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Baby names

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

Help with girl names shortlist

30 replies

Millie654 · 08/11/2025 23:29

Hi all,
We have the following shortlist for girls names... 3 picked by me, 3 picked by my partner... we can't seem to agree on any!

Annabella
April
Heidi
Mia
Piper
Sofia

Please could we have your thoughts on each / favourites to help us narrow it down?

Thank you!

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Peternell · 10/11/2025 01:55

Annabella is too frilly for me, but I do like Annabel and Anna.
April - sweet and quirky.
Heidi - I dislike this - feels shallow and for a little kid nickname only.
Mia - lovely but only if you're happy with lots of similar names around with various pronunciations.
Piper - quirky like April, and I like it.
Sofia - a good name, popular - which is a plus for some people, a negative for others.

mathanxiety · 09/11/2025 23:21

I really only like Sofia from your list.

Annabella is too frilly imo - Annabel is nicer.
Arabella is also nice as an alternative.

Piper is nice too imo.

Not keen on the rest.

lucylox · 09/11/2025 23:01

Annabella - ok but a bit frilly sounding for me. Prefer just Anna.

April - really like this, not too common but a solid, timeless name. Was on our list.

Heidi - always loved this name. Obviously reminds me of a little girl in the mountains but there are worse things to associate with a name. Think it’s both strong and pretty.

Mia - meh. It’s fine but very common and a bit wet imo.

Piper - another strong name but I just don’t like it for some reason. Sounds a bit harsh. Reminds me more of a dog name.

Sofia - again, quite beige but nothing wrong with it. It’s pretty but there are loads of them.

My favourites by a country mile are April and Heidi. I feel like Robyn, Beatrice and Erin also fit your strong but pretty style.

Elephantangel1991 · 09/11/2025 22:42

Annabella - ok. Lots of Annabel, Arabella etc. I prefer either Anna or Bella, or Isabella
April - feels dowdy to me
Heidi - a bit twee but ok
Mia - fine, inoffensive
Piper - reminds me of Charmed but that is my age!
Sofia - I love it spelt Sophia. Popular but a great name.

FancyBiscuitsLevel · 09/11/2025 21:24

I know two dogs called Piper so I’d avoid that for a human.

otherwise all lovely.

Mia is very popular, so as someone who was always “first name, first initial of surname” as there was 4 of my name in my primary class, I’d rule that out.

I agree with others that the spelling Sophia is nicer than Sofia.

Annabella is a bit of a mouthful. But lovely.

Think Heidi is my favourite.

17caterpillars1mouse · 09/11/2025 21:20

Annabella - pretty nane, classical..a bit frilly for my tastes, I prefer just Annabel, but still lovely.

April - gorgeous. Underused name

Heidi - a bit twee

Mia - ok but they are everywhere

Piper - i like it, ive only ever met one. But its a cool name, fondly reminds me of Charmed

Sofia - done to death, I find it a bit meh

17caterpillars1mouse · 09/11/2025 21:19

Annabella - pretty nane, classical..a bit frilly for my tastes, I prefer just Annabel, but still lovely.

April - gorgeous. Underused name

Heidi - a bit twee

Mia - ok but they are everywhere

Piper - i like it, ive only ever met one. But its a cool name, fondly reminds me of Charmed

Sofia - done to death, I find it a bit meh

DuchessOfNarcissex · 09/11/2025 11:45

@IggyAce , Sofia and Sophia are both very popular, they're everywhere. If you treat them as one name, it's the most registered girl's name by quite a lot.

TessSaysYes · 09/11/2025 11:43

Heidi and Annabella

dailyconniptions · 09/11/2025 11:42

April and Heidi are the best there.

IggyAce · 09/11/2025 11:37

Annabella - too frilly
April - ok not my taste but a nice name
Heidi - love this
Mia - overused and a bit safe.
Piper - like this
Sofia - nice name not as popular as Sophie but I prefer Sofia.

CJones11 · 09/11/2025 11:29

Annabella - quite fussy and flimsy in comparison to the rest. But does have lots of variations.
April - strong name, not overly used but for some reason I'm not keen.
Heidi - love this name.
Mia - like this but we seem to be in an era of 'M' names for girls.
Piper - love this name.
Sofia - much prefer this spelling. Nice name.

JDM625 · 09/11/2025 11:27

DuchessOfNarcissex · 09/11/2025 11:25

Avril is awful. Too close to Bovril.

Oh dear, I've never thought of that 😬

DuchessOfNarcissex · 09/11/2025 11:25

Avril is awful. Too close to Bovril.

Prokovopera · 09/11/2025 11:07

Annabella - a silly name
April - great, especially if born in April
Heidi - I love this
Mia - seems a bit me, me, me
Piper - yuk
Sofia - I like it, but prefer Sophia spelling

JDM625 · 09/11/2025 10:17

Annabella- too long. Prefer Annabelle.
April- Nice. I also like Avril
Heidi- Nice. Not too common, but a name people can pronounce.
Mia- Its ok, but feels more like a nn or shortened version of something
Piper- Don't like. I can't imagine it on a woman. Dr Piper Surname, or the CEO is Piper Surname. Strangely, I can imagine Pippa on a grown woman though.
Sofia- It ok, but too common and reminds me of Sofia Petrillo, a character from The Golden Girls.

DuchessOfNarcissex · 09/11/2025 10:03

Annabella - too long and frilly, will be Anna or Bella. Ella names done to death.
April - Ape
Heidi - I like it
Mia - mere. Overused and meh.
Piper - nice as a surname, but Pied Piper and Piper Alpha.
Sofia - Sofa. Sophia is better but both overused.

Moreteaandchocolate · 09/11/2025 10:00

Annabella - lovely - and she can go by Annie / Bella if she chooses (I prefer the simpler Annabel myself)

April - nice name - the only thing is that as it’s fairly unusual, she might get asked “were you born in April?” often, if that bothers you? Pretty name though.

Heidi - love this - one of my favourites- love the sound of it - the long “i” sounds modern with all the popularity of Ivy, Isla etc - yet Heidi isn’t too popular.

Mia - gorgeous but so so popular round here with all the Mia, Maya, Maia, Myas etc, and there are two possible pronunciations. It’s quite trendy too, so may date, if that bothers you? I do like it though.

Piper - I’m not too keen on this as I don’t know anyone with the name - I just think of it as someone who plays the pipes! It could grow on me though.

Sofia - such a soft, pretty sound, I can see why it’s so popular, but only go for this if you like your surname as she may well be Sofia surname in school as there are so many around (including the Sophia spelling). I still like it though.

GreyhoundGal1 · 09/11/2025 09:00

I like Heidi and April the best because they're heard of but not overdone. Mia and Sofia are nice but very popular so you could rule them out if you need to find reasons to eliminate. Annabella is a bit too fussy for me, and Piper reads quite modern and American and different from the rest.

Mumofgirls2017 · 09/11/2025 08:57

Love Annabelle, Annabella also nice though a bit frilly
like Heidi and Piper though worry the latter may date
not v excited about the others but personal taste!

Mummy1blue · 09/11/2025 07:49

OopsieeDaisy · 08/11/2025 23:37

April is lovely. Annabella is a bit too long and fussy imo but I love Annabelle/Annabel. I like Sofia but personally prefer the spelling Sophia. Mia is ok too. I’m less keen on Heidi and Piper but they are both perfectly inoffensive.

I came on here to say, I have a Sophia and I always said it would have to be the Sophia way.

second choice would be Mia.

Daffy18 · 09/11/2025 07:46

Love Heidi the rest are just a bit dull or overused in my opinion

CurlewKate · 09/11/2025 06:49

Annabel

TheBlueUser · 09/11/2025 05:06

I like Annabelle the best (not with an 'a' on the end though). It's elegant and timeless, and there is lots of options for shortening, which gives her some autonomy when she's older on how she wants to be known - I like this about my own name.

Second choice would be piper, I know a girl called piper and she goes by 'pips' to those close to her - I've also heard of it being shortened to 'pipes'.

Heidi and Mia I have nothing against, just not my first choices.

I don't like April or Sofia, April I don't think it sounds good as a name and I think Sofia is quite harsh sounding.

Hysterectomynext · 09/11/2025 03:51

Annabelle is lovely
piper and April I are not my type
mia is ok
sofia Sophia is ok
heidi not a nice sound to me
but that’s not really helping you. I’m just one person. Whatever you choose will be lovely when you see your baby. Congratulations!