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Baby names

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

Original poster

Sapphire

86 replies

Babyhasnoname · 18/07/2025 10:21

I know it's not the most popular but is it unusable?

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DiscoBeat · 24/07/2025 01:31

Isitreallysohard · 20/07/2025 23:22

  1. Could this person be taken seriously as a lawyer, Dr etc? Eg I'd never hire a lawyer called Poppy or Molly or Milly etc.
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Why on earth not?

RogueFemale · 24/07/2025 01:11

PaLilli60 · 21/07/2025 00:30

I don't agree that Poppy, Milly or Molly are problematic but I do agree with the point in general that certain names may have negative connotations that wrongly or not may hinder life opportunities or ease of access to opportunities, or how they are treated or perceived, and that parents should consider this. It's not fair or how it should be, but it's the reality

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I don't think it's about fairness. It's the same with childish names that infantilise adults whether they're male or female. But it's worse for women as we already have to contend with the patriarchy, without adding to it with a lightweight frilly name.

A name such as Sapphire will inevitably evoke - in some men, not all - ideas of porn or strippers.

As another poster said, it does sound a lot like Sophia, so that'd be a good compromise.

RogueFemale · 24/07/2025 00:57

Isitreallysohard · 20/07/2025 23:22

  1. Could this person be taken seriously as a lawyer, Dr etc? Eg I'd never hire a lawyer called Poppy or Molly or Milly etc.
Show quote history

Agree.

Shnuzzbucket · 22/07/2025 16:56

PaLilli60 · 20/07/2025 23:17

Sapphire does sound like a stripper name. What about Seraphina? Similar sounds but I think more sophisticated

I LOVE!! Seraphina

Shnuzzbucket · 22/07/2025 16:56

Emanwenym · 18/07/2025 18:51

The car was Zafira.

Yes - but the sound is very close

GlaikitWeeNyaff · 21/07/2025 18:25

TheyreLikeUsButRichAndThin · 21/07/2025 17:38

What do you think of Safiya then? Seems elegant to me but is Sapphire with a different emphasis. The associations and judgments re chavvy/posh are rather arbitrary.

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I’ve never heard the name Safiya, but it has a nice ring to it

Emanwenym · 21/07/2025 17:42

@TheyreLikeUsButRichAndThin ,they are different names.

TheyreLikeUsButRichAndThin · 21/07/2025 17:38

GlaikitWeeNyaff · 21/07/2025 00:28

Saffron is elegant; Sapphire is a stripper name, sorry

What do you think of Safiya then? Seems elegant to me but is Sapphire with a different emphasis. The associations and judgments re chavvy/posh are rather arbitrary.

Ddakji · 21/07/2025 17:22

Wow, lots of MN snobbery in this thread. Stripper name, looks better with an a? God, listen to yourselves.

WaltzingWaters · 21/07/2025 12:34

LucasBuck · 18/07/2025 10:35

On principle it should be - after all, if you can have Ruby, Amber, Pearl, Emerald…but realistically I think it’s a bit like Crystal - very pretty but there’s always going to be some people who think “stripper” with Sapphire. I think once I’d heard it on a child, I would just associate it with them iykwik? but yes, on first hearing the name randomly it is a bit exotic dancer. Where as similar Saffron “Saffy”, just has faint hippy vibes instead.

Completely agree with all of this!

ClaredeBear · 21/07/2025 12:29

SaintGermain · 18/07/2025 11:04

It was good enough for Joanna Lumley!

I know a a Sapphire, it suits her as she very attractive.

My thoughts exactly 😃

GoldDuster · 21/07/2025 12:25

I think of the dad's girlfriend in the Billionaire Boy BBC adaptation. It's classic stripper unfortunately, which is a shame as in essence it's not terrible, but the connotations aren't great.

itsallabitofamystery · 21/07/2025 12:13

I know a Sapphire, she’s 16 and hates it. Goes by the name of Saffy.

JaneEyre40 · 21/07/2025 11:59

hattie43 · 18/07/2025 10:31

Nailed it

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Is a spice better than a stripper though?

Marcipix · 21/07/2025 11:54

I know a Sapphira and people just think she’s said Sophia 😐

RedRec · 21/07/2025 11:51

And meant to add on my last post that I think Sapphire is a beautiful name. Have never seen it mentioned on here before and feel that it is just the right kind of unusual. Go for it, OP.

RedRec · 21/07/2025 11:45

Emanwenym · 21/07/2025 08:52

Joanna Lumley didn't have a bowl haircut in Sapphire & Steel. She had rhe 'Purdey cut' in The New Avengers.

I was about to say the same but just checked to see if anyone else had said it first. I know it well as am of an age where we all had the Purdey haircut at some point!

user1492757084 · 21/07/2025 11:28

Sapphire and Sapphira - both great choices.

Joanna is also a great name.

yellowdress34 · 21/07/2025 09:01

I love it.

Emanwenym · 21/07/2025 08:52

Joanna Lumley didn't have a bowl haircut in Sapphire & Steel. She had rhe 'Purdey cut' in The New Avengers.

Sapphire
Spirallingdownwards · 21/07/2025 08:42

Unexpectedlysinglemum · 21/07/2025 08:37

She was saffron.

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No she wasn't. Joanne Lumley was Sapphire in Sapphire and Steel.

I think you are thinking of Julia Sawalha as Saffy/Saffron in Ab Fab

Unexpectedlysinglemum · 21/07/2025 08:38

Bengenderson · 20/07/2025 23:28

I'd never hire a lawyer called Poppy or Molly or Milly etc.

Why?

Plenty will be called them in ten years

Unexpectedlysinglemum · 21/07/2025 08:37

SaintGermain · 18/07/2025 11:04

It was good enough for Joanna Lumley!

I know a a Sapphire, it suits her as she very attractive.

She was saffron.

Unexpectedlysinglemum · 21/07/2025 08:36

Shar270 · 18/07/2025 10:27

I really like Saffie, but I'd go for Saffron over Sapphire. Sapphire sounds a bit like a stripper name to me.

I agree

SnowFrogJelly · 21/07/2025 01:07

Nooooooo