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Baby names

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

Original poster

Effie or Pippa

83 replies

Clearlynoti · 29/10/2025 14:01

Hi all, so I posted last night about whether we should spell Effie as Effie or Effy. I think Effie won by far. However this has reopened the conversation on if we should use Pippa instead.
We have an older DD but I’m reluctant to share her name as it was mentioned on a different thread and very unpopular.

We are pretty much down to Effie or Pippa, not really looking for other options, nor do we really care if you think they are both awful. We won’t be doing full names as we prefer the shortened version and we stuck to that with DD1.

I guess my question is Effie or Pippa?
Please be kind and consider I’m not actually asking your thoughts on the names or whether you would use them or what you would use instead. If you don’t like either name feel free not to vote and scroll on!

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thecountrywife · 04/11/2025 14:52

I think Effie is more a similar style to Gigi but prefer Pippa.

PutAPinInIt · 04/11/2025 11:45

Effie just makes me thinks of hunger games

AutumnCosy2025 · 04/11/2025 11:43

I hope you stick with Pippa.

If you're in England the pronunciation of Effie would be awful.

IMO Pippa goes much better with Gigi & your surname.

not that you seem bothered, but others have commented about it not being great for an adult. I know one in her 40'd & one in her 70's, both are/were professionals & the name suits them & doesn't seem childish.

Advocodo · 04/11/2025 11:33

Neither! Sorry.

namechange92873636 · 03/11/2025 21:55

Is your DD1 called diaeresis?

LivingTheDreamish · 03/11/2025 21:33

I like Pippa

Elephantangel1991 · 03/11/2025 18:45

Not much help but I really like both Effie and Pippa. Really lovely names.

OnlyOnAFriday · 29/10/2025 23:20

I don’t think the hard P of Pippa goes with the hard B of Brazier. Phillipa goes better or Effie.

JudgeBread · 29/10/2025 23:09

I like Effie. Reminds me of the character from Skins who I was actually fond of despite her being mostly awful lmao.

I think Effie goes better with both your surname and her sister's name too. Pippa sounds twee next to Gigi.

Coffeebreakneeds · 29/10/2025 23:01

With your oldest DD name I think Pippa sounds better. Effie and your eldest just sounds like a lot of letters in the run of the alphabet together. But go with what you love. Your DD will become her name and you are the ones using it every day. Makes a change to see some different names.

Hiptothisjive · 29/10/2025 22:53

Philippa and call her Pippa. She can then decide which version she likes when she is okder as Pippa can be a little bit little girl.

Cat1504 · 29/10/2025 22:52

i don’t like either of them

theunbreakablecleopatrajones · 29/10/2025 22:51

Effie is too close to eff off and really is too nicknamey for a full name

Pippa is much better

Moreteaandchocolate · 29/10/2025 18:17

Pippa Juliette is beautiful 🤩

Cardomomle · 29/10/2025 16:45

Clearlynoti · 29/10/2025 16:17

Thank you everyone.

DH is now team Pippa (he did this with our first too where he wanted Effie for weeks then out of nowhere decided he preferred Gigi).

Now we just have to decide on a middle name, we don’t use family names for middle names mainly as we prefer to just pick names we like.

We have Gigi Madeleine so I’m thinking either Pippa Juliette or Pippa Evangeline.

Both of those are very pretty. I have a slight preference for Evangeline.

mcmuffin22 · 29/10/2025 16:29

Cardomomle · 29/10/2025 15:35

Is that Efrosini, like the place, or is that a different name?

Show quote history

I didn't know it was a place. I suspect it was quite popular in the 70s and 80s as those I know of are in their 40s/early 50s now.

mangoandmelonsmoothie · 29/10/2025 16:28

I’m so pleased the conversation has reopened as I’d imagined potential unkind comments related to the F word. (Many decades spent in schools you see.)
Pippa is lovely and I adore Gigi.

Original poster
Clearlynoti · 29/10/2025 16:17

Thank you everyone.

DH is now team Pippa (he did this with our first too where he wanted Effie for weeks then out of nowhere decided he preferred Gigi).

Now we just have to decide on a middle name, we don’t use family names for middle names mainly as we prefer to just pick names we like.

We have Gigi Madeleine so I’m thinking either Pippa Juliette or Pippa Evangeline.

OP posts:
Hysterectomynext · 29/10/2025 16:11

Happyapplesanspears · 29/10/2025 15:09

Gigi and Effie sound odd together like you have chosen names 2 names that sound like letters.

I hadn’t noticed this! But I voted Effie and Gigi

I actually know someone called Bebe (bee bee) so that could be for next baby. I love Bebe too

Hysterectomynext · 29/10/2025 16:06

Gigi is a fantastic name! I only know one and have always thought her mum made a brilliant choice.

I like Effie but I haven’t heard of it before. People won’t always like the names you choose and of course we all have different associations with different names but I strongly believe the child makes the name their own and then you can’t imagine any other name for them.

have you asked what Gigi would choose for sissy?

(my friend was named by her 5 year old brother and has a Disney name!)

Mauvehoodie · 29/10/2025 16:05

I like Gigi! And think it sounds lovely with Pippa which I also love. Both strong names and work well together and separately. Effie sounds a bit weak to my ears, both in comparison to Gigi and alone and also potentially a bit twee with Gigi as both end in "ee" sound.

Cardomomle · 29/10/2025 15:56

HillOf · 29/10/2025 15:55

And doesn’t Amy Ashe in What Katy Did Next have a doll named after her?

Show quote history

Did she? I can't remember that!
Poor Effie 😭

HillOf · 29/10/2025 15:55

Cardomomle · 29/10/2025 15:45

I always think of Effie Deans from The Heart of Midlothian.

And doesn’t Amy Ashe in What Katy Did Next have a doll named after her?

Cardomomle · 29/10/2025 15:45

I always think of Effie Deans from The Heart of Midlothian.

youngerself · 29/10/2025 15:44

AtomicPumpkin · 29/10/2025 14:27

Effie sounds like a Victorian housemaid who came to a bad end.

Edited

Exactly my feelings about the name!
It really does sound like a poor housemaid who comes a cropper with the cad of a son in the house she works at

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