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Baby names

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

Original poster

Narrowing down boy/girl top two

39 replies

MamaLoLo1 · 02/10/2025 21:29

We don't know the gender and I'm struggling with the lack of direction for both boy and girl names so I'd welcome any help in narrowing down some frontrunners!

For a boy:
Rudy
Lucien
Jesse

For a girl:
Sylvie
Valerie
Nancy

Would love to hear other similar names that we might have overlooked too

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AgnesMcDoo · 02/10/2025 22:38

I’m Scottish so Jesse is a girls name to me (or a gay slur if a boy) and I don’t either of the other boys names

Sylvie and Nancy are gorgeous.

Original poster
MamaLoLo1 · 02/10/2025 22:17

Moreteaandchocolate · 02/10/2025 22:13

Lucien is my favourite of your boy’s names.

Rudy - shortens to Rude..
Jesse - still feels too feminine to me even though it’s a boys name with this spelling

Sylvie and Nancy are nice from your girls ideas

Valerie feels old fashioned to me and I dislike “Val”

Do you like

Cyrus
Leon
Silus
Enzo
Caspar
Joel
Jonas
Ivan / Ivo
Jude
Milo
Levi
Rufus
Koby
Dexter
Toby
Rex
Reuben
Felix
Laurence
Evan
Harvey
Ethan

Selena
Celeste
Margot
Martha
Mabel
Verity
Vivien
Claudia
Genevieve
Heidi
Polly
Violet
Ruby
Marceline (“Marcie”)
Miriam (“Miri”)
Jocelyn (“Joss / Josie / Jonie”)
Lorelei
Colette
Serena
Tess

Reuben I love but friends have one! There are so many on your girls list that I love. Selena, Celeste, Heidi and Marceline especially! I'll put them forward.

OP posts:
Original poster
MamaLoLo1 · 02/10/2025 22:14

Calliopespa · 02/10/2025 21:36

I like Lucien and Sylvie too!

Can you give us a couple of words that you feel describe the vibe of these names so we can think of other suggestions? To me Rudy and Jesse are similar but Lucien very different.

Girls I am thinking you are wanting "old lady name revival?"

I hadn't realised the old lady name vibe! Continental maybe for girl names? An ageless name... Not too trendy but not twee?

I see what you mean about the boy names. Again, not a fad name or anything overtly 'cool' but not too out there either?

OP posts:
Moreteaandchocolate · 02/10/2025 22:13

Lucien is my favourite of your boy’s names.

Rudy - shortens to Rude..
Jesse - still feels too feminine to me even though it’s a boys name with this spelling

Sylvie and Nancy are nice from your girls ideas

Valerie feels old fashioned to me and I dislike “Val”

Do you like

Cyrus
Leon
Silus
Enzo
Caspar
Joel
Jonas
Ivan / Ivo
Jude
Milo
Levi
Rufus
Koby
Dexter
Toby
Rex
Reuben
Felix
Laurence
Evan
Harvey
Ethan

Selena
Celeste
Margot
Martha
Mabel
Verity
Vivien
Claudia
Genevieve
Heidi
Polly
Violet
Ruby
Marceline (“Marcie”)
Miriam (“Miri”)
Jocelyn (“Joss / Josie / Jonie”)
Lorelei
Colette
Serena
Tess

Treeleaf11 · 02/10/2025 22:01

I only like Nancy from your list

LivingTheDreamish · 02/10/2025 22:00

Objectively I like Lucien but would avoid personally because of the connection to Lucifer. I like Sylvie best from your girl list.

Nina
Marcia
Rory
Ralph

SkaneTos · 02/10/2025 21:48

Rudy and Nancy are my favourites from your list.

Firebird83 · 02/10/2025 21:46

Similar girls names

Daphne
Audrey
Dorothy
Margot
Rosalie
Felicity
Nellie
Verity
Gloria
Cecily
Marianne

watermybegonias · 02/10/2025 21:41

No to Jesse as it can be for either gender, and I dislike names like that. Also ‘you big Jessie’ is an insult - and the spelling won’t matter.

Rudy and Sylvia are my favourites.

Firebird83 · 02/10/2025 21:39

Jesse and Valerie

Sleepnplay · 02/10/2025 21:37

Jesse and Sylvie for me too, especially love Jesse.

Calliopespa · 02/10/2025 21:36

I like Lucien and Sylvie too!

Can you give us a couple of words that you feel describe the vibe of these names so we can think of other suggestions? To me Rudy and Jesse are similar but Lucien very different.

Girls I am thinking you are wanting "old lady name revival?"

mdinbc · 02/10/2025 21:34

Jesse can be used male or female, so I would eliminate that.

I like Lucien and Sylvie the best, but I am French ancestry so lean that way!

Cinaferna · 02/10/2025 21:30

I like Jesse for a boy and Sylvie for a girl.