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Baby names

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

Original poster

DH hates the name I want - Esme

81 replies

kerala · 11/05/2008 08:22

He says it is pretentious and disputes it is a real name . He doesnt like my second choice either. He is a lovely man and usually gives in but he is sticking on this. He wants no. 3 below, I want 1 or 2, although I like 3 too.

Current choices are:

  1. Esme Anna
  2. Sylvia Mary
  3. Elspeth Anna

Any thoughts?!

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PuppyMonkey · 17/05/2008 21:25

WTF? Esme is a gorgeous name and I should know. I have one.

Divorce your husband immediately!

Mojomummy · 17/05/2008 19:28

Esme is a beautiful name, are you pronoucing it as Es-MAY though or Es-ME ?

I think Es-May sounds odd, like EsssssMAAAAAAAAy

Don;t like Elspeth (image of roller in hair), don't like Sylvia (can see the image of red lips & fag)

EsmeWeatherwax · 13/05/2008 18:51

I love the name Esme, obviously! But Sylvia is a beautiful name also.

lydiathetattooedlady · 13/05/2008 18:48

my dd is called esme, i obviously don't think it is pretentious! we chose it as dd's father is half french and it was/used to be a popular french name apparently so his nanna says! though we spell it the british way! don't know if that helps, but people always say what a lovely name and how its unusual to hear it now, at least round here anyway.
love sylvie too it is my cousins daughters name!

frauster · 13/05/2008 18:40

In truth, I do find Esme a bit Addams Family-esque. I'd compromise with Sylvia Mary - very distinguished.

seeker · 13/05/2008 18:31

My dd has a friend called Esme. I just asked dd if the friend likes it, and she says she loves it, except that everyone says Esmie instead of Esmey and that really winds her up. Don't know if this contributes to the conversation at all.....!

Nancy66 · 11/05/2008 23:44

I love all your name choices. Esme is a great name - and really, really like Sylvie/Sylvia.

dizzydixies · 11/05/2008 20:45

chuffing I completely agree but what's worse is my dh now LIKES the name I was desperate for when pg with dd2 and all the reasons he gave me for not liking it are still fresh in my memory so not sure about using it this time if a girl, sigh, they shouldn't be allowed to play games with your mind

DiscoDizzy · 11/05/2008 20:27

I'll be honest, I don't really like any of the names, except Anna and as its listed in both your suggestions, why not call her that.

chuffingnora · 11/05/2008 20:23

I told DH I'd hold my breath till I got to use my choice of name, and the bar steward let me.

I distinctly remember scribbling in eyeliner on the back of an envelope "This might harm the baby" - all he said was "Naughty Mummy" - it stinks when they won't play fair and just let you choose the name in return for carrying the child, I think (the peevedness is alway close to the surface with me.....)

dizzydixies · 11/05/2008 19:21

I love Sylvie but dh won't budge

itsahardknocklife · 11/05/2008 19:19

I love the name Esme. It's gorgeous. I don't like Anna personally, but it's ok for a middle name.
Sylvia Mary is great! Before we knew we were having a boy Sylvia was top of the list for a girl. She would have been named after Sylvia Plath, my fave poet. And Sylvia means 'from the forest', which I think is beautiful.
I don't mind the name Elspeth, but wouldn't use it personally as my nan's name is Elsbeth (she is German, so maybe it's a German thing) and we agreed not to name any kids after family members.

Califrau · 11/05/2008 19:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

expatinscotland · 11/05/2008 18:55

Elspeth is a shortened form of Elizabeth, though.

MargaretMountford · 11/05/2008 18:28

ds has an Esme in his class - lovely name - def not pretentious either

Califrau · 11/05/2008 18:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BumperliciousNeedsToSleep · 11/05/2008 18:21

I know a baby Esme and she is lovely. It's a gorgeous name, unusual without being off the wall.

janeite · 11/05/2008 18:15

Harriet is a TOP name - love it!

MerryMarigold · 11/05/2008 17:16

think 'elspeth' is just as pretentious as esme tbh and not as pretty. he obv just doesn't like it and so making up a reason. i like sylvia best.

dh and i couldn't agree on ANY boys names until one week before he was born (and he was late)!

nkf · 11/05/2008 17:03

If he hates it, you can't have it. Think how annoying it would be to give your child a name you hate.

Pixiepod · 11/05/2008 17:02

Why not Anna as a first name? Seems to be the name you do both like, plus it is classic yet still sounds fresh today. It's pretty too.

Have to say that Elspeth although a great name in its own right, isn't as pretty as some of the other old-fashioned names ie Charlotte or Harriet. It would be hard to carry off. Agree though that Elsa is lovely for short.

DANCESwithLordPottingtonSmythe · 11/05/2008 16:33

Definitely Esme best out of those choices. I love it. It's Granny Weatherwax's first name in the disc world novels and she's a FAB character

ChippyMinton · 11/05/2008 16:30

Have just read a book called "The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox", where Esme was short for Euphemia! I like Esme.

Sylvie is lovely, Sylvia a bit old-fashioned.

windygalestoday · 11/05/2008 16:30

I cant/drent read any of the post we have 3 ds and would love daughter and Esme is what we would call her its beautiful unusual and vvv pretty

mloo · 11/05/2008 16:28

How is Esme pretentious & Elspeth isnt? Elspeth sounds like mispelt-misspoken Elisabeth, too -- ie, something not "real"
-- [geuinely confused]