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Baby names

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

Original poster

Thoughts on our baby name shortlist for girls and boys?

41 replies

danascully96 · 03/09/2026 23:21

Might do MJ as a nickname for any M names listed under girls (like Spider-Man).

Girls:
Elizabeth “Eliza”
Louisa
Juliet
Charlotte (bf’s dad is named Charles)
Josie (short for Joy Susannah? Or just Josie?)
Margot “Maggie”
Madeline
Violet
Susannah “Susie”
Felicity
Grace
Francesca
Daphne

Boys (so unsure!):
Luke
Max
Peter
Griffin
Christian (we are religious)
James
Rowan
Miles
Patrick
Joseph “Joey”

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LasVegass · 03/09/2026 23:23

Not mad about Daphne and Griffin. All the others are nice.

ProseBeforeBros · 03/09/2026 23:26

Eliza, Juliet, Charlotte and Daphne were all on my list, I love these!
James and Joey are my favourites from the boys. Maybe Peter too.
All nice names really.

Glidinglikeaswan · 03/09/2026 23:29

All good. I have a Madeline aka Maddie.

seahorsessky · 03/09/2026 23:31

Like them, generally classic, though Margot/Daphne might date, and there's a lot of Violets right now.
For boys, I would tend to go for Luke or James as they're more timeless, and less likely to be nicknamed. Peter/Christian make me think of men in their 40s, though no doubt they'll come round again!

StrongandNorthern · 03/09/2026 23:32

Griffin?????

Enko · 03/09/2026 23:37

LasVegass · 03/09/2026 23:23

Not mad about Daphne and Griffin. All the others are nice.

And in the opposite corner. Daphne and Griffen are my favourite and I am not keen on most of the others 😀 (I do like Miles and Louisa)

Original poster
danascully96 · 03/09/2026 23:46

Thank you to everyone so far! I forgot to say I also like George and Tessa “Tess.”

OP posts:
NamingNoNames · 03/09/2026 23:55

Elizabeth -yes “Eliza” - no
Louisa - ok
Juliet - ok
Charlotte (bf’s dad is named Charles) - ok
Josie (short for Joy Susannah? Or just Josie?) - no
Margot “Maggie” - no.
Madeline - don't like Maddie
Violet - ok
Susannah “Susie” -yes
Felicity - ok but long
Grace - ok
Francesca- - ok
Daphne- ok

Boys: all ok
Luke
Max
Peter - yes
Griffin - Smile
Christian (we are religious) - no
James - yes
Rowan
Miles
Patrick
Joseph
“Joey” - no

LivingTheDreamish · 04/09/2026 03:01

For me the standout ones are

Elizabeth/Eliza
Josie (if short for Josephine)
Francesca
Daphne - I've always liked this name, glad to see it coming back

Luke
Peter
Patrick
Joseph (prefer Joe to Joey)

StampOnTheGround · 04/09/2026 03:09

Elizabeth/Eliza - ok
Louisa - no
Juliet - no
Charlotte - yes
Josie - ok (not short for Joy Susannah though)
Margot - yes
Madeline - yes
Violet - yes
Susannah - no
Felicity - ok
Grace - no
Francesca - yes
Daphne - no
Tessa/Tess - ok

Luke - yes
Max - yes
Peter - no
Griffin - no
Christian - no
James - yes
Rowan - ok
Miles - no
Patrick - no
Joseph/Joey - no
George - ok

user1492757084 · 04/09/2026 03:36

All nice names.

The only ones not to my taste are ..
Daphne, Margot, Violet, James, Miles.

I favour the more classic spelling of ..
Josephine
Susanna
Madeleine

Softcream · 04/09/2026 03:43

Nice list. My favourites are:
Tess, Juliet, Felicity
Luke, James, Rowan

Least favourites are:
Violet, Daphne
Griffin, Peter, Joseph

mathanxiety · 04/09/2026 04:25

I like all the boy names except Griffin.
Peter, Patrick, and Joseph are great.

Not keen on Eliza, Charlotte, Margot, Felicity, or Francesca. Josie (short for Joy Susannah) is a bit contrived and also a bit too nicknamey.

I like the rest of the girl names. My favourites are Susannah, Louisa, Tess, and Daphne. No need to start with Tessa and abbreviate it. Tess is perfectly nice.

It strikes me that you are thinking Josie/ Joseph - it's a name that's common to both lists. I'd choose Josephine for a girl if you like Joseph. You may like to keep the name for a boy later though.

SamTR1 · 04/09/2026 05:53

A much better list than is normally posted other than Griffin. Was that put in as a joke to check if people were actually reading the full list?

Verdantview · 04/09/2026 07:15

Miles is gorgeous

Felicity or Susannah are lovely.

Gettingbysomehow · 04/09/2026 07:18

Louisa is nice. You hardly ever hear of any, and of course its my name 😅
Martine...Marty for short is also a nice girls name.

NamingNoNames · 04/09/2026 08:32

Griff (or Gruff) is popular in Wales. Gruffyn is a name but I can't say I've ever heard of anyone with the name.
I wouldn't raise an eyebrow at a name like Peter Griffin Smith.

The only boy's name listed I don't like is Christian. I don't like how some say it as Chrisjun, and it has 1970s vibes.

Juliet is pretty but it getting said as Julie-ET to rhyme with serviette puts me off.

Names like Joy and Grace make me think the person might be the opposite.
I really can't see the point of using Margot/Joy and calling her Maggie/Josie.

WeatherbyGeorgeDupris · 04/09/2026 08:41

We have very similar taste and I actually love Griffin, I know a little Griffin and he is sturdy and cute. My favourites are Daphne and Felicity, Peter and Max but I think they are all lovely.

ThaneOfGlamis · 04/09/2026 08:49

The MJ I know is actually Emma Jane. Not on your list I know, but in case you wanted an alternative.

Silverbirchleaf · 04/09/2026 08:51

Really nice girls list.

Nice boys list as well. Griffon and Rowan have a different feel to the other names, which are more traditional, although I do love Griffin (if have Welsh connection).

Wouldn’t use MJ as a nn. I immediately think of Michael Jackson.

Zuve · 04/09/2026 09:03

Louise and Dennis nice and traditional

SilverTotoro · 04/09/2026 09:05

A lovely list. Madeline, Felicity and Francesca are particularly nice and Luke, Rowan, James and Joseph are great boys names!

WeatherbyGeorgeDupris · 04/09/2026 10:16

WeatherbyGeorgeDupris · 04/09/2026 08:41

We have very similar taste and I actually love Griffin, I know a little Griffin and he is sturdy and cute. My favourites are Daphne and Felicity, Peter and Max but I think they are all lovely.

I've just noticed your user name as well, we really do have very similar tastes! One of my DC's names is on your list. Would love to know what you go with in the end, come back and tell us!

Firebird83 · 04/09/2026 10:28

Love your girls names! I named my DD one of them and had a few others on my shortlist. My favourites are:

Girls:
Elizabeth “Eliza”
Louisa
Juliet
Susannah “Susie” - so underused and Susie is very cute

Luke
Max
Peter
James
Miles

AmberSpy · 04/09/2026 10:31

All nice except Griffin which is weird. I think the Joy Susannah/Josie thing is maybe a bit OTT but not too bad.

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