny for short).

I love Iris! Polly is nice too, but not so sure about the others. Two of the names listed are my middle names!

At a push, the only ones on your list I like are Audrey (but I'm not sure what it is I like about it) and Enid.

I quite like Edith and I love Margot (would have loved to call a DD that but DH said no way ).

Out of those , the only ones I really like are Jean and Mary. My aunt is Jean and she is a fab person, so that maybe sways me a bit. Mary I have always liked - people say it is a bit plain, but there are not an awful lot of Marys around now, so could be a bit unusual, without being weird IYSWIM.

Not really keen on any of them - most seem quite old-fashioned and harsh-sounding. If I had to choose one I would choose Polly or Sally. My dd1 (nearly 5) is very fond of the name Penelope and is always calling her cuddlies and dolls Penelope.

If you like P's, how about Poppy?

How about Felicity? Flic for short?

ps, I love Winifred/Winnie! Winifred Pearl. Aw...

That's a great list. I love Penelope with Polly for short. Cordelia with Coco or Didi for short. Margaret with Margot, Maggie or Greta for short.

Jean is OK but Jeannie is gorgeous. Not keen on Prudence. It's so Pious and sanctimonious. I want to slap her. Dorothy is OK but I prefer Thea, so Dorothea would lend itself better to that.

What else? Iris I like but don't love. Iris and Esme already sound a bit blah to me now. I know a couple of each. Phyllis reminds me of Syphillis. I'm sorry.