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

Alma & Inès

84 replies

Clucie · 18/11/2024 08:49

DH and I are expecting twin girls. DH is French but they will be raised mostly in the UK. Our favourite names right now are Alma & Inès.
What's everyone's thoughts?
Full names we are thinking Alma Manon and Inès Maria.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
LadyQuackBeth · 18/11/2024 13:03

I like Alma, but not with Manon. I think it needs a name with more plosive consonants to balance out the soft vowels in Alma:

Alma Colette
Alma Delphine

ThePoshUns · 18/11/2024 12:57

I think they go beautifully together

Leeloo1233 · 18/11/2024 12:49

Also just to add that around 4 years ago everyone here was so against Alma and now most people love it. So I don't think people at MN are usually the most on trend😆

Leeloo1233 · 18/11/2024 12:47

I'm Swedish, DH English, and Alma is MEGA popular in Scandinavia. I find it really funny how people here still call it frumpy or old lady. It is definitely doing a comeback in the UK too, know two babies with very cool parents. Both names are so gorgeous, go for it!

forgivingfiggy · 18/11/2024 11:07

I really like both. Alma was on my list for my second daughter.

thebrowncurlycrown · 18/11/2024 10:51

I love them both. Great choices OP.

InTheRainOnATrain · 18/11/2024 10:50

Alma is lovely! Not sure about it with Manon but the full name is so rarely said it doesn’t matter that much. Ines is also nice but so so popular where I live!

AllTangledUpInTinselAndTiaras · 18/11/2024 10:46

True, I think Alma might be better with a different middle name.

stealthbanana · 18/11/2024 10:44

My 5 year old has a set of twins called Ines & Alma in her class. Beautiful names! I think they go nicely together.

leia24 · 18/11/2024 10:43

I love Alma and Ines.. I don't like Alma Manon at all though it sounds like a tongue twister with Ma Ma

Bristolnewcomer · 18/11/2024 10:41

I think Alma's lovely and Inés is ok but as you can see on this thread few of us know what accent to use or where to find it, which might be annoying for her

GreyhoundGal1 · 18/11/2024 10:41

I love both your first name options, they work really well together. I've never met an Alma and lived in London all my life so to me this doesn't sound old fashioned at all and is quite fresh. Maybe it's a regional thing?

I agree with others that Alma Manon doesn't flow that well, although if you love it it doesn't matter that much because no one really knows middle names. Did you like that Manon is the same root name as Maria and that's why you chose it? If so you could choose a variation of Catherine, which means pure, a very similar meaning to Inès to link the twins and both very classic names. I think Alma Catherine and Inès Maria sound lovely together.

Alternative ideas:
Alma Margot and Inès Maria
Alma Suzanne and Inès Maria
Alma Nadine and Inès Maria

AllTangledUpInTinselAndTiaras · 18/11/2024 10:39

Both are really lovely and Alma might be old-fashioned but it's in the good way IMO.

slinger888 · 18/11/2024 10:38

Ines Manon and Alma Maria flow better I think .

What about Alma Madeleine?

Chattenoire · 18/11/2024 10:38

Alma and Alba have very different meanings though! (In case that matters to you).

Alma = soul
Alba = white

Waterboatlass · 18/11/2024 10:28

Great, if you love Alma, go for it and enjoy!

Middle names, and this is just my taste, I think it would be nice with something with a bit of auditory pep in the initial sound like a plosive /TPBDGK/ (or hard 'c'), or voiced consonant like /V/ /J/ for a contrast to all the softness in Alma.

Not sure if they're you're taste but I like Gaelle and Tiphaine

Clearinguptheclutter · 18/11/2024 10:19

Ines (with the accent that I can’t find) is great
Alma is very old fashioned sounding in the UK
Alba is better

Skybluepinky · 18/11/2024 10:17

Poor Alma has really drawn the short straw, what other options do u have?

TheYearOfSmallThings · 18/11/2024 10:06

Both nice names - Alma is definitely popular for toddlers around east London and Southwest London, although I still struggle to see it as a young name personally.

TinyTear · 18/11/2024 10:05

The issue I have with Ines is the accent
UK keyboards aren't that easy on accents and the accent also changes on different languages so can get confusing

Inès
Inés (Spanish)
Inês (Portuguese)

SirSidneyRuffDiamond · 18/11/2024 10:03

I like both Alma and Inès. I actually think Inès Manon and Alma Maria might flow more easily for English speakers, although I cannot quite put my finger on why.

TokyoSushi · 18/11/2024 10:02

Lovely!

okydokethen · 18/11/2024 10:01

Alma is beautiful as is Inès - great twin names. I'm less keen on second names but only because I don't know them

Cecilly · 18/11/2024 09:59

Both very beautiful names

user1492757084 · 18/11/2024 09:59

Alma and Inez are well suited for twins.

Alma Manon is too tongue twisty when said aloud.

Ines Maria is sweet.

Alma Caroline
Alma Costeen
Alma Harriet
Alma Charlotte
Alma Zoe
Alma Gretal
Alma Louisa
Alma Lilac
Alma Genevieve
Chloe Cosette

Others..
Amelie
Jean
Sabine
Alexandra
Rachel
Rose
Clementine
Sophie