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Baby names

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

Original poster

Emmeline & Christabel ?

32 replies

Nooniei · 10/04/2024 13:33

Have an Emmeline

Really warming up to Christabel and struggling to agree on names with DH.

Too much?

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bilgewater · 15/04/2024 12:38

I would go for it! I wanted two of these names for Pankhurst reasons, but sadly for us they didn't go well with our surname - too many 'L' sounds at once, so a bit ungainly to pronounce.

Salacia · 15/04/2024 12:10

I met a woman with a baby called Emmeline who was born on the 100th anniversary of the representation of the people’s act. I asked if it was after Pankhurst (especially with the date connection) and she’d never heard of her. We all have different knowledge bases.

IamnotwhouthinkIam · 13/04/2024 01:03

CutPiece · 12/04/2024 23:08

I don’t think it’s that recherché a bit of knowledge, is it? I imagine kids are taught about the Pankhursts at school…?

They’re great names, OP, and if you don’t mind the strong Pankhurst connection (and obviously they’re two terrific namesakes), go for it.

Show quote history

Repectfully, I meet a lot of people from deprived backgrounds in my job and many of them wouldn’t know the names of prominent suffragettes. I agree some may have heard of Emmeline - but Christabel, Adela and Sylvia? I think there will even be many MC University educated people who wouldn’t know (or remember if they were taught) her daughters names.

Original poster
Nooniei · 12/04/2024 23:39

Yes they absolutely would be named for the Pankhursts!

We didn't think we'd do it, we joked about it, but now warming to it...

Maybe a bit odd to have sisters named for mother and daughter?

Figure they'll end up Emmie and Chrissy and it won't seem as much when they get older

OP posts:
Smallyeti · 12/04/2024 23:36

Absolutely love it. Only ever known of one .

BreakfastAtMimis · 12/04/2024 23:35

No, no, no. Emmeline is cute and fairly classic. Christabel is godawful and horrendously dated now anyway.

miniaturepixieonacid · 12/04/2024 23:31

Surely, the OP wants the Pankhurst connection and has chosen it. Emmeline and Christabel are both unusual names, she's not going to have landed on both of them just by coincidence.

CutPiece · 12/04/2024 23:08

IamnotwhouthinkIam · 12/04/2024 23:03

Likely only a certain subset of the population (the well educated and/or feminist) will get the connection - and even if people do, it’s not exactly a bad one, is it?

Go for it OP - Emmeline and Christabel are a lovely sibset, both unusual yet not (due to their similarities to popular Emily and Isabelle), both retro style elegant with some nice nn choices if they want them.

I don’t think it’s that recherché a bit of knowledge, is it? I imagine kids are taught about the Pankhursts at school…?

They’re great names, OP, and if you don’t mind the strong Pankhurst connection (and obviously they’re two terrific namesakes), go for it.

IamnotwhouthinkIam · 12/04/2024 23:03

Likely only a certain subset of the population (the well educated and/or feminist) will get the connection - and even if people do, it’s not exactly a bad one, is it?

Go for it OP - Emmeline and Christabel are a lovely sibset, both unusual yet not (due to their similarities to popular Emily and Isabelle), both retro style elegant with some nice nn choices if they want them.

renthead · 12/04/2024 07:43

It's way too Pankhurst I'm afraid!

AdalineStephen · 12/04/2024 07:35

I think it's too much and a bit odd to have sisters named after a famous mother and daughter, even if they were amazing. They're such distinctive names, it's inescapable.

Notsuretoputit · 12/04/2024 02:22

Both beautiful names but a bit much with the Pankhurst connection, unless you are naming them after the Pankhursts.

Snowontheroof · 12/04/2024 01:17

I have a friend whose daughters are Eleanor and Christabel. Christabel is a lovely name (so is the girl 🙂).

SnowFrogJelly · 12/04/2024 01:16

Pankhurst

Bigearringsbigsmile · 12/04/2024 01:14

Fantastic!!!

miniaturepixieonacid · 12/04/2024 01:12

I think Christabel is a lovely name. The only one I've known was always called Chrissy by her friends though, if that bothers you.

WalkWithMeSuzieLee · 11/04/2024 01:49

It's lovely. She was the strong female lead in the excellent recent book The Whalebone Theatre. Usually shortened to Christa as she grew up.

TheBottomsOfMyTrousersAreRolled · 11/04/2024 01:09

Cheepcheepcheep · 10/04/2024 13:38

Suffragette fan I assume 😂

Lovely names but that’s where my mind would go. Not that it’s a bad thing!

Mine too

Boxerdor · 11/04/2024 01:08

I love emmeline but am not a huge christabel fan. I like Christiana though

MinervaMcGonagallsCat · 11/04/2024 00:52

TimoteiChaletpants · 11/04/2024 00:42

christabel was the favourite child

Poor Adela & Sylvia

Indeed. 🤣

TimoteiChaletpants · 11/04/2024 00:42

christabel was the favourite child

Poor Adela & Sylvia

theduchessofspork · 11/04/2024 00:34

It works well

And why not? Great women to celebrate

DramaAlpaca · 10/04/2024 15:39

Both gorgeous names - as long as you are sure you are happy with nailing your suffragette credentials to the mast as it were.

There's no reason why you shouldn't be, but people will notice, and comment.

Moreteaandchocolate · 10/04/2024 15:37

Christabel sounds a bit frilly or like a Christmas carol to me. I love the nn Christie though, so she can always use that if she dislikes the full name.

Nicebloomers · 10/04/2024 14:44

Lovely choice