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

Jean or Joan

81 replies

tummytickler · 27/03/2009 20:51

So which do you prefer?
To match siblings Iris, Pearl, Amos and Eli.
I like one the best, and dh likes the other!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
VintageGardenia · 30/03/2009 08:08

I like Jean, and I know a baby Jean Louise - which to my taste is longer lasting than Scout - and the whole thing really suits her. I also know a grown-up Jeannie, who's lovely, and the only one I know, so I like the name.

And Jean Genie is a great song.

Astrophe · 30/03/2009 07:19

I prefer Jean of the two. My mum is Jean and hates it. She always wrote 'Jeanne' as a teenager because she thought it looked nicer.

I prefer Jane personally.

If you're thinking of other options, I like Suzannah, Faith, Eve, Matilda, Anna, Anne, which in my mind are the same 'type' of name.

2Helenback · 29/03/2009 20:38

My dd's middle name is Joan after her paternal grandmother who was killed a few years ago and so never got to meet her. She was born in the 30s (mil, not dd!) in a year when Joan was number 1 registered name, which expalins the big old lady connection.

For our kids Tracy and Sharon and Kevin and Darren are going to be the old lady/man names.

In 15 years teaching I have taught one Joan and one Jean. Joanie is an utter peach of a girl, Jean is, er, not. I have taught Joan the words to the 70s song 'Hello, this is Joanie' which gives away my age big time!

hoppybird · 29/03/2009 20:28

Hello tummytickler. I think I prefer Jean if given the choice of Jean or Joan, but I'm not sure if it 'goes' well with your other DC's names (which I really like).

When reading that list of siblings, the names Melody and Esther came into my mind as 'going' well.

BabyBaby123 · 29/03/2009 19:40

neither of them are good imo. Joan is an old lady's name and Jean is a middle aged/old lady's name...

piscesmoon · 29/03/2009 19:21

I don't like either.

Supercherry · 29/03/2009 19:18

I don't like either, which is odd for me because I usually like old fashioned names. I think it is because they are the names of two vile aunties in my extended family. Sorry.

Your siblings names are lovely though.

nooka · 29/03/2009 18:29

I think Joan is more elegant than Jean. And there is Joan of Arc for a namesake, which is interesting at least (there aren't many well known female historical figures).

Wispabarsareback · 29/03/2009 12:27

Bertha - oh go on, I dare you!

Original poster
tummytickler · 29/03/2009 12:20

I am not choosing Jean or Joan to avoid a trendy name, I certainly dont thing they are boring and dumpy. I choose them because i love them.
I would never give my child a rediculous name just to avoid popularity - who would?
If i wanted to avoid popularity i would call her Cinderella.
It is true i would rather avoid the hyper popularity of names like Chloe, and if i thought Jean was in for a Chloe like boom i would avoid it, but i wouldn,t call a child Bertha just so she was the only one at school.

OP posts:
cupofteaplease · 29/03/2009 09:13

Jean- very pretty

nooka · 29/03/2009 05:29

I'm fairly sure the Emmerdale connection is just Amos. But I've never heard of a baby being called Amos before. We were going to call ds2 (who turned out to be dd) Ezra though, who was Amos's brother in Emmerdale (strong chapel family) and very much from the same ilk. Joan is very much from the Florence and Stanley school of names I think, so although many may think old lady, I suspect it will be in keeping with lots of her contemporaries.

Wispabarsareback · 29/03/2009 05:27

I get the point about wanting to avoid hyper-trendy, every-other-child-is-called-it sort of names - but I think inflicting boring, dumpy names like Jean and Joan isn't the way to go. IMHO they just don't sound very nice, and they have definite old-lady connotations. I'd be bemused if I met a child with either name.

nooka · 29/03/2009 05:20

Joan. We had a lovely neighbour called Joan. Would go well with your other choices.

Lawks · 29/03/2009 04:22

Jean is great.
Joan is not to my taste.

lizmcfizz · 29/03/2009 04:02

Jeannie is good, Jean acceptable, Joan absolutely old biddy

jeanjeannie · 28/03/2009 21:42

I think my MN name should suggest my preference - although I actually prefere Daphne!

Original poster
tummytickler · 28/03/2009 20:41

I have no idea who Jean in Eastenders is as i dont watch it!
My father informs me that most of my dc's have Emmerdale names and i could stick with that as a 'theme'! Cheeky sod! I dont watch it so it is not my fault!

OP posts:
Horton · 28/03/2009 20:37

Hahaha, Rusty, had forgotten all about that!

RachieB · 28/03/2009 20:36

don't like either
but prefer Joan(ie) to Jean ( which reminds me of the one on eastenders lol)

Mintyy · 28/03/2009 19:39

My dd's middle name is Jean, after one of her grandmothers and two of her great grandmothers!

If I'd had another dd, instead of my gorgeous DS, she would have been Daphne or Dorothy.

RustyBear · 28/03/2009 19:36

Daphne just reminds me of the woman in Neighbours - the only woman in history to give birth through a pair of tights.....

Horton · 28/03/2009 19:11

Daphne is really lovely.

SobranieCocktail · 28/03/2009 16:58

I love them both, but think I prefer Joan.

Original poster
tummytickler · 28/03/2009 16:42

Do you know - I love Daphne too. dh not keen on Daphne though

OP posts:
Swipe left for the next trending thread