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

Emma or Eve for baby girl?

57 replies

Star1995xxx · 05/07/2026 13:35

Me and my husband are trying to decide between two names for our baby girl. We like both but his favourite is Emma and my favourite is Eve.

Middle names Catherine and Anne so either:

  • Emma Catherine Anne
  • Eve Catherine Anne

We already have two boys: Alexander (Alex) and James (Jamie).

I'd love to hear which name you prefer and why. Baby is due at Christmas time. Thank you!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
deepseaargyllfish · 06/07/2026 21:38

Emma. Emma every time.

Evie is too twee and frilly and such a fashion name.

Amazonjaunt · 06/07/2026 21:36

Emma is the best one, but Eve is nice too. Annabel is a silly, unimaginative name imo.

SabreIsMyFave · 06/07/2026 21:30

Star1995xxx · 05/07/2026 13:35

Me and my husband are trying to decide between two names for our baby girl. We like both but his favourite is Emma and my favourite is Eve.

Middle names Catherine and Anne so either:

  • Emma Catherine Anne
  • Eve Catherine Anne

We already have two boys: Alexander (Alex) and James (Jamie).

I'd love to hear which name you prefer and why. Baby is due at Christmas time. Thank you!

Great names but I do love Emma. Such a pretty name, but also classy. Timeless too. It will never age, never go out of fashion, and never be naff. (I'm not saying Eve will ever be naff btw or is not classy, but I do feel it may go out of fashion, maybe....)

JMO. Smile

/

17caterpillars1mouse · 06/07/2026 21:28

Emma. Beautiful name and not overky popular anymore. Only little Emma i know if 3 and its short for Emmeline.

Eve is nice two, i know one 7 yeae old Eve, but i known so so many Evie / Evelyn's shorten to Evie, i think Eve would just blend in. Emma sounds nicer with your middle names too

user293948849167 · 06/07/2026 21:14

Emma is lovely

Quizzled · 06/07/2026 20:58

I would choose Emma. It’s beautiful, graceful, classic.

I don’t like Annabel at all, I think it sounds twee.

Eve sounds harsh to me. And I’d want to avoid it anyway with your due date. You don’t want her nicknamed a Christmas Eve!

Original poster
Star1995xxx · 06/07/2026 20:27

Thanks @Pemba. I want to love Emma because my husband absolutely LOVES it but I’m just not completely sure as I too used to think it was really bland.

OP posts:
Calliopespa · 06/07/2026 20:26

I like Annabel best!

Annabel or Emmeline.

BoleynMemories13 · 06/07/2026 20:16

Annabel is too frilly. Anna seems to suit your classic taste more.

However, I still prefer Emma (and Eve) to Annabel or even Anna.

Pemba · 06/07/2026 19:29

I do like Annabel a lot but I'd probably still put Emma first. Eve 3rd, (I actually really like the name, but there are so many Eve /Evie/Eva/Evelyns at the moment).

I used to think Emma was bland, but I now think it's really simple, classic and pretty. Also Emma Catherine Anne flows beautifully, and all the names are classic and not currently overused (unlike Rose, for example).

ZingyChick · 06/07/2026 17:12

Star1995xxx · 06/07/2026 15:28

Another option is Annabel.. any thoughts on that compared to Eve and Emma?

Annabel is much nicer than the other two names. (I do prefer the Annabelle spelling, though.)

Emma and Eve are bland and overused.

WWomble · 06/07/2026 16:38

Emily Anne or Annabel Catherine

There are many Evies ATM. Emma is fine but Emily is lovely.

Iris2020 · 06/07/2026 16:14

Star1995xxx · 06/07/2026 15:28

Another option is Annabel.. any thoughts on that compared to Eve and Emma?

Annabel is my favourite of the three.

StationJack · 06/07/2026 15:48

Annabel is OK but not as nice as Emma and Eve. You've also got the Annabel vs Annabelle spelling issue, and it will get shortened.
I prefer Anna to Annabel.

Original poster
Star1995xxx · 06/07/2026 15:28

Another option is Annabel.. any thoughts on that compared to Eve and Emma?

OP posts:
TubeScreamer · 06/07/2026 11:21

Emma

Calliopespa · 06/07/2026 11:13

Allswellthatendswelll · 05/07/2026 18:23

Emma is more classic (although I know many in their mid to late 30s!). Would you consider Eleanor, Edith, Emilia, Emmeline etc?

I came to suggest Emmeline too.

Eve/Eva has been so used lately. Emma is coming back and I just don't feel it has yet fully recovered from being a bit a of a safe "fallback" of a name in the 80's and 90s. I grew up with loads!

But Emmeline is lovely and could be Emma for short?

Giraffehaver · 05/07/2026 21:59

Emma

ThatMintMember · 05/07/2026 21:37

I love Emma! It's right at the top of my baby name list but I don't think DH will agree.

Peanutlicious · 05/07/2026 21:18

Eve

pambeesleyhalpert · 05/07/2026 21:01

I love the name Emma

Arewethereyetarewe · 05/07/2026 20:55

Only one Eve in our school

is it regional?

EnidVance · 05/07/2026 20:24

There is one Emma in my DC’s year at school where as there is an Evie (or some variant) in every activity my DC do plus at school.

DemonsandMosquitoes · 05/07/2026 19:38

Emma over Eve. Eve is as bland as they come. I’d actually go with Catherine as the first name as it’s by far the nicest of them all.

Enko · 05/07/2026 19:12

Popularity wise Emma sits in the top 100 Eve around 200 so the teachers who havent had any in ages I suspect is a bit of a fluke.

I am in my mid 50s I know Emmas in their 60s 50s 40s 30s 20s (no teen Emma) and 2 under 5
Neither are my style. However I have always felt Emma was bit too safe for my liking. Due to that my votes goes to Eve.. though I will say Emma like works better with the middlenames.