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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Girl's name Florence, Vera Lynn or Hope ? please help!

224 replies

947EliseChalotte · 20/06/2020 22:28

In covid times is it ok to call a new baby girl Florence ..after Florence nightingale Hope or Vera Lynn. Which do you prefer?

OP posts:
RuthW · 20/06/2020 22:50

I prefer Florence but maybe that's because I have a 23 year old one.

oldstripeyNEWname1 · 20/06/2020 22:51

As a mum of 3, I'd recommend Florence for several reasons.

Vera is a hard sound. Although eady to spell (good), it's not flexible if you have a child that can't pronounce it (Ve-wa), or that it just doesn't suit (bad). Only real nickname is V or Vivi.

Can you imagine a baby Vera? A teenage one?

Same logic for Hope, with added complication that sometimes people assume children who have names like Charity, Faith etc are named so for religious reasons. Absolutely fine if that's your reason, just be aware of it. Likewise, I've heard of a distant friend who named her daughter Hope who got irritated with people assuming Hope was used as a reference to fertility issues! (cheeky bastards)

Florence on the other hand, works as tradition but modern too. Can be shortened, Florrie, Flo, Reenie, Loren. Even some of the nicknames for Lawrence - Enzo, etc. Popular but not twenty in every class. Easy to spell.

All three of my kids chose different versions of their names depending on who they are with - think Lizzy with us, Beth with friends, Elizabeth with teachers, Betty at dance (not her name).

draughtycatflap · 20/06/2020 22:52

If you want something retro what about Iva Rationbook

Dipi79 · 20/06/2020 22:53

Florence is lovely.
Vera Lynn is just vile.
Too many common people called Hope these days.

Phoebesgift · 20/06/2020 22:54

Vera Lynn is awful.. Not keen on Florence. It just sounds really stuffy. If have to say Hope.

DivGirl · 20/06/2020 22:55

You realise you're birthing a child and not a monument to lockdown?

Although Rona/Rhona would be a nice tribute.

RedRec · 20/06/2020 22:58

Florence is nice.
Please do not call the poor child Vera Lynn.

JonSnowsCloak · 20/06/2020 23:00

Love Florence. What about Verity or Vivienne if you like Vera?

dontgobaconmyheart · 20/06/2020 23:03

Naming after a person so directly such as Vera Lynn is always a bad idea IMO. Things that are of the moment and meaningful now wont be and you can never guarantee future connotations or escape it which must be a real pain if you're the one stuck with the name.

Florence or Vera are alright but you might find people thinking of the coronation street character and the covid 19 hospital or the florence nightingale effect. They're neutral enough names though.

If it were me I would research lesser known women who've made healthcare contributions perhaps, or social ones and name after one, or look for names that have a meaning of hope or good health, healer etc and see if you like any of them. It is generally seen by some as less gauche to not be literal.

Your baby OP so really it is what you think that counts.

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 20/06/2020 23:03

How about Vera Florence or Florence Vera that way you're honoring them both.

RhinestoneCowgirl · 20/06/2020 23:04

I know a couple of Florences, it's a great name and was on my list for DD.

But then so were Vera and Veronica... She ended up as Verity

TowelHoarder · 20/06/2020 23:06

Florence is the best from your list, but it’s the best of a bad lot.

Instead of naming her as a tribute to the pandemic why not choose a name that you’d like to have yourself?

homeishere · 20/06/2020 23:08

Vera Lynn?! 😂

Freddiefox · 20/06/2020 23:08

Grace?

DuckonaBike · 20/06/2020 23:09

Florence is a pretty name. And it’s a lovely city as well.

Jenasaurus · 20/06/2020 23:10

my grandmas name was Amy Florence and I love they name Florence that would be my choice

EmeraldShamrock · 20/06/2020 23:10

Corona would be an interesting name. Florence is lovely.
Vera = Vera Duckworth not a name for a baby.

arianwe · 20/06/2020 23:13

Definitely Florence for me

Sittingontheveranda · 20/06/2020 23:13

I think Vera and Florence are fugly sounding names tbh. I prefer Hope from your list. Was there a Hope in a tv series called Thirty Something? I don't know any Hopes but there is possibly an impression that the parents waited a long time for a child named Hope.....

Yeahnahmum · 20/06/2020 23:14

Florance yes!!
Hope. Nope. Nope. Nope
Vera Lynn.... No. Maybe just vera.

Atthebottomofthegarden · 20/06/2020 23:14

Florence, Hope, Dawn, all lovely names.

Vera - hmmm.

Vera Lynn - double hmmm! Don’t do it!

2020iscancelled · 20/06/2020 23:15

Florence is cute.

Hope just reminds me of the awful child in Coronation Street and the fact her mum pronounced it ‘Ope Confused

Vera Lynn - just no. That is hideous sorry.

Atthebottomofthegarden · 20/06/2020 23:15

I like Verity too actually, though not sure it is so “of the times”.

3catsonthebed · 20/06/2020 23:16

Are you serious about calling a child Vera Lynn OP?

Every time she walked out of a room, she’d have people singing, “We’ll meet again..., “

What a life.

Are you actually joking?

WonderTweek · 20/06/2020 23:16

I was never too keen on Florence before, but now my husband's sister has a little toddler called Florence and it absolutely suits her. When she was a baby she was known as baby Florrie and it was the cutest thing. ❤️

I like Vera too. It's a bit Slavic I think? I don't like Hope.