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Baby names

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

Original poster

Beatrice....comments?

39 replies

clarabellarocks · 13/09/2010 15:32

I'm currently mulling this one over. Hadn't really thought of it as it has never been a name I thought wow to but the more I think about it the more I like it.

But I just want people's opinions on it. Does anyone find it a bit old fashioned (as in not very cool), ugly or just not very exciting? Or is it pretty and more unusual to Isabelle (one of my forever favourites but a few things put me off that lately - one being someone calling my daughter Imogen it so perhaps too similar?)

Other potential name is Florence or Iris but shorten my daughter's name so quite like to pick one I can shorten for this one.

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JaynieB · 13/09/2010 15:35

It is absolutely the best girls name ever. Guess what my DD is called?
It's a grower.

Original poster
clarabellarocks · 13/09/2010 15:38

Is she known to you as Bea Jaynie?
I think you're right, it really is growing on me and I haven't heard of another other than on mumsnet!

OP posts:
daisystone · 13/09/2010 15:38

Beatrice is a beautiful name. It is becoming quite widespread these days but that doesn't take away from the fact that it is lovely.

I wouldn't call her Isabelle though. Hundreds of baby Isabelle's at the moment.

I like Iris very much too and am considering it for my own yet to be born babe.

silver28 · 13/09/2010 15:40

Love it and love bea as a nn.

JaynieB · 13/09/2010 15:42

DD calls herself Beatrice but we all call her Bea.
Tiny intake at her nursery/school this September - 2 Beatrices out of about 6 kids!

muggglewump · 13/09/2010 15:44

I prefer Beatrix, but of the three you listed I love Iris.

Sinkingfeeling · 13/09/2010 15:47

I love it - it's my youngest daughter's middle name (not her first name because of very bad combination of initials with our surname!). I gather it's becoming more popular, but have so far only met one other little girl who has it as a middle name, none as a first.

5DollarShake · 13/09/2010 15:50

I have to admit, I don't get Beatrice. Before I opened the thread I thought to myself that I'd put it in the same bracket as Florence - another 'old lady' name going through a massive renaissance that I also don't get - and lo, you mention that name too. Grin

We obviously don't have the same taste in names and plenty of people love it, so I'm clearly in the minority. :)

peasandbeans · 13/09/2010 16:00

I agree that Beatrice is a Florence type name. I love both of them.

comtessa · 13/09/2010 16:03

Love it - it would be my DC1's name but DH says it's too English. Sigh.

comtessa · 13/09/2010 16:03

(DH is American, I am English.)

ozmetric · 13/09/2010 16:14

It's a lovely classic name.

GiraffeYoga · 13/09/2010 16:26

I have a Beatrice. We call her Bea or Beatrice.

I love love love it! and have no regrets.

It wasnt chosen as "another old woman" name
but because its a family name on my father's side (my grandmother and great grandmother).

Go for it. :) Its different, classic and lots of lovely things :)

anonymousbird · 13/09/2010 16:30

I know a few, and to start with wasn't so sure, but now I LOVE IT!!!!! Really pretty but not twee, not silly, can be girly, can be grown up can be anything. Great choice.

GColdtimer · 13/09/2010 16:32

I love it. It was on our list by DH veteod.

JaynieB · 13/09/2010 16:44

It wasn't our first choice, but the first choice name just didn't suit her when she arrived. DSD actually suggested Beatrice - I think it's also in that old lady/new classic bracket.

Crazycatlady · 13/09/2010 16:44

Just typed a great long reply and it got lost...!

Anyway, we have a 20 month old Beatrice. Obviously biased but it's my absolute favourite girls name because:

  • both long and short versions are lovely
  • pretty sounding name but strong and not prissy
  • Beatrice is a Shakespearean heroine in Much Ado about Nothing
  • Beatrice is the soul that guided Dante from Purgatory into Heaven in Divine Comedy
  • Beatrice Webb was an English social reformer and economist who did some pretty cool and amazing things
  • the name means 'bringer of joy' which seemed really appropriate

We call ours both Beatrice and Bea, and she calls herself Bee-bee...

We had never met another until on the beach last week at St Ives.

LittleMilla · 13/09/2010 16:51

Just add on this one. My niece is a Bea and it provides endless bumble bee related fun too!

Beautiful name. Girly name, but she's a bit of a rough and tumble toddler and it still suits her. Smile

chaya5738 · 13/09/2010 17:14

I think it is a beautiful name BUT it is way too popular now, I think. Maybe it is just my group of friends but I have FOUR friends you have named their daughters Beatrice/Beatrix in the past two years. One of them now has a Beatrice and Florence.

So for that reason I would probably go with Iris.

mathanxiety · 13/09/2010 17:59

Beatrice is gorgeous, imo, and I love the short version Bea. I also love Beatrix and Beata.

I think it far outshines Florence, which strikes me as rather a prim name.

Iris is nice, but I think of Iris Robinson unfortunately. If I had to go for a combination of Greek/flower names, I'd pick Calantha (lovely flower).

With all the different spellings of Isobel-Isabelle, etc., you get a really, really popular name.

Rockbird · 13/09/2010 18:08

Love Beatrice and Bea. Don't like Beatrix and detest Florence. I don't know any Beatrices

MummyLovesSadie · 13/09/2010 19:07

Bea is my dd's mn (not Beatrice) so I love it. It means 'bringer of happiness'. Smile

silverfrog · 13/09/2010 19:12

Another lover of beatrice here .

She is usually known as Little B.

Getting quite popular, thoguh, I htink.

amothersplaceisinthewrong · 13/09/2010 19:15

Beatrice lovely. Just don't call her sister Eugenie.

Northernlurker · 13/09/2010 19:19

I have a three year old Beatrice and I think it is a great name. Bit worried to see it described as becoming more common though. Hmm Ours is after the Shakesperean heroine - I also have a Miranda and a Rosalind. When we had our Bea the name was only just inside the top 100 - must check on it now.