Martha?

[Cakemuncher]

DH and I have a shortlist of girls' names. There are two front runners, one of which is Martha. It's DH'a favourite but I swing from really liking it to sometimes thinking it sounds quite frumpy. What does anyone else think?

I am teacher and have never taught a Martha which is a big advantage I have to say - no associations.

i like it,it's really sweet!
but i think it will grow into a grown up name nicely,iyswim?!

whats the other name? {nosey!}

I like it...I also want to know the other name!!

Thanks folks. The other name is Anna. I like your point about grown up names, skyeplusbump - it's something we want to bear in mind.

ohhh in that case i much prefer martha!

Martha is a lovely name.

I only know one other who is 3.

Martha is a great name, not too widely used but enjoying a quiet renaissance. I really wish we'd used it for DD2 but DP's cousin had beaten us to it for his DD. Anna is OK but I knew three at school so that's put me off it a bit.

my martha is 3 next week, I love her name...but I don't want to encourage too many other's to have martha's!!!

It is quite unusual alright but it is also old-fashioned and conservative - best of both worlds I guess.

I think it is getting much more popular at the moment.

I know of three under the age of 4 now and I'm not in a fashionable area either. This really wouldn't bother me (ds has a very common name) but it does seem to be gaining popularity so don't bank on being the only one in class.

Martha for sure.

I like Martha a lot - I don't think it's frumpy at all, I think it's pretty cool. Old fashioned in a newly hip sort of way! I also like Anna though - simple, timeless, pretty.

Dh will be pleased that Martha is coming out on top here! I can now put frumpy out of my head. It is a really nice name, but I agree also with mairmc about Anna...hmm...decisions, decisions...

I love it - it's one of my 7-year-old twins' names. We named all our children after people in our family trees, and we've only met one other Martha. Anna is also lovely.

I don't really like it. I do think it's very frumpy.

I prefer Anna.

Martha is nice -- I think it's more popular now particularly since Martha was a companion in Doctor Who.

I adore Martha as i wanted to call my child that but we had DS instead! Reminds me of one of my favourite songs 'Martha's Harbour' by All About Eve and also the band Martha and the Muffins - so not frumpy at all

I like it but it should only be used in areas where you know her friends will say 'martha' NOT 'marfa'............

I much prefer Anna. Not a fan of Martha.

Martha was the only option that DH and I agreed on for our DC1 (turned out to be DS). I love it, but was worried it may turn out to be really commonplace. Seems from above comments that this is not the case - which would have encouraged me.

I like Anna, but I think Martha has more to it as a name IYSWIM.

Sorry - I think Martha is frumpy.
I know 2 age 5 but no babies.

Martha is a gorgeous name! (I will always mourn the fact I never got to use the name Martha, as we had two DS!)

My DH cannot pronounce his 'th's so we would have had to go without anyway as she would be Marfa. Hope that hasnt put you off though cakemuncher because it is such a beautiful name and i soooo want someone to have it!

Martha is very popular here at the moment, if that bothers you (I'm not sure that it should- names are popular because they are lovely).

Tis a beautiful name.

Cool, and a mixture of gentle and strong.
Sweet as a child, grownup/thoughtful as an adult.

Think Martha Wainright... Martha, my dear by the beatles.... Marthy kearny!... not frumpy associations.

It seems more popular than it is - a lot of people seem to say, ooh, I wish I had called my DD Martha.