Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
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

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
Giraffehaver · 21/01/2026 22:18

My favourites are Fiona and Nicholas

bridgetreilly · 21/01/2026 22:17

Helen and Richard.

MultiOwl · 21/01/2026 21:54

Newbieyear · 21/01/2026 18:16

I like Alexander and Jane.

My favourite combo too. Most likely end up as Alex & Jane

Emanwenym · 21/01/2026 21:52

Hilary does have something about it. Far more interesting that the overused and twee names that seem to be everywhere.

NannyOf8Girls · 21/01/2026 21:48

Hilary and Toby

Emanwenym · 21/01/2026 21:45

@DustlandFairytaleBeginning , you missed my pun. Alex James was in Blur.

DustlandFairytaleBeginning · 21/01/2026 21:13

UninitendedShark · 21/01/2026 20:22

I agree.

Alexander James and Rosalind Grace.

Alex and Rosa are a pretty pair.

Show quote history

Alexander James is so common a pairing there is a UK recruitment company, a UK clothing firm and a UK interior designers all called this already 😂 I wouldn't

YourWinter · 21/01/2026 21:12

Not Trudi… the rest are ok.

DustlandFairytaleBeginning · 21/01/2026 21:10

Frances and Sebastian would be my picks.

mac111 · 21/01/2026 21:08

Annie & Seb would be my choice

Redcandlescandal · 21/01/2026 20:30

Toby and Trudi

Emanwenym · 21/01/2026 20:28

The middle names are so overused though. There must be thousands (ok, a lot) of Alexander Jameses out there. They'll all blur into each other.

Duplicated names can be a nightmare. XP worked at the same company as a namesake.

UninitendedShark · 21/01/2026 20:22

RegalDiamondMonster · 21/01/2026 18:20

Rosalind is my favourite of your girls' names.

Of the boys - i like Sebastian but dislike Seb. Alexander I quite like.
Toby is good but feels a different style to Rosalind.

I'd go Rosalind and Alexander.

I agree.

Alexander James and Rosalind Grace.

Alex and Rosa are a pretty pair.

Mumofgirls2017 · 21/01/2026 20:13

Probably because they are family names, I find them mostly very dated and associate with middle aged sorry! The ones I think are more fitting with today are:

Sebastian, Toby, Alexander, James, Grace, Oliver

I like Alexander and Grace

DramaAlpaca · 21/01/2026 20:06

I like classic names, so I like most on your list.

The only ones I don't like at all are Trudi and Annette.

Moreteaandchocolate · 21/01/2026 20:03

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

girls - Grace and Catherine (‘Katie’)

Moreteaandchocolate · 21/01/2026 20:03

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

girls - Grace and Catherine (‘Katie’)

BooksandCats123 · 21/01/2026 20:01

I would choose in order of preference..
David
Matthew
Nicholas
Joanna
Jane
Catherine. All classic beautiful names.

LilyLemonade · 21/01/2026 19:54

I love Frances, Catherine, Joanna and Jane.
Love Nicholas and David, quite like Richard, Ian, Toby and Simon.
All very solid, classic names.

TheeNotoriousPIG · 21/01/2026 19:49

I like Grace enough to have one myself, Catherine and Rosalind for girls. Hilary could grow on me, too, if you're thinking of using it for a girl (I'm aware it was once for boys, but obviously crossed the gender divide at some point in time).

For boys, I like Sebastian, but LOVE Alexander (and Alexandra for a girl, should that ever be an option).

Feetupkettleon · 21/01/2026 19:39

Love: James,Matthew, Nicholas +Frances, Grace, Anne and Rosalind
Really like: Alexander, Oliver, Catherine

Favourite "combos":
Nicholas and Rosalind
Matthew and Grace
James and Anne
Oliver and Frances

Emanwenym · 21/01/2026 19:13

Shortlist:
James - yes but only as a first name
Richard - yes
Jane - yes but only as a first name and only this spelling
Helen - yes, so much nicer than Helena

Others:
Ann - yes but only as a first name. Anne nice but wouldn't use it
Rosalind - yes but as middle name. Like Ros
Matthew - yes, Matt
Neil - yes but it seems dated
Toby - not sure. Cute and Shakespearean but Tobes is awful
Nicholas - yes, Nick but not Nico or Nicky
Simon - yes but don't like Si or Sime
David - yes but not Dave
Oliver - yes but not Ollie
Catherine - yes, maybe as a middle name. Cathy?
Fiona - yes but wouldn't use it
Alexander - great but I know dozens of them
Joanna - yes but wouldn't use it, know too many Joannes
Hilary- yes but wouldn't use it
Frances- yes but wouldn't use it. Middle name as it gets misspelt
Trudi - no
Annette - no, A net curtain
Ian - no, know too many
Grace - too popular
Sebastian - no, too popular, don't like Seb

Twoshoesnewshoes · 21/01/2026 18:54

James okay bit boring
Richard don’t like, dated
Hilary wet
Frances wet
Helen nice, strong, classic
Oliver good but popular
Grace lovely but popular
Sebastian wet
Fiona good, classic
Anne bit boring
Rosalind good, classic
Matthew okay
Neil nope
Toby like it
Ian ummmmmm
Nicholas wet
Simon okay
Trudi like it
Annette bit middle aged
Joanna also middle aged but nice
David bit boring
Alexander wet but Alex is good
Catherine classic
Jane nice

i I think I like Rosalind and Helen best
and Toby and Alex

GreenLeavesEveryday · 21/01/2026 18:53

Alexander and Catherine

tarheelbaby · 21/01/2026 18:44

Family links are a great way to choose names. From your list here are some which are due a revival.

Girls:
Helen
Frances
Anne/Annette
Hilary
Rosalind (Ros/Rosa/Rosie)

Boys:
Richard (Rich/Rick?)
Simon
David
Nicholas (Nick/Nico)
Ian