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Baby names

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

Help us out of our girl name rut!

68 replies

Lem0ni · 31/08/2026 10:56

Please help us get out of our rut! I feel like I see the same 50 or so girls names absolutely everywhere and struggling for inspiration.

We're due number 2 in a few weeks - we think we've got a boy name, or at least a few options we both really love. But we're completely stuck on girls and seem to keep going back and forth on the same handful of names that one of us might love but the other just thinks is ok, and not something we both love (had this same girl issue with No. 1 so was fortunate he was a boy as we were sorted for his name!).

We tend to agree best on classic but underused names, I am a bit more nature inspired than him. Prefer natural/botanical, don't really like flowery names in either the floral or multi-syllable sense, no judgement at all on these names but Daphne, Aurelia, Ottilie etc just not for us).

Girls names we really like but can't seem to settle on:

Gwen - his fave, I like but don't love
Annie - a top contender as standalone, but neither of us really like any of the 'full name' options, can't decide if that matters to us
Rowan - both really like, but seems very popular, can't work out if bothered about this
Sorrel - I love, he doesn't
Briar - both like, me probably a bit more
Ivy - have always loved this but it seemed to shoot up in popularity the last 5 years
Laurel - I love, he doesn't
Lara - both like but not sold
Amber - both like but don't love

Please inspire us!

OP posts:
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LilyLemonade · 31/08/2026 21:55

You have a nice selection already that you agree on.

A few others:
Liv
Meriel
Raven
Xanthe
Mirabel
Alba
Stella

Pedant61 · 31/08/2026 21:55

Camilla
Fleur
Jemima
Nancy
Tamsin

Witchergeralt · 31/08/2026 21:54

Heather ♥️

HambleTheDoll · 31/08/2026 21:52

Not Gwen. My first thought was Wren too but it’s not a very pretty sounding name. Eden or Anais? Annie from Anais would work.

Parkrunday · 31/08/2026 21:49

NamingNoNames · 31/08/2026 14:58

Gwen - don’t like, I live in Wales and would think of it as a middle aged lady name There aren't many middle-aged ones but there are middle-aged women called Gwenan and Gwenno. Gwen was popular about 100 years ago, often short for something like Gwenfair, Gwenhwyfar or Gwenllian.
Seems popular as a middle name.

Gwen - I like it.
Annie - I like it and it doesn't need a 'full name' option.
Rowan - Popular for boys, as is Roman.
Sorrel - Not keen, too close to Sorrow.
Briar - A bit too 'nature' for me.
Ivy - Ivy Tilsley.
Laurel - and Hardy
Lara - A bit nothingy but ok.Prefer Laura
Amber - Like

I'd pick Annie, not short for anything.

Edited

I know a Gwenllian in her 30s. She goes by Gwen.

fgk12 · 31/08/2026 20:42

What about Anwen?

Rituelec · 31/08/2026 20:02

Robyn
Hazel
Heather
Sylvia
Juniper
Fern
Primrose

NamingNoNames · 31/08/2026 19:59

Anya is a diminutive of Anna.

TofuTuesday · 31/08/2026 19:43

Annie is lovely. Could you just use Anna /Anne as a main name? Or Anya.

NamingNoNames · 31/08/2026 19:43

That is quite a stretch. Susannah is from Shoshana.

Firebird83 · 31/08/2026 19:39

Susannah “Annie”?

Judellie · 31/08/2026 16:18

Of your list, I like Amber and Lara (or Laura) best.
If you really want something not in the top 5o right now you could always go for Kathryn/Catherine
Lindsey/Linda
Julie/Juliette
Coral/Coralie
Carol/Caroline
Sylvie/Sylvia (not sure if this might be in the top 50 actually)

ChoccyHobknob · 31/08/2026 16:01

The names I would give a girl if i had another one;

Gwen(doline, Gwen for short)
Phil(lomena)
Georgia (Georgina)
Alex(andra)
Rowan I adore but too popular.

We also liked Andi, Juliette and Guinevere but weren't sure we could saddle a child with those!

DropEverything · 31/08/2026 15:39

I teach an Annie who is Anoushka, which I really love.

Agree there’s loads of Rowans and Wrens in primary school at the moment….

Timeforatincture · 31/08/2026 15:36

What about Zenobia? Could have Nobby as a nickname. Pretty but not too frilly.

Linnet (as in Death on the Nile!)

wantmorenow · 31/08/2026 15:29

How about Angelica with Annie as diminutive

Or Bryony which is a vine.

BigBrownBoogyingBear · 31/08/2026 15:10

Lara is lovely!

Elena
Sophie
Erin
Francesca
Leah

askmehwIkw · 31/08/2026 15:08

Jasmine is pretty if you are set on a botanical name.

Personally I'd be a bit careful of something too botanical like Willow or Leaf because they carry a bit of that hippy sandal wearing vibe. A name has to carry you through life including on your CV and people can be a bit judgmental so I'd go for something less Wickerman.

NamingNoNames · 31/08/2026 14:58

Gwen - don’t like, I live in Wales and would think of it as a middle aged lady name There aren't many middle-aged ones but there are middle-aged women called Gwenan and Gwenno. Gwen was popular about 100 years ago, often short for something like Gwenfair, Gwenhwyfar or Gwenllian.
Seems popular as a middle name.

Gwen - I like it.
Annie - I like it and it doesn't need a 'full name' option.
Rowan - Popular for boys, as is Roman.
Sorrel - Not keen, too close to Sorrow.
Briar - A bit too 'nature' for me.
Ivy - Ivy Tilsley.
Laurel - and Hardy
Lara - A bit nothingy but ok.Prefer Laura
Amber - Like

I'd pick Annie, not short for anything.

ChocolateCinderToffee · 31/08/2026 14:46

Fenella
Cecily
Rosina
Felicity

BoleynMemories13 · 31/08/2026 14:19

I love Lara!

LoudPlumDog · 31/08/2026 13:58

The only one I love from your list is Lara. 💛

Suggestions …

Freya
Julia
Nina
Astrid
Rhiannon
Seren
Cleo
Erin
Natalie
Una
Sylvie
Ruby
Cerys
Xanthe
Ada
Clare
Naomi
Dyani
Maria
Tessa
Elyse
Matisse
Greta
Brooke

Mumofgirls2017 · 31/08/2026 13:55

Seren
iris
elowen
clover
wren
maeve
anna
eden
olive
clara
cora
blythe
june
enid
willa
autumn
pearl
stella
elva
Juniper

2manyEnergyDrinks · 31/08/2026 13:49

Love Laurel and Briar from your list! Beautiful!!

luckylavender · 31/08/2026 13:44

I like Annie but not the others. They’re not really classic name.

How about -
Hannah
Hayley
Judith
Victoria
Catherine
Laura
Lorna
Noemie