Opinions Pls, as blunt as you like...

Have a lovely friend named Elspeth but it gets shortened to 'Elsie'.

Reminds me of Elsie Tanner in Coronation Street, and Elsie, the spiteful girl in one of the Blyton school stories!

You said be honest, right?

Girls:

Violet - ICK! With the exception of Rose and Lily, I'm not a fan of "flower" names
Tabitha - I like it, but don't think I would ever use it...does anyone remember the dopey sounding kid from Bewitched?
Nancy (it's not actually my real name) - Sounds a bit whiny to me.
Annie - Love it, but I'm biased as my dd is Annie (well, Anya, but Annie for short)
Elspeth - No
Edie - Really like Edie.

Boys:

Paddy (not Patrick) - Again, another ICK!
Finn - I LOVE Finn
Johnny - Good for a kid, not so good for a grown man though.
Raphael - Unless you're Italian, it sounds a bit poncey to me.

My favourites are Finn and Edie.

I like Annie and Violet from your girls list, as they sound pretty without sounding too old fashioned, but none of the boys names.

Violet
Tabitha
Nancy
Annie
Elspeth
Edie

I think all these names are "Victorian housemaid" names. A theme, but not one I go for particularly.

Paddy (not Patrick)
Finn
Johnny
Raphael

I think they are all a bit wimpish.

Personally I like names that have more personality than these.

I like Finn, Tabitha and Annie!

I love Annie.

My maiden aunt's name (born 1916) was Sybil Annie Mary and I was named after her; Annie wasn't the one I got, unfortunately

I think I would use Anne though, with Annie as a pet name.

Raphael is lovely too, but do you have the balls to call it out in Tesco?

I like Nancy, Annie, and Edie , Finn, and Johnny.

Finn is getting very peopular around here, though.

Nancy and Annie are the same names - both derivatives of Anne.

With a name like O'Connell, I really think you need an Irish or French name.

Girls:

Violet -like it,very pretty
Tabitha -lovely
Nancy (it's not actually my real name)-nooo
Annie -lovely
Elspeth-ok
Edie -no

Boys:

Paddy (not Patrick) -no
Finn-nice
Johnny -no
Raphael -im unsure but am oddly attracted o it

i know a little violet.

love all of them. edie, annie and nancy prob my faves.

for a boy not keen on paddy but like all the others. finn or jonny probably my faves.

Sorry copied your mail in - I am not up the duff

I love it when someone says be as blunt as you like!

Having commenting on lots of others choices, I'd be interested in views on mine.

Now that I am finally up the duff, I don't feel quite so embarrassed thinking about names.

Yes:
Violet (But Vi for short?)
Nancy (Oliver Twist)
Annie

No:
Elspeth (Old woman smelling of cat wee)
Edie (britt from DH)
Tabitha (cat)

Yes:
Johnny (although do they still use that word as slang for a condom these days?
Finn

No:
Paddy (unless you are Irish)
Raphael (unless you border the Med)

I quite like most of the names, not so keen on Raphael although my aunt's ex-dp was a Raph(ael). On boys' names, Paddy and Johnny are nice on a child, but I'd suggest actually registering baby as Patrick or John, and just telling people your preferred form of that name, writing it in at groups. Later, if he prefers to be Patrick/Pat or John then he has that choice.

I don't object if people call my ds his full name (Daniel), I just say we call him Danny. Patrick is my ds's middle name, my cousin already has a Paddy in his generation.

Know what you mean about boys' names though, lots I like are taken already.

What about Elspeth Jean.
Could be Jeannie, could be Elsa. Both really old-lady but in a user-friendy way.

Like violet and Edie

Raphael at a push

Congrats tho!

nobody has ever sung a show tune at me! (it is my real name)

i like finn or maybe finley, dont like any of the others sorry

Tabitha is a cat's name.

The others are ok but Elspeth is hard to say when you're little!

Like all the girls names. But please Patrick not Paddy. He can always be called Paddy if you like, but give him the option. I have a Patrick who is Pat, Paddy, PJ, Patch or Patrick depending on who he's with - it's a brilliant name. And he's in a school of 400 and a football club of 75 and he's the only one!

oh and dds middle name is Niamh, she was going to be Siofra ( sheefra) (which means precious little elf) or maeve ( anglicised for ease) or Nora after gran.
For a boy we also liked Gabriel and Noah and Leo
we are from Irish stock

lol
when in hospital with dd, the priest came round to coo at the babies, and asked what we'd called her
we said not sure - maybe irene or nina [is nina irene]
he said "jean's a nice name"

PS:not yet sure if utter delight applies to DD2 especially after last night.

Hi Turniphead love the handle!. No not in the old country. Get on fine with the name after the third polite correction and careful stressing of pronounciation! Mine is worse(also gaelic) so Meabh no sweat. Have a DB named Eoghan and DS , Abigail!! DD1 is also v english!Having one with an english name and one irish balanced things in our house but at the end of the day they were names we liked and we thought sod it. Know an Elvis if Nancy66 still considering!!!

I have a Finn ( finbar)
ds1 middle name is padraig ( paddy) after my mum
love all your names esp violet and elspeth
and raphael is exquisite rafa for short though without doubt.
edie contemporarily is desperate housewives resident loon/ vixen schemer and on balamory ( if unfamiliar do look on you tube under balamory edie mcready for vile confirmation)
but still like it!