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Baby names

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

Original poster

Which of these three girls' names is nicest?

83 replies

artichokes · 17/07/2008 19:41

I am sure I will start another 200 names threads before this baby actually arrives but tonight DH and I have a shortlist of three. What do you think of them?

Katherine (known as Kitty)
Dorothea (known as Dora or Dotty)
Sophia

One I love and he is unsure, one is vice versa and the third we both think is nice but neither of us love.

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Lionstar · 17/07/2008 21:03

Friend has a Sofia, which I rather like as an alternate spelling

CantSleepWontSleep · 17/07/2008 21:03

I would go with Dorothy (rather than Dorothea).

Gobbledigook · 17/07/2008 21:01

Katherine

Original poster
artichokes · 17/07/2008 21:00

Thanks everyone

Dorothea is the one I love and DH is unsure about. It is special to me as my much-missed late mother loved Middlemarch and when she was dying she urged me to "nature the Dorothea in myself and shun the Rosamund".

Katherine/Kitty is DH's fav. I am just worried that Kitty may be perceived as twee and Katherine is a little too safe. I do like it though.

Sophia is the one we both like but neither of us are in love with. It is probably safest as nobody hates Sophia (except Soupkitchen!)

OP posts:
mum2oandh · 17/07/2008 20:18

Love Dorothea/Dotty, would give Dora (the explorer) a miss.

themildmanneredjanitor · 17/07/2008 20:14

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Califrau · 17/07/2008 20:13

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differentID · 17/07/2008 20:12

Katherine is favourite, but Kitty is very popular on it's own atm. Kitten as a short? I love Dorothea, but like Thea for a short version, maybe Dolly, at a push. I used to love Sophia, but it's just been over-used recently imo.

MaloryTowersUrbaniteLady · 17/07/2008 20:10

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LuLuBai · 17/07/2008 20:08

Sophia.

An Italian friend of mine called Sofia is always known as Fia which I think is rather pretty.

Dorothea reminds me of Tales of the City. I wouldn't do Dotty (would you call your baby 'Batty' or 'Slightly Bonkers'?). Kitty is quite cute as an abbreviation of Katherine but there do seem to be quite a few around.

Hassled · 17/07/2008 20:07

Sophia is my favourite.

reethi96 · 17/07/2008 20:06

I like all of them. Good choices!

AbbeyA · 17/07/2008 20:04

Although I don't like Dorothea I think it would be quite nice shortened to Thea-much better than Dotty Dora.

MingMingtheWonderPet · 17/07/2008 20:02

Katherine / Kitty

norkmaiden · 17/07/2008 20:02

Dorothea/Thea for me

all nice names though.

pedilia · 17/07/2008 20:02

Sophia, don't like the other two

MaloryTowersUrbaniteLady · 17/07/2008 20:01

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SoupKitchen · 17/07/2008 20:01

Love Kitty and Dotty, not so keen on Sophia

Egg · 17/07/2008 20:00

I like Katherine best but prefer Kate or Katie to Kitty as a shortening (Kitty is fine though). DD's middle name is Catherine .

Prefer Sophie to Sophia.

Not keen on Dorothea.

Bubble99 · 17/07/2008 20:00

Sophia

pointydog · 17/07/2008 19:59

Katherine known as Kitty

snice · 17/07/2008 19:59

Plenty of Sophies/Sophias at secondary level but none at our primary of over 300 children

QuintessentialShadows · 17/07/2008 19:58

I love Sophia. Wisdom. Cant get a better name for a girl.

(I also love Isadora)

unknownrebelbang · 17/07/2008 19:58

I love the name Dorothea (quite like Thea, but not Dora or Dotty).

A colleague tells entertaining tales about a relative called Dorothea.

Like Kitty and Sophia.

allgonebellyup · 17/07/2008 19:57

Sophia