Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

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

Original poster

Eliza or Esmée?

54 replies

Anametolove · 07/02/2024 20:14

Just that, really, DD2 due in a few weeks and we were set on Esmée (spelt this way as half our family is French), but DH threw Eliza in the mix, and I really like it too.

Both would go well with our simple surname of one syllable.

So coming here for a quick poll. Would love to hear your opinion on which name is your favourite and why :)

Thanks!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
HowDoTheyGetThroughLife · 08/02/2024 21:17

We've got an Eliza. Love the name.

PrawnDumplings · 08/02/2024 21:12

💛 French names!

Élise
Sylvie
Camille
Lia
Chloë
Sabine
Eloise

PrawnDumplings · 08/02/2024 21:03

Eliza!

MrsTerryPratchett · 08/02/2024 01:06

Emmeline?

Eloise and Elodie are both nice as well. I LOVE Elenor.

Ditzydaisychain · 07/02/2024 23:58

I really like Eliza. I recently met someone who pronounces it differently.
Usually i had heard people say E-lie-za.
But this one was E-lee-za which I thought was so pretty. I think her parents are Eastern European, possibly polish so that might be why it’s pronounced differently.

I am from the north of England and I don’t like how people pronounce Esme around here.

Veggie1961 · 07/02/2024 23:52

I would go for Esme or Eliza . Both lovely names . Esmee with the accent is too complicated unless you live in France.

UsualChaos · 07/02/2024 23:42

Aziliz is pretty too, although Breton as opposed to French.

PickledScrump · 07/02/2024 23:39

Esme/esmae/esmee was very popular 10-15 years ago so may be a bit dated in the uk. As well as the spelling issues there’s also pronouncing es-me vs es-may constantly correcting people. Seems a bit of a PITA name to give a child.

Eliza is a lovely name, the one I knew went by fulll name or just Liza.

BeingATwatItsABingThing · 07/02/2024 23:39

Eliza definitely

UsualChaos · 07/02/2024 23:38

Love both! Shame it's not twins!

Fetaa · 07/02/2024 23:36

Esther

MrsArcher23 · 07/02/2024 23:32

I personally prefer Esmée , especially as she has a French mother. My father insisted on calling me Michèle and that's the name I've used for over 50 years. Yes, I do have to correct the spelling but I like that it's unusual.

bleuclair · 07/02/2024 23:25

Eliza

arlequin · 07/02/2024 23:21

How about Alizée? Love that name

YourLocal · 07/02/2024 22:28

Yeah Like Ik someone called Esmai (Es may)

Frogget · 07/02/2024 22:15

Love Eliza. Pretty to look at in writing too.

BungleandGeorge · 07/02/2024 22:03

If she’s half French I like esmee better but could you spell it the English way if she’ll grow up here?
Eliza is ok but quite trendy and doesn’t sound great in French. How about the traditional full name elisabeth and have it as a shortening? Are there any other French names you like?

TerriPie · 07/02/2024 21:47

I'm not keen on Eliza as that reminds me of the online clothes shop and it was also a computer language many years ago.

Love Esmee but I would probably stick to the Esme spelling if you are UK based to avoid a lifetime of having to correct the spelling.

MaloneMeadow · 07/02/2024 21:40

Eliza - so much stronger and prettier. Esmée is too frilly and doesn’t sound like a name to me, just a random sound if I’m completely honest

Blamethrower · 07/02/2024 21:29

Emilie
Edith
Elodie

Original poster
Anametolove · 07/02/2024 21:24

Good to know @theduchessofspork , I wouldn't want the name to come across as pretentious in the Uk if spelt the French way.

OP posts:
Original poster
Anametolove · 07/02/2024 21:23

I like it @VerityUnreasonble but I don't love it, Estelle is a bit dated in France but thanks a lot for the suggestion!

OP posts:
VerityUnreasonble · 07/02/2024 21:22

How about Estelle? would work with the French heritage and is a lovely but not super common name.

Original poster
Anametolove · 07/02/2024 21:21

@PastTheGin @Notalldogs23 good question, it is not a name in France, so people would assume it is an unusual spelling of a derivative of Elise or Eloise, and pronounce it "Eleeza". Only the pronuncuation would differ. That's the difficulty, it works better in the UK than in France. But then it is not so out there that French people would have any difficulty with it (which they would with names like Freya, Maeve, etc).

OP posts:
Onelife2024 · 07/02/2024 21:18

Anametolove · 07/02/2024 21:03

Other options were Isabella and Alice.

ooh I can't seem to be able to make a decision!

i might have the wait for the birth

Love Alice!!

Swipe left for the next trending thread