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Baby names

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

Original poster

What about these names? Undecided

58 replies

PandorasSockBox · 21/01/2026 17:49

James
Richard
Hilary
Frances
Helen
Oliver
Grace
Sebastian
Fiona
Anne
Rosalind
Matthew
Neil
Toby
Ian
Nicholas
Simon
Trudi
Annette
Joanna
David
Alexander
Catherine
Jane

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CherryVanillaPie · 24/01/2026 12:42

James and Catherine

Hohofortherobbers · 24/01/2026 10:33

PandorasSockBox · 23/01/2026 22:22

Alexander has never been in the running, far too pretentious!
We will go with family names.

Why put it on your short list then. I actually think its a lovely name with nice nickname choices too.

Emanwenym · 24/01/2026 01:50

Alexander has never been in the running, far too pretentious!
It's in the OP, @PandorasSockBox .

There are so many Alexanders and Alexandras it's not pretentious any more, if it ever was.

rainingsnoring · 24/01/2026 01:45

bridgetreilly · 24/01/2026 00:46

Alexander is (a) on your list and (b) not pretentious in the least.

Exactly. Why add Alexander to your list and the complain when people suggest it?!

Els1e · 24/01/2026 01:27

I like all of them apart from Trudi

Emanwenym · 24/01/2026 01:16

Middle names Grace or James if you wanted to double up on family names.
or wanted to use very common filler middle names.

TempsPerdu · 24/01/2026 00:58

Rosalind (gorgeous!) or Catherine, and Alexander or Nicholas. Middle names Grace or James if you wanted to double up on family names.

I quite like Simon too, and feel it’s due a comeback, but I don’t think it pairs particularly well with either Rosalind or Catherine.

bridgetreilly · 24/01/2026 00:46

Alexander is (a) on your list and (b) not pretentious in the least.

Original poster
PandorasSockBox · 23/01/2026 22:24

Fiona Jane
Richard James
Helen Ann

OP posts:
Original poster
PandorasSockBox · 23/01/2026 22:22

Alexander has never been in the running, far too pretentious!
We will go with family names.

OP posts:
Hohofortherobbers · 23/01/2026 18:07

Alexander and Katherine
Xander and Kat

SleafordSods · 23/01/2026 18:04

James and Grace.

Cocktailsandcheese · 23/01/2026 09:46

Moreteaandchocolate · 21/01/2026 20:03

My favourites are boys - James, Sebastian, Alexander and Toby

girls - Grace and Catherine (‘Katie’)

Completely agree, these are the best ones

Original poster
PandorasSockBox · 23/01/2026 09:37

Thanks for your opinions! Most helpful.

OP posts:
Evaporateandlisten · 23/01/2026 09:01

James is great. My favourite boys name.

Not keen on any of the girls names. Maybe Grace?

snowdrop75 · 23/01/2026 08:56

Catherine & Alexander are the best from your list

luckylavender · 23/01/2026 08:50

or Fiona & Oliver

luckylavender · 23/01/2026 08:49

Joanna & Sebastian

Genxhausted · 23/01/2026 08:31

Sebastian and Grace
Alexander and Fiona
Matthew and Catherine ( Katie).

user1492757084 · 23/01/2026 08:26

They are great names. I would use them all except for these, that personally are not to my taste, sorry:
Matthew, Oliver, Sebastian, Trudi, Annette and Hilary.

My favourite five for boy girl twins ..

David Alexander and Joanna Catherine
Neil Richard and Rosalind Grace
Simon Alexander and Grace Catherine
Richard Alexander and Jane Rosalind
Alexander Neil and Catherine Joanna

SemperIdem · 22/01/2026 01:29

A fairly solid list but Ian and Trudi are both awful.

SnowFrogJelly · 22/01/2026 01:12

Sebastian and Rosalind

rainingsnoring · 22/01/2026 00:39

James- fine, classic
Richard- classic, I like it a lot and think it's due a revival
Hilary-dislike
Frances-like this a lot for a boy (Francis), a bit less so for a girl
Helen-lovely classic, again due a revival
Oliver-nice classic, although has been v popular for the last 25 years
Grace-lovely name but same comment as with Oliver as above
Sebastian-I like this a lot, fairly popular currently
Fiona-nice
Anne-nice classic name
Rosalind-beautiful classic, one of my favourite classic names for a girl
Matthew-fine, classic
Neil-awful
Toby-fine
Ian-awful
Nicholas-good classic, possible problematic nns
Simon-okay
Trudi-dislike
Annette-not keen
Joanna-okay
David-fine, classic
Alexander-great classic, one of my favourite classic names for a boy
Catherine-beautiful classic name
Jane-like Jane v much

Favourites are Rosalind, followed by Catherine and Helen(a), Alexander for a boy, followed by Nicholas or Richard although prefer Francis to the last two if this is an option.

sharkstale · 21/01/2026 23:37

Alexander and James, not keen on any of the other boys names. Definitely not Ian!
I like Catherine out of the girls names.

Pettenell · 21/01/2026 23:20

I really like:
James
Nicholas
Simon
Alexander

Frances
Grace
Joanna
Catherine

While these are my favourites for first names, I don't think there are any 'bad' names on your list, and you certainly have a lot of good options for middles.