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Baby names

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

Original poster

Daphne or Penelope, Cassia or Isadora, Juliet or Helena?

56 replies

missgenevieveclavel · 09/06/2010 15:08

Which are your favourites out of these pairs of names?

Which is your favourite and least favourite of all and why, if possible?

Also, do you know any under 5s who have these names and do you think any of them are about to have a surge in popularity?

Thanks

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lilly13 · 14/01/2011 20:44

Daphne and Helena

thereisalightanditnevergoesout · 14/01/2011 17:20

I liked Cassia for DC3, but DH didn't (turned out to be a boy anyway).

MaElsie · 14/01/2011 16:05

Favourites - Penelope, Isadora, Helena

least favourite - Daphne - sounds so old fashioned without being classical... daft daphne

favourite - Helena - how could you not be elegant with this name?!

I know one person called Cassia, one Helena and one called Juliette - none under 5. I don't think any will be in the top 10 names of 2011.

Rebeccaruby · 10/01/2011 16:03

Juliet and Helena. But if I was allowed to swap, my very favourite would be Cassia. In order, it would be: Cassia; Helena; Juliet; Isadora; Daphne; and Penelope.

shouldnotbehere · 10/01/2011 15:52

Daphne - it's an old lady's name. I dont like at all. My granny has a friend called Daphne

Penelope - love. I went to school with a Penelope, we all called her Penny, and she was very bubbly happy go lucky person

Cassia - dont know any, and dont like

Isadora - dont know any and dont like

Juliet - love, I have only met one (mid 30s)

Helena - love, I have met two. A lady in her 70s, and another the same age as me (late 20s). Each lovely, and neither shortened it.

Do you like the name Judith, I love this name, but DH wont consider it.

monkeyslut · 09/01/2011 10:55

Another vote for Helena and Juliet (although I prefer the Juliette spelling Smile )

spidookly · 08/01/2011 21:23

Cassia or Isadora

Although I don't really like Cassia, it sounds like a jam.

I love Isadora though.

PfftTheMagicDragon · 08/01/2011 21:22

I love Penelope (I have one)

I also like Daphne

I do not like Cassia, but I do like Calliope

Rhubarbgarden · 08/01/2011 21:17

Love Helena. Dd was nearly Helena. Also like Juliet. I don't like Cassia at all.

BelligerentGhoul · 08/01/2011 20:02

Love Isadora, Juliet and Helena.

Don't like Cassia.

Nanjizal · 08/01/2011 20:00

I have two daughters; Juliet who is 14 and Helena who is 10. We still feel very pleased about our name choices. These names are timeless and in my opinion unlikely to date. They also suit children and adults. Neither child has encountered another with the same name at any point to date. We did hear of another young Helena who lived a couple of miles away from us a few years back, but she was at a different school and we never met. We often receive compliments on our name choices.

We use the pronunciations Julie - et and Helen - a. Never really had a problem with Juliet except one or two people who pronounce it JU - liut and who maintain that Juli - et is actually the name Juliette. Helena very occasionally gets addressed as He - lay - na, by visiting teachers but is capable of putting them right and it doesn't upset her. The vast majority of people take our lead on pronunciation.

Original poster
missgenevieveclavel · 13/06/2010 17:03

You see, I think Daphne sounds really beautiful- v similar to Chloe and Phoebe which have been/ are so popular.

I think Scooby Doo and the middle aged association puts people off perhaps??

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LiquoriceLila · 13/06/2010 09:27

Cassia and Juliet

DoNotFeedMeBiscuits · 13/06/2010 09:20

Penelope is on our shortlist, and Helena would be too if we hadn't already used Helen as a MN for DD1.
I wish I liked Daphne, as it looks beautiful written down, but not so keen on the sound. Isadora, I am ambivalent about, as with Cassia, and Juliet I like.

Original poster
missgenevieveclavel · 12/06/2010 20:32

ellie- LOL about your husband's obsession with Daphne in Scooby Doo. I can understand you being a little unsure about the name!

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ellieinshock · 12/06/2010 12:28

My DH has some sort of innapropriate and disturbing fondness for Daphne from Scooby Doo, and frequently mentions her, so Daphne would definitely be out for me!!! (TMI?!?!)

Gracie123 · 12/06/2010 12:25

LOVE Penelope. I think it's beautiful and she can be a Pen or a Penny if she chooses later.

The others are all pretty too, with the exception of Isadora. Sorry, just reminds me too much of Wizadora which was on CBBC when I was a kid.

MrsSeanBean · 12/06/2010 12:22

I like Daphne or Helena.

Original poster
missgenevieveclavel · 12/06/2010 10:30

Thank you for the further opinions!
Daphne definitely seems to be a marmite choice!

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janeite · 11/06/2010 22:15

Good choices!

I love, love, love Isodora and Helena.
Like Juliet, Penelope and Cassia (but prefer Cassie or Cassandra).

The only one I don't like is Daphne.

ReshapeWhileDamp · 11/06/2010 22:13

Isadora Duncan had a horrible death. I can't hear the name without thinking of long scarves tangling up...

Juliet and Helena are lovely. Very Shakespearian! Cassia is nice but makes me think of an aromatic plant for some reason, or Cassius Clay, or someone out of one of the Roman Plays. Daphne is still old-lady to me. (Daphnia are water fleas, BTW.) Penelope is lovely and dignified and quite uncommon these days, and Penny is nice.

BrigitteBardot · 11/06/2010 21:07

Juliet is lovely.

NanKid · 11/06/2010 21:00

Juliet or Penelope.

NO to Daphne. Vile.

Original poster
missgenevieveclavel · 11/06/2010 21:00

cortina- thanks for letting me know. I think all name trends probably start in London and the South East and would prefer to not having something that is going to rocket in popularity

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Original poster
missgenevieveclavel · 11/06/2010 15:44

Laragazzainglese- Rosa Daphne is so sweet.
I also love Dora as a nn!

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