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Baby names

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

Original poster

Halcyon and Octavia for my twin girls

140 replies

newtwinmummy · 31/05/2010 13:43

I'm expecting non identical girl twins in September.

What do you think of the names Halcyon and Octavia? I know they are rare names and not everyone will like them.

Any ideas for middle names? I have to include Joan as a family name or something like this.

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Bonsoir · 31/05/2010 17:52

OP - I think you could be accused of trying too hard. The trouble with twins is that when you add too trying-too-hard names together, you sound terribly pretentious.

ArthurPewty · 31/05/2010 17:51

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ArthurPewty · 31/05/2010 17:50

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cat64 · 31/05/2010 17:10

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scottishmummy · 31/05/2010 17:09

up to you if you want to burden them with daft names,but if you are so sure why seek opinions

in rl people may be circumspect.but ask online you will get truer response

DeFluffy · 31/05/2010 17:06

Octavia is the name my circle of friends uses as shorthand for 'spoilt brat', it just sounds so horsey and Conservative and jolly hockey sticks. Sorry . And this is coming from people whose children mainly go to private school so no inverse snobbery I don't think.

Halcyon was a nightclub in Manchester wasn't it?

And as for the both together for twins its just horrible, sorry. But surely from the amount of people asking 'is this a joke' then you must see that this is a Bad Idea.

scottishmummy · 31/05/2010 17:03

upon hearing halycon people will be too busy laughing to differentiate spelling or pronunciation

SambuccaKelly · 31/05/2010 17:02

Halcyon is absolutely dreadful. Why do people feel the need to lumber their kids with this sort of name?

Original poster
newtwinmummy · 31/05/2010 17:01

I don't mind forthright opinions as long as they're informed ones. The pharmaceutical has a different spelling and pronunciation to the name Halcyon.

OP posts:
scottishmummy · 31/05/2010 17:00

halcion is an old school benzodiazepine.god no thats vile
octavia is trying TOO hard

congratulations on babies but give those names a wide berth

jabberwocky · 31/05/2010 16:59

Assuming this is not a joke thread I remember a book I loved as a child with twin girls named Ophelia and Cordelia. A bit better than Halcyon (sounds like a pharmaceutical) and Octavia, imo.

MadamDeathstare · 31/05/2010 16:55

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EricNorthmansmistress · 31/05/2010 16:52

Sedgie - I don't care if people think my reactions are rude. I rarely venture onto the names board and when I do I will be brutally honest - because I cringe inwardly when i hear children being addressed as (for eg) Halcyon - and I'd rather spare a poor child of a lifetime of a dreadful name that makes people cringe, if I can. Sadly most people don't listen and use the dreadful name anyway.

Original poster
newtwinmummy · 31/05/2010 16:52

The drug that has been mentioned has a different spelling and pronunciation to the name. It's pronounced Hal see ah nee, a bit like Hermione.

Thanks for ideas, I'm liking Aurelia for one of the middle names. Joan is afamily name, so we won't be using it as a first name. Octavia and Joan sound funny together too.

Halcyon will be abbreviated to Hally, possibly.

OP posts:
MadamDeathstare · 31/05/2010 16:49

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cat64 · 31/05/2010 16:39

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AbFabT · 31/05/2010 16:32

I love them. However, I do think Halcyon sounds a bit too like the drug, so why not just go with the original you linked to - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcyone ?

Really like Octavia but sadly Skoda has marred it for me. How about Olympia?

Congratulations on your twins!

TheBossofMe · 31/05/2010 16:26

Octavia = car. People will think your twins were conceived on the back seat of your Skoda.

Halcyon is just terrible - really really bad.

nancydrewrocks · 31/05/2010 16:21

Since Halcyon means "calm and tranquil" I fear you are stting yourself up to have a head swivilling brat who could give Damien a run for his money....

MadameCastafiore · 31/05/2010 16:11

Drug and Skoda

Honestly that is the first thing I think of.

Bobbalina · 31/05/2010 16:10

Halcyon makes me think of a drug to make housewifes happy with their lot

4madboys · 31/05/2010 16:08

well i know a little girl called freya Halcyon and she is lovely

i dont like octavia so much because of the car, but i think they are ok names, unusual but you can shorten them, give a plainer middle name to go with them etc

they are your babies, call them what you like!

Maisiethemorningsidecat · 31/05/2010 16:04

I think that if you just want people to say "not to my taste, sorry" you're really better off not asking.

nbee84 · 31/05/2010 16:04

Just remember that the opinions voiced here are what people will be thinking and maybe discussing with their partners and friends after you have told them your name choices - they won't tell you to your face, but they will think them!

capstone · 31/05/2010 16:00

Halcie and Tavia would be the best nicknames, I think.