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Baby names

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

Original poster

Ethel

84 replies

tummytickler · 20/01/2010 21:17

What do you think of Ethel?
I am loving it more and more at the moment - dh is besotted by it (and Morag!). Would love some opinions, as we will not be talking to people in rl about our name making choices!
I am loving Ettie as a nn (and Raggy for Morag!). We would probably use Ethel most of the time and not a nn though.
Middle names will be two from Denise, Violet, Mary, Jean, Eileen, Angela (all family).
Is it going to become huge like Edith/Elsie/Esme?
This is dc5, and my 2dd's have old names and ds's Hebrew (so very old!)

Thanks

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monkeyfeathers · 20/01/2010 22:50

I rarely post on baby names but for some reason I saw this on active convos and felt compelled to say that i really like Ethel. I think it's far nicer than a lot of the 'old lady' names that are popular right now.

I'm not so keen on morag though. It's the name of the monster that lives in loch morar.

MrsvWoolf · 20/01/2010 22:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MadBadandDangerousToKnow · 20/01/2010 22:47

... that quote alone would put you off the name, surely?

Displayuntil - eh?

MaggieNilAonSneachta · 20/01/2010 22:44

I like it. it's prettier than some of the names which have come back, such as Iris for example. Ethel is a nice sound

really don't like Edna though. Or Mavis.

hester · 20/01/2010 22:44

Well, I rather like it. But it sounds like you and I are in a very small minority

Go for Edith - it's much safer.

piscesmoon · 20/01/2010 22:43

I hate Morag too! There are so many pretty names around to choose from.

RumourOfAHurricane · 20/01/2010 22:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

piscesmoon · 20/01/2010 22:41

Is Ethel popular?!I have only ever known my great aunt.

MrsvWoolf · 20/01/2010 22:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

piscesmoon · 20/01/2010 22:38

I would only do it if you think that your DD will be a very sociable, popular confident DC-she will need to be to carry it off. Some old lady names have made a come back (I dislike most of them) but I can't see the ugly ones like Ethel, Muriel, Mildred, Freda, Gertrude, Doris etc ever making it.

tearinghairout · 20/01/2010 22:38

Enid makes me shudder. Ethel is OK but surely there are lots of more beautiful names? As for old lady names, I like Mavis!

ParnassusClio · 20/01/2010 22:33

No
No
No

I had an auntie Edna; that was bad enough.

displayuntilbestbefore · 20/01/2010 22:33

"I thought I liked all the old lady names"

that quote alone would put you off the name, surely?

MadBadandDangerousToKnow · 20/01/2010 22:32

I thought I liked all the old lady names, but you've just reminded me that there's at least one which I don't! Edith is so much nicer.

MavisEnderby · 20/01/2010 22:31

No,sorry.

displayuntilbestbefore · 20/01/2010 22:30

No. I can only think of Ethel Austin when I hear the name Ethel.
Sorry.

MrsvWoolf · 20/01/2010 22:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

piscesmoon · 20/01/2010 22:17

No, No and NO! I had a great aunt Ethel, always known as Eth, and thought it dreadful!

audley · 20/01/2010 22:10

Juniper Jean is the most fantastic name

Chynah · 20/01/2010 22:07

Sorry not nice at all.

Original poster
tummytickler · 20/01/2010 21:51

LaDiDaDi - had a couple of mc's along the way . This baby is taking longer than we thought it would - last mc was 3 weeks ago, so we are trying again now - talk about names a lot as it takes our mind off it!
I like a lot of your names though and Juniper Jean is on our list as a combo!

oldenglish - noooo I don't want a Tracy!

boys - I love Enid too!

I am trying to draw myself away form the old lady names as I dont want dc's to have dated names, but it seems i rather like them - I still worry Iris, Pearl, Eli and Amos will date and sound crap in a few years! (I have too much time on my hands

OP posts:
TinaSparkles · 20/01/2010 21:50

Sorry - it doesn't sound.

Why not go with Ettie/Etta?

TinaSparkles · 20/01/2010 21:47

It's sound as if your trying too hard to get an old lady name that's not in the Top 100.

It's sound nice at all.

oldenglishspangles · 20/01/2010 21:44

sorry, its not very helpful but it made me think of that old lady on the advert who gets led away from the table like a naughty childs after saying '...anyway hes not your dad'. no one said her name was ethel but that the image that came into her head. Honestly if you really like it you should call her it. by the time she is 16 the old lady names will be the names of the 60 sharon, michelle, tracy etc.

BoysAreLikeDogs · 20/01/2010 21:40

I love Edith

And Enid