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Baby names

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

Original poster

Which would you choose...

38 replies

Floam6 · 06/10/2024 09:41

Between the following if a girl:

Clara
Eliza
Olivia
Phoebe
Grace

Also, if a boy, is Henry a bad choice to use if there is a cousin called Harry?

Thank you!

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KayEmAy · 07/10/2024 20:55

Brothers would be too close but cousins is totally fine. Henry is adorable.

On your girl list I think Grace is underrated as a first name! A very close runner up would be Phoebe.

HappyDane · 07/10/2024 20:53

1.Grace
2.Olivia

Henry is fine.

CalliopePlantain · 07/10/2024 20:51

Bigearringsbigsmile · 07/10/2024 20:27

So pronounced incorrectly??

Show quote history

No, it is an actual pronunciation. The Clah-rah version is the more continental pronunciation that has become more popular

sadeightiesthrowback · 07/10/2024 20:43

My favorite names on your list for a girl are are Olivia and Eliza.
Olivia has a lovely sound to it I would choose Olivia.

I don't see why your son can't be called Henry when he has a cousin named Harry, even though Harry is the nickname I guess you'd call it, of Henry.
They are two separate names unless your son wants to be called Harry instead of Henry.

DuchessOfSausage · 07/10/2024 20:36

@CalliopePlantain , the Clair-a pronunciation was standard in England until fairly recently.

Bigearringsbigsmile · 07/10/2024 20:27

CalliopePlantain · 07/10/2024 10:28

Clara, if pronounced Clare-ah rather than clah-rah.

Eliza if not.

So pronounced incorrectly??

BoleynMemories13 · 07/10/2024 19:43

Eliza is my favourite but all are nice.

Personally I wouldn't use Henry if there's already a cousin called Harry but clearly I'm in a minority here so I guess you could get away with it.

CalliopePlantain · 07/10/2024 10:28

Clara, if pronounced Clare-ah rather than clah-rah.

Eliza if not.

IamnotwhouthinkIam · 06/10/2024 22:22

The Henry thing would depend - do you mean Harry is yours or your partners cousin? Then since it’s a likely a different generation to your baby, it’s really no big deal imo. But if you mean Harry is your baby’s cousin - and especially if your baby only has a few cousins - then I personally probably wouldn’t as they really are basically the same name (even if not many younger Henry’s do choose to go by Harry these days).

Of your girls choices, I really like elegant, Shakespearean Olivia, despite its popularity. Clara is also quite pretty, in a vintage Victoriana sort of way. I find Eliza a bit harsh sounding, Phoebe sounds slightly cutesy and Grace a bit too dull imo.

confusedlots · 06/10/2024 20:46

Love Clara. It was on my list, along with Celia. Ended up going with Emily, which I know is a lot more popular, but it had always been a favourite of mine.

BootballJoy · 06/10/2024 20:39

Phoebe

Yerdawasasausagemaker · 06/10/2024 18:09

Phoebe however they’re all lovely names really.

Bzgh23 · 06/10/2024 17:53

Eliza

Moreteaandchocolate · 06/10/2024 17:34

My order of preference would be -

  1. Clara (love, would choose if I had another girl)
  2. Phoebe (love)
  3. Eliza (love)
  4. Grace (nice but I know a few non-graceful Graces…!)
  5. Olivia (just so overdone where I live)

Harry and Henry are good for cousins.

user2848502016 · 06/10/2024 15:41

Clara is lovely

Raininginparadise2 · 06/10/2024 15:31

Eliza Grace🥰 Henry is fine.

shoopshoopdedoo · 06/10/2024 15:07

I love Phoebe. Others are nice enough, though I find Eliza and Clara a little bit twee. Grace is nice but I’d worry in case she turned out to be clumsy!

Henry is fine with cousin Harry.

Thewalrusandthecarpenter · 06/10/2024 14:41

Grace or Eliza. But I agree about the surname point - mine starts with an "s" so I ruled out Alice.

DuchessOfSausage · 06/10/2024 14:37

I'd say them out loud with surname and see which you like the sound of.
This.

123Theplotthickens · 06/10/2024 14:31

All are nice names my favourites are Clara, Eliza and Grace. I'd say them out loud with surname and see which you like the sound of.

I have a nephew called Henry and deliberately avoided Harry for that reason. I do think though I probably was cautious because my sibling is very precious.

DuchessOfSausage · 06/10/2024 14:25

Clara - I don't like it
Eliza - not keen on it
Olivia - nice but very popular
Phoebe - like
Grace - like but it might not suit her.

Phoebe is probably the one I'd pick if I had to.

Henry is OK.

Mumofgirls2017 · 06/10/2024 12:35

Clara, or eliza
love Henry, depends on size of family I think

Giggorata · 06/10/2024 11:44

Clara for me and I also like Henry, even if there is a Harry in the vicinity.

Firsttimebabymummy · 06/10/2024 11:40

Clara and Pheobe in that order.

Henry is nice and fine to use xx

LadyMonicaBaddingham · 06/10/2024 11:32

Eliza, Clara, Phoebe, Grace in that order

I don't like Olivia at all anymore; there are just SO MANY now...

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