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Baby names

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

Original poster

May McManus

111 replies

Evmamai · 13/02/2025 18:28

Hi all, I posted before but looking to know thoughts on this.

We have a toddler named Eve and are expecting baby girl 2. We love the name May it’s our favourite name but our surname is McManus and we are worried it doesn’t flow.

Thoughts on May McManus?

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Original poster
Evmamai · 13/02/2025 20:33

SheridansPortSalut · 13/02/2025 20:32

How about Maeve? It's a bit less of a tongue twister with McManus but you could call her May when not using her last name.

Because Maeve ends in Eve when written they feel too similar on paper.

OP posts:
MirandaBlu · 13/02/2025 20:33

I understand why you question it - with two Ms in the last name, and the first name being one syllable starting in M, it COULD be a bit much. But honestly, it seems fine to me. I would probably not use something like Minnie McManus or Maris McManus, but May seems OK.

(I'm also Scottish and may be used to kind of tuning out all of the Macs and Mcs, though!)

SheridansPortSalut · 13/02/2025 20:32

How about Maeve? It's a bit less of a tongue twister with McManus but you could call her May when not using her last name.

Original poster
Evmamai · 13/02/2025 20:32

ChampagneSuperNova00 · 13/02/2025 20:29

Ha! Mollycoddled describes my dd to a T 😂

Haha, I’m definitely prone to a little mollycoddling with DD myself!

I think Molly is a lovely name and I went to school with a Molly who was very sweet and always kind (one of those girls who was just friends with everyone and no one had a bad word to say about her).

Unfortunately a couple of years ago DH taught a Molly who was … well from what I’ve been told quite the character and rather funny but maybe not the easiest to teach!

OP posts:
ChampagneSuperNova00 · 13/02/2025 20:29

Ha! Mollycoddled describes my dd to a T 😂

Original poster
Evmamai · 13/02/2025 20:27

ChampagneSuperNova00 · 13/02/2025 20:25

I like it because I love alliterative names, but since hearing your description of your dd1 I think Molly goes even better and has a great ring to it

I do like Molly, but DH is not a fan. He says it makes him think of Molly Coddled and a girl he used to teach who made his job … stressful at times.

DH being a teacher has ruled out loads of names for us!

OP posts:
ChampagneSuperNova00 · 13/02/2025 20:26

I’m probably biased because my dd is called molly and is very similar!

ChampagneSuperNova00 · 13/02/2025 20:25

I like it because I love alliterative names, but since hearing your description of your dd1 I think Molly goes even better and has a great ring to it

JanetareyouokareyouokJanet · 13/02/2025 20:21

It’s a great name.

salamithumbs · 13/02/2025 20:20

I think it sounds nice! Irish here so the surname wouldn't strike me as odd at all

Lou205 · 13/02/2025 20:20

Love it OP.

HugoYorway · 13/02/2025 20:19

@Needmorelego , Of course they are.

Snugglemonkey · 13/02/2025 20:16

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Wtf! Lots of people have the surname McManus!! It us every common Irish surname and this is yet another of the nasty anti Irish comments on here. I am reporting. It is racist.

butterfly0404 · 13/02/2025 20:16

May is great, goes wonderfully with your surname x

Mollie McManus
Milaia McManus
Micha McManus

roshi42 · 13/02/2025 20:15

Love it! Think it sounds absolutely meant to be / like it's already a name, if you know what I mean... like if a celebrity was called that I'd think great name. And like of all the options for naming your baby sometimes one just sounds like yes, that's the one. I reckon this is the one!

averythinline · 13/02/2025 20:14

Think it sounds great... Prefer Elizabeth to Victoria as middle as softer abd more rhythmic...the T seems to stop the flow..
My grandma was a Mae .... Never met another..

BootballJoy · 13/02/2025 20:13

Having read the whole thread, although it initially looked like a lot of 'm' sounds, the more I see it the more I like it! I think people would very quickly get used to it - and May is a great first name.

Original poster
Evmamai · 13/02/2025 20:12

fingfong · 13/02/2025 20:03

I'm Scottish and I absolutely LOVE this name! I can just imagine a wee feisty toddler who grows up into a beautiful badass young woman and when she's old she's the matriarch of a whole village . Do it 😊

In my head this little girl will look quite similar to my DD (I know this may not be the case but it’s where my brain goes). And I just can’t see her with Mabel/Rose etc. as lovely as they are I just can’t imagine a little feisty blonde with messy curls being those names.
I think I have my heart set on May which is making other names less appealing too, like when you get your heart set on a specific snack and realise it’s out of stock so end up getting nothing instead!

OP posts:
Scutterbug · 13/02/2025 20:11

Maeve McManus is lovely.

CalliopePlantain · 13/02/2025 20:11

Amy?

I do like May but think it needs another syllable. The only other McManus I can think of is Michelle McManus which doesn’t sound as tongue twistery.

PixieandDelilahsmum · 13/02/2025 20:10

Fabulous name, love the alliteration.

Original poster
Evmamai · 13/02/2025 20:07

Getuptherenow · 13/02/2025 20:01

In Ireland we pronounce mc as mac because that's where it comes from. Mac means 'son of' in Gaelic. The name is son of Manus. Also, how else would you pronounce May other than it rhyming with day? Some of the pronunciation stuff on mumsnet is bizarre.

That’s interesting. I have a friend who is MacManus and we would say her surname with “Mack” but McManus with “Mick”, obviously the origins are the same just said slightly different. Running through all the Macs and Mcs I know I think it’s consistent. Other than off the top of of my head McGovern/MacKellar/McGhie which we say MihGovern and MihKellar, MihGee and so on.
Fascinating how language and pronunciation works.

OP posts:
RitaFromTheRanch · 13/02/2025 20:05

I like it. I like Mabel too

fingfong · 13/02/2025 20:03

I'm Scottish and I absolutely LOVE this name! I can just imagine a wee feisty toddler who grows up into a beautiful badass young woman and when she's old she's the matriarch of a whole village . Do it 😊

IHateWasps · 13/02/2025 20:02

I have just listened to about a dozen English people pronouncing May and it sounds no different to the way that I pronounce it.

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