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Baby names

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

Original poster

Choosing between Susannah, Melody, Rosa and Esther

94 replies

Dana92 · 22/05/2026 21:47

Could anyone help with deciding between our shortlist of names please. We're down to Susannah, Melody, Rosa and Esther.

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Watercooler · 23/05/2026 10:56

What about Rosalie (Rosa for short)?

Calliopespa · 23/05/2026 10:54

I think Susannah is sassy and feminine at the same time and I rather like it.

I made a joke on a thread the other day about names with yoonique spellings and suggested an alternative spelling for Melody as Malady. A poster came roaring in with a big long didactic post about how I had missed the fact that malady has an unpleasant meaning. Of course, I hadn't and that had in fact been my point: it does sound like Malady and for that reason I cannot say I like Melody.

EnidVance · 23/05/2026 10:48

Oh I love Melody! I think it’s cool.

Esther I’ve always disliked, it seems so prim and dull somehow.

Rosa is just very meh, and I think it’s because it’s popular but also because Rose is sooooo overused. Every girl is a ‘something’-Rose so Rosa just blends in.

I like Susannah.

Instructions · 23/05/2026 10:42

Susannah or Rosa are my favourites from your list

Esther is ruined for me by a person I knew and Melody just doesn't seem anything like the others

ToadRage · 23/05/2026 10:40

I love Susannah. Very underused name. I used to like Esther but have gone off it lately, not sure why. Don't like Rosa and Melody is fairly popular these days.

alexdgr8 · 23/05/2026 10:39

Not Melody.
It's not in the same class as the others.
Rosa sounds a bit old fashioned to me unless foreign background.
I prefer Rose.
But that's just me.
Any of the 3 are good.
But not Melody.

ElectricSnail · 23/05/2026 10:39

Esther from your list, for sure. Lovely name. Susannah, there’s a good chance will just be called Sue by everyone. I love Elodie, hate Melody, sounds like a character from an American teen film.

Deata · 23/05/2026 10:36

Suki is great, though didn’t she take the kettle off, in the song about Polly? Rose is classic. Melody is dreadful. Esther is forever rantzen in my mind.

Bubblewrapart · 23/05/2026 10:34

I like Esther, it's on my short list for the current bump. Someone also suggested Hester, which I'm not as enamoured with but can see why they suggested it.

NamingNoNames · 23/05/2026 10:34

Try each one with the surname @Dana92 . Some may sound better than others.

Xmasallergies · 23/05/2026 10:33

Susannah is great and lots of nickname options like Suki which is also cute!
I don’t like Esther it sounds harsh compared to the others.

NamingNoNames · 23/05/2026 10:25

Is Susanna or Susannah the more common spelling?
In the UK Susannah but both are used. Susanna in Spanish-speaking countries.
Susannah in the English Bible.

Susannah, Melody, Rosa and Esther?
Esther - classic and elegant. Doesn't need shortening. Not too popular.
Susannah - classic. likely to get shortened
Rosa - not sure. It's better than the rather wet-sounding Rose.
Melody - not keen. Likely to be Mel.

Matildatoldsuchdreadfullies · 23/05/2026 08:45

I’m quite amused by all the hate for Esther. It’s normally much more popular on MN.

I have an Esther, so I obviously love it. But when we told people her name for the first time, there was always that couple of seconds gap whilst people frantically thought of something… er, nice-ish to say - normally along the lines of the name being old, or unusual. So in RL most people don’t like it.

My DD (now 25) likes her name. And I still love it.

Go for Esther.

iniati · 23/05/2026 08:45

I like Susannah best - and that spelling. I like that it's not too long to use the full name but has a lot of nickname potential

I like Esther as well but I would assume the person was Jewish. I do have a lot of Jewish friends though so maybe that's just me

cloudysky75 · 23/05/2026 08:43

Melody

OhneFreunde · 23/05/2026 08:43

Love Rosa!

Don't really get Susannah but it's OK.

Really don't like the sound of Esther, or the style of Melody.

CeciliaMars · 23/05/2026 08:41

Rosa.

LambriniBobInIsleworthISeesYa · 23/05/2026 08:40

We have an Esther so I’m biased, but Esther! She’s always complimented on her name.

dailyconniptions · 23/05/2026 08:36

I can't bear Esther. Harsh sounding. Melody or Rosa for me.

user293948849167 · 23/05/2026 08:36

Esther, love it
Melody definitely no
Susannah is nice with Susie as a nickname
Prefer Rose to Rosa

sanityisamyth · 23/05/2026 08:34

AmIReallyTheGrownup · 22/05/2026 22:09

Susannah is lovely. Susie is a great nickname.

I’ve never warmed to Esther; for some reason it makes me think of old fashioned anaesthetic.

That’s ether.

It makes me think of the monomer that makes polyester.

Original poster
Dana92 · 23/05/2026 08:33

Is Susanna or Susannah the more common spelling?

OP posts:
Original poster
Dana92 · 23/05/2026 08:28

KnitWitsAnonymous · 23/05/2026 08:13

Susannah ~ lovely, lots of options for shortened versions

Melody ~ not keen, sorry

Esther ~ very nice as long as you don't live in Leicester (Esther from Leicester!)

Rosa ~ nice but I much prefer Rosanna

Thanks 😊 Not in Leicester, (or Chester!) So that's ok!

OP posts:
lottiegarbanzo · 23/05/2026 08:19

Melody seems really different to the others, far less classic.

Marmalademorning · 23/05/2026 08:15

Esther reminds me too much of Esther Rantzen. Rosa is lovely.

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