I am having sleepless nights over girls' names!

[redandyellowandpinkandgreen]

We don't know what we are having but the boy's name was sorted very quickly and with no problems. Girls is much harder!

The criteria is English, I prefer longer names that you can shorten when they are little, Old-fashioned, could be the name of someone aged 80. I presented DH with a longlist and he rejected half of them so the current shortlist is:

Alexa
Beatrix
Primrose
Harriet
Eliza
Daisy
Nell

DH is freaked out by names he hasn't heard of or that he thinks are too unusual so he has rejected: Cecily, Hetty, Dulcie, Tabitha, Jemima, Zinnia and Constance.

I would prefer it not to be in the top 100 but will give on this one as I don't think anything too out there will get past DH.

Any other ideas? I love flower names but think we have exhausted them all. I love Nell but would prefer something longer we could shorten to Nell but am not keen on Eleanor or Helen.

Help!!

Purplebody I know exactly what you mean - I spent ages suggesting names for my two DS and pretty much all of them were shot down in flames. When I asked for suggestions DH had none!

What is it with these men? Mine tried to complain that I had picked DS's name without consultation - this was only because he offered no serious suggestion during the whole 9 months.

So I'm trying to really include him this time, but all he does is demonstrate how every one of my ideas could be twisted into a stupid / rude nickname. I swear there is no name on earth that a guy cannot make into a rude nickname!

Don't like Alexa - sounds quite harsh and not as pretty as other names.
Love Beatrix (but Beatrice more), Eliza and from your rejected list I just love Hetty!

Your list is fab!
My picks are Eliza (love), Beatrice and Harriet. Not sure about Alexa, it is growing on me, but really like Alexandra.

Marigold
Jennifer
Penelope

I love Primrose!

I love Harriet & Cecily.
Eleanor nn Nell?

Natalie Cassidy has stolen my baby names! www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1317817/Natalie-Cassidy-gives-birth-daughter-Eliza-Beatrice.html

I think she has been reading her! Cameron stole Florence and now this!!

twolittlekings My DH is exactly the same, he has not made one useful suggestion but turns his nose up at all of mine. Even the ones in my list he is mainly just tolerating rather than loving.

Mine recently said that he would know when it was born and he looked at it... I think he was just trying to change the topic.

I have an Eliza, beautiful timeless name IMO (but it would be wouldn't it?). It is getting a little more popular, but I have taught for ten years and never had even one Eliza pass through our school gates.
Love Beatrice too, but it is quite popular.
BTW I call my Eliza Lizzie at times

Eliza (or Elizabeth), Beatrix (or Beatrice) and Alexa (or Alix).

Eliska is a lovely Czech version of Eliza(beth)

Annelise, Chanel, Donella, Fenella, Cornelia, Nelda, Prunella, Petronella, Janelle for Nell?

Not sure any of them woudl get under your dh's radar though!

Harriet

Have you thought of :-

Lottie - Charlotte
Erin
Izzy - Isabella
Rose
Lizzie - Elizabeth
Gracie
Lexi - Alexandra
Poppy - nice but many people seem to use it.

what boy's name have you both chosen.. maybe we can help from that. :-)

If you like flower names how about Peony?

or Margaret (Maggie) if you like old fashioned names