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Baby names

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

Original poster

My new list of faves:

26 replies

dan1981 · 09/03/2011 13:45

I'm becoming a bit of a names addict trying to find something i love for my little girl due in july.

my biggest problem is actually getting one that sounds ok with our surname that i don't like. (a larger than average man on pop idol a few yrs ago named Rik shares the surname - rhymes with dollar!)

Just wanted some opinions please Grin

so here's mine and hubby's list so far:

Laila/Layla
Maya
Sadie
Milaina
Livia
Arabella (but don't think it sounds right with surname Hmm)

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SilkStalkings · 09/03/2011 14:00

Not Milaina because any health professional knows milaena means 'blood in faeces' so you want to avoid anything that sounds like that.

The others are all fine, Livia is especially classy.

Hedwig3 · 09/03/2011 14:03

Sadie

I think this fits best with your surname because of the hard d sound

No hard sounds in surname so the others flow into it

Arabella has the b sound but too many ls

SilkStalkings · 09/03/2011 14:06

Yeah she's right, anything ending in is going to sound like there's a pun hidden somewhere (even though there isn't).

belgo · 09/03/2011 14:07

Agree, don't choose Milaina for the reason SS gives.

Laila is lovely.

cazzybabs · 09/03/2011 14:08

I like Maya and Sadie

BarbieLovesKen · 09/03/2011 14:11

Laila/Layla - lovely but very popular.
Maya - nice/ ok
Sadie - love this - think its really gorgeous.
Milaina - no, again for reasons already given.
Livia - no way. I dont know why but I just dont like the sound when I say it outloud. Its almost like you've forgotton the O at the start or something.
Arabella - nice but not to my taste. At all.

Oh I think Sadie is really fab.

Original poster
dan1981 · 09/03/2011 14:29

Thanks for your imput. its good to see what people generally think.

ok Milaina off the list - i tried it on here last week and didn't get a good responce. i think there's only me and hub in the world who like it..lol.

i love Livia but like barbielovesken says i wondered if people would think i've missed off the O. i do love it though....

I think our top one is Sadie at the mo... classic and not too over used.

laila was going to be our number one name but it has become rather popular lately and it put me off...

Do people think Maya is a bit like Mia and too many variations??

thanks Grin

OP posts:
Underachieving · 09/03/2011 15:40

Sadie is really lovely with your surname. I can see why it's a favourite.

I do like Milaina, it makes a nice sound, but it being a different way to spell an embarassing medical complaint would put me right off it forever.

And yes, Maya is a lot like Mia.

You seem to like 'ai' sounds. I know it's spelled differently but how about Eleni? (Pronounced Elaine-y) I think it sounds alright with your surname.

Original poster
dan1981 · 09/03/2011 15:56

thanks for the suggestion of Eleni underachieving - i like names that are a bit different. your right i do seem to like 'ai' sounds.

OP posts:
fifi25 · 09/03/2011 16:41

Sadie Smile

eileenslightlytotheleft · 09/03/2011 19:06

Sadie doesn't sound good with your surname. Think you need a name that ends in a consonant.

cece · 09/03/2011 19:10

Isn't Sadie a nn for Sarah as well? So maybe Sarah with nn of Sadie, would that go better with your last name?

Onion1968 · 09/03/2011 20:11

Laila/Layla - sounds bad with your surname, too many L's
Maya - nice name but consider it might sound like "Me a [surname]"
Sadie - Sadie is nice BUT the initial S followed by your surname......err no!
Milaina - No although you might get away with Laina
Livia - again "live ya wa....."
Arabella - lovely name but sounds ridiculous with your surname.

Think you might have to rethink to protect your child from a lifetime of teasing and don't even consider my name which is Paula haha :o

You might need to think of 'harder' names to cancel out the soft 'a' and the 2 L's. e.g. Kirsty

Original poster
dan1981 · 09/03/2011 20:36

Thanks for the imput again....

I'd definately name her Sadie not Sarah, sadie is a name in its own right and i'm not keen on sarah. i never thought of it as S. Wa.....But there will be a middle name in there so do u still think it would still be bad initials?

Maya - i would pronounce may-ah not mee-ya so maybe not so bad with surname?? or is there too many 'a's?

This is not easy picking a name....i don't like 'hard' names, i like pretty ones. Confused

OP posts:
UndiscoveredApprentice · 10/03/2011 07:38

Laila/Layla - hard to say with your surname, esp if like many children she cannot pronounce her Ls.
Maya - pretty
Sadie - a very old lady name, but in a hard way, rather than a traditional way
Milaina - never heard of it , sounds made up
Livia - nice, personally I would go for Olivia on b/c
Arabella - nice, but agree it is tough with your surname.

mathanxiety · 10/03/2011 19:55

Livia and Sadie.

May I suggest Mila?

smileychicken · 10/03/2011 20:52

All quite nice names but I don't like them with your surname I am afraid. I would definitely avoid anything ending in 'a'. The 'ee' sounds in Sadie is better.

What about things like Elizabeth, Charlotte, Kate, Rachel, Louise?

PepsiPopcorn · 10/03/2011 20:55

From your list I think Sadie fits best with your surname.

pointydog · 10/03/2011 21:01

I like Sadie

Nightstar · 10/03/2011 21:01

When I read Livia I read it as Labia, sorry, sexual organs not usually the first thing that come to mind, but now I can't shake the connetation! So please please dont name her that!

The others are right that Sadie works best with your surname but out of your choices I do think that Laila is so pretty, it's delicate and feminine in a way that Sadie isnt, and it still works quite well.

SilkStalkings · 10/03/2011 22:44

Also Wallah is an Indian word meaning person in charge of or employed to do something specific eg punkah wallah = person who waves a fan over their boss to keep them cool. So definitely avoid a name that could be a noun (such as Milaena WallahGrin).

Original poster
dan1981 · 11/03/2011 09:16

lol at nightstar my mum said exactly the same thing!! I like Olivia but with it currently ranking no.1 i thought Livia was and alernative that wasn't so popular....maybe not though if people think of sexual organs..ha.

I like charlotte from some of the suggestions but my cousin is charlotte so that might confuse my gran. Scarlet is nice though... same sound.

My surname really is hard to find a name that doesn't look silly, especially when i like 'a' sounds. i've even tried to talk hub into changing it by deed poll but he's having not of it...lol.

Thanks for all you thoughts....

I think i'm prefering Sadie with our surname but still love Laila and i think i'll run Scarlet past hubby too.

OP posts:
ThisFeelsWeird · 11/03/2011 09:42

All except Sadie sound a bit silly with your surname. Haven't you noticed this? Perhaps it's your subconscious's way of telling you you like Sadie best...

Laila Waller - imagine introducing yourself " Hi, I'm Laila Waller", could you do that with a straight face?

You need to avoid names ending in "a" - hard to do given the current fashion for all things "ella" I know. Ending in "e" works much better for you. And you need to swerve "l"s too.

Good luck!

Original poster
dan1981 · 11/03/2011 11:53

all i have noticed is that every name i like doesnt sound right with our surname....Sad

I can't help liking soft names, especially with 'a' sounds and feel others i choose are a compromise.

hmmm, this is so much harder than i realised.

i do appreciate the input though. its good to see what people who've not met us before might think.

OP posts:
sleepywombat · 11/03/2011 12:21

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