LILY GRACE OR ELLA GRACE??

[sarken]

After changing our minds again, DH & I have narrowed down to 2 girls names:

Lily Grace (Farrell)
or
Ella Grace (Farrell)

We both prefer differ - surprise surprise!!

What do you all think?

Still to get round to shortlisting boys names!

I have come across countless Ellas, Graces and Lilys, all of the 0-10 vintage. We are oop north. Popularity would put me off. I gave my DCs the names I like best (have not yet met anyone who shares DD's name) - but would I have still have given them those names if they'd been popular? I'm not sure that I would have done.

I think popularity affects how much we like a name, consciously or unconsciously. I think a name loses some of its beauty and specialness when one hears it all the time...

Really? That's sad sophiesmummie. You're in for a huge disappointment if your MN user name reflects that of your daughter, I know countless Sophies

In answer to your original question- I personally prefer Ella Grace.
Could be a good idea to see what she looks like though as that might influence your decision

I prefer Ella

Whelk, it's hardly utter nonsense when other people are agreeing. You hear a name and instead of your first thought being 'pretty' or whatever, it's 'oh another one'. I don't think Show was being mean, just explaining why popularity affects the way you perceive a name.

I marginally prefer Ella I think. But like Grace as a first name.

Or

if you like L names

Leah
Lorna
Lana
Lara

No, my dd is not Sophie (her middle name is Sophia ). And another downside with a very common name is that it gets much harder for people to remember your name. We're just having some building work done and every other tradesman is called Steve..... I honestly struggle to remember who is who!

I get that point HostofPhantomListeners, but to say 'it ceases to be a name'....... well of course that is nonsense!

Arf, I didn't mean it ceases to be a name literally.

I meant, instead of hearing it as a name that refers to the child in front of you or the child being discussed, you just hear it again. Your immediate reaction to it is to its popularity as opposed to its individual status.

Like a woman dressed in skinny jeans, uggs and a joules gilet, or whatever else is the uniform where you are. She might look stylish and young for her age and warm and a number of other things, but you see her rushing into Marks for a loaf and you think 'great, more uggs, just what the world needs'.

I really wasn't being mean. And I certainly don't think that Ella or Lily have ceased to be names, nowt so literal I assure you. But I think their popularity has become bigger than their beauty.

:o

Oh and as the mum of a 7 yo lily, I can see what you mean In a way. I used it when it was a little bit unusual ( so I thought) and I didn't know of any others. Now I know a few but not millions,

I do know a million megans and bethanys however.

All my children have top 20 names, it wasn't intentional but dh isn't very adventurous and they happened to be the ohpnly ones we agreed on. I don't regret any of them as I love the names (I also have an Ava).

I wanted an Ava for 10 years but it took a couple of dds before he let me have one :).

I have also wanted a Claudia for that long but he won't budge. Hmph.

according to MN wisdom DD1 has a common name, DD2 a chavvy name (shudders at use of the word) and DD3 a name that should only be used for boys

I am beyond caring! They also have two middle names each. They can choose what they wish to be called as they grow older. DH and I will always use the names we picked but as a person who grew up HATING her own name I felt choice was important.

I am also the proud owner of a pair of uggs which you couldn't have prised out my cold dead hands when it his -15 up here

Thanks to everyone for your response, all good points as I never honestly realised how popular the names were as I do not know any under 10s called Lily, Ella or even Grace. I know over 50s called Lily & Ella! So this was an eye opener for us both.
Thanks Airborne that was a great suggestion & one we will consider [smile}

My friend had 4 Ellas in her NCT group . There are 5 Lilys in DDs school year. Agree with Show of Hands buts its a personal thing and if popularity doesnt bother you go for it good luck with the pregnancy.

I love lily grace but then that my dd name so bias

I very much disagree with the people saying that a name loses its beauty when it is popular. I still smile when I hear Lily, Amelia, Poppy, George, Oscar, Finn etc.

I still think Sarah and Mark are lovely names and I knew trillions growing up.

What you must take into account also, is that so many more names are in use these days so although Lily and Ella are in the top 10, they probably wouldn't make the top 50 (going by number of births) in the 70s.

Ella.

I agree with Edmundo - there are so many more names used these days. Even though names like Olivia are popular there won't be as many as names like Sarah in the 70s.

It's also depends on regions. I have an Eve/Evie and live in a city. I haven't met another yet would you believe, just a few Evas. Evie was trendy here about 7 years ago. It's all Maya/Maia, Florence, Maisie, Betty, Esther and old fashioned names here at the moment.

What I was also going to say is that the only reason having a popular name for my child became an issue was because of this forum. If I hadn't found it I wouldn't have realised about the popularity.

Popularity issues are like names themselves. Either you like a name or don't. Either you mind about popularity or you don't. Either you roll your eyes at 'another one' or you don't.

And it only matters what you think. I had friends who hated being Emma B or Big Emma and Little Emma, then others who liked sharing their names with lots of people.

Uggs though. No reasonable person likes uggs.

Oh and at dd's new school there's a Lily-Mae, Tilly-Mae and an Ellie-May. When the teachers call them in it sounds like a song.