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Baby names

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Original poster

Fern or Willow?

53 replies

FernaFrey · 25/06/2026 20:39

Hi all,

Just wanted opinions on the names Fern and Willow. These are both our favourites :) 💗💗

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snoopydoopydo · 28/06/2026 18:18

Both lovely names, I slightly lean towards Fern as a preference.

MirandaBlu · 28/06/2026 18:12

I have a soft spot for Willow as I knew one as a child - before it was anything like as popular as it is now - who was named after her father William who'd died before she was born. Eight year old me found this terribly romantic for some reason - but as Willow herself pointed out, it was probably lucky that she was tall and slim!

Apart from that, I mostly associate Willow with Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Fern with Charlotte's Web.

Cocktailsandcheese · 28/06/2026 17:17

Fern is lovely and you don't hear it that often

NamingNoNames · 27/06/2026 15:02

I only know one human Willow and she's definitely not 'crunchy' or 'spearmint rhino'. She's pleasant, pretty, intelligent, etc.

Roastiesarethebestbit · 27/06/2026 14:32

The only Willows that I have known have been from ‘crunchy’ weave your own yoghurt kind of families! Not remotely spearmint Rhino! They have siblings called things like Laurel, Rowen, Kit, Marigold, Arlo.

Whettlettuce · 26/06/2026 17:55

I have an adult daughter called Willow . I still really love the name but it has increased massively in popularity over the last 20 years when she was named

abracabarbara · 26/06/2026 16:57

Fern is lovely. :)

ThisIsMyFirstNameChange · 26/06/2026 16:52

I have a 2yo Fern. It’s a fab name and she gets compliments on it all the time. Strong but pretty

mamamamamamamamarmalade · 26/06/2026 13:57

I love willow as a name but didn’t use it because I associated it with Willowy and thought my daughter might inherit my muscular build 😂. Maybe I was overthinking it.

I like Fern too.

Wdutua · 26/06/2026 13:56

Is this for a child? Sounds like something I would call a cat!

Runsaway · 26/06/2026 13:51

Fern.
Willow is already dated.

NamingNoNames · 26/06/2026 13:46

Not keen on either of them but neither are bad. They sound a bit like tableware designs.
Fern - Fern/Ferne/Fearne. Fern is the better spelling but I don't love the sound. Furn.
Willow - might not suit a chubby person

I don't like Willa at all.

LittleGreenShoots · 26/06/2026 01:02

Fern is beautiful and unusual.

I didn't think of Fern Britton. It's lovely.

LivingTheDreamish · 26/06/2026 00:58

Fern! So pretty.

Enko · 25/06/2026 23:50

Neither are my taste but of the two I prefer Willow for a 2 syllable surname.

WaryOchreZebra · 25/06/2026 23:49

I do like Willow but it is a very common name for a pet so I would vote Fern. Other names we considered, if your open to even more ideas
Meadow
Blossom
Fawn
Autumn-Louise
Corallie
Clementine/Clemmie etc

Best of luck deciding!

ButtercupYellow26 · 25/06/2026 23:45

Sorry, I don't like either. Although Williw is slightly better because I know a couple of dogs called it.
Meadow?

IdaGlossop · 25/06/2026 23:44

I like both and know a Fern, who is absolutely lovely.

saraclara · 25/06/2026 23:41

Almost every little girl and th her dog (literally) seems to be called Willow right now.

DominoLover51 · 25/06/2026 23:40

I prefer Fern. Fern was the name of the girl in Charlotte’s Web

Whataflippincircus · 25/06/2026 23:37

Fern 🩷

My friend’s dog is called Willow.

Waitingfordoggo · 25/06/2026 23:33

I like both very much but prefer Fern and as PPs say, Willow has become more popular in recent years; not many Ferns about.

Think it’s probably safe to discard @Diamond7272’s opinion 🤔

7238SM · 25/06/2026 23:21

I also love nature names and if we could have had children, would have chosen similar names. I prefer Willow to Fern, but also have no idea how popular each name is. Some others I liked:
-Wren
-Brooke
-Jasmine
-Fleur
-Corallie/Coral

Iocanepowder · 25/06/2026 22:58

Sorry op i don’t like either. I know several people with cats and dogs called Willow. And just don’t like Fern but it’s the best out of the 2.

DramaAlpaca · 25/06/2026 22:53

Fern is lovely, as long as it's spelled that way.

I'm not keen on Willow.

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