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Baby names

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

Please help me to shorten my not-so-shortlist!

73 replies

FanellaFox · 21/03/2011 10:56

Due in a matter of weeks and clueless for names. I don't want a nameless baby!

We already have a George and a Harrison. Our surname is Fox.

We don't know the sex, so two lists to shorten!

Sebastian

Freddie

Oscar

Archie

William

Thomas

Stanley

Noah

Gracie
Phoebe
Matilda
Florence
Madeleine
Eleanor
Evelyn
Elizabeth
Charlotte
Poppy

Suggestions also welcome as none of these really standing out for me, however, ideally I would like to end up with just a couple to choose from!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
LessNarkyPuffin · 21/03/2011 13:22

Isobel lovely but very very very popular
Rosalie tea

LessNarkyPuffin · 21/03/2011 13:22

Rosamund, Rosemary, Rosalind?

rathlin · 21/03/2011 13:31

I used to know a Fox family and think their names all went quite well together:
Gemma Fox
Catherine Fox
Paula Fox
Saul Fox
Joanne Fox

but maybe a bit dated for you as these people are now in their 30s Grin

What about Billie thingy's husband, isn't he Lawrence/Laurence Fox? Think that is quite nice if I have the right name!

flipfloppop · 21/03/2011 14:09

I have an Oscar and a Poppy so I'm going to choose them lol.

I also love Stanley and Florence!

We have very similar taste in names Grin

ApocalypseCheeseToastie · 21/03/2011 14:17

Tabitha Fox

James Fox....there, i've done it for you Wink

TheEffinOasis · 21/03/2011 14:40

A good friend once said to me that she applied the 'lawyer or rock star' rule when naming her boys - in other words could you imagine the name suiting either. I like that!

My favourites from your boys list are:

Sebastian Jeffrey Fox - sounds very classy, even though I'm not usually a fan of Sebastian

Noah Jeffrey Fox - rock star or lawyer rule applies!

I don't like the others for the following reasons:

Freddie - don't think it's a very serious name 'Freddie Fox', kids book/tv character - I'm also not a fan of alliterative names (is that the right word? Meaning any name beginning with F with a surname of Fox would be a no-no for me)

Oscar - very common here so I would avoid on that basis

Archie - just don't like the name much, no other reason! Strikes up an image of a hapless, eccentric character.

William - again very popular so not keen unless he's going to go thru school career as one of many

Thomas - another very popular one

Stanley - I still think of as rather an old man's name, as well as a bit thuggish maybe?

And fave girls names from your list are:

Absolute fave: Elizabeth Ann Fox - this sounds absolutely lovely, classy and the bonus with Elizabeth is there are so many variations for her to choose from (Beth, Betty, Lizzy, Lizbeth, Liz etc)

Madeleine Ann Fox - I have a Madeleine and I do love the name, it flows well with your middle name and surname too

Eleanor Ann Fox - very soft sounding and flows really nicely

Isobel - as above

Not so keen on the others:
Gracie - very popular at the moment, sounds like a nickname

Phoebe - don't know why but not so keen

Matilda - hard sounding name

Florence - like I said above, I'd avoid 'F' names with an 'F' surname

Evelyn - not bad, more indifferent!

Charlotte - just don't like the name, knew a horrid Charlotte when I was younger...

Poppy - too cute

Rosalie - would almost certainly be shorted to Rosie, which is just too cute in a not so positive way!

FanellaFox · 21/03/2011 14:53

TheEffinOasis - I like that rule! Thank you for going through the whole list - food for thought!

OP posts:
FanellaFox · 21/03/2011 14:54

(oh, and I take it you don't like my name with the two F's? Grin)

OP posts:
minipie · 21/03/2011 14:57

Sebastian - Good, but v posh
Freddie - Freddie Fox sounds like a children's TV character
Oscar - Oscar Fox just doesn't work
Archie - Too cutesy for me. What would full name be?
William - Good
Thomas - Good
Stanley - Not keen - think it's a trendy-right-now old-man name that will date badly
Noah - Not keen

Gracie - Too cutesy
Phoebe - Nice, though not so keen on the alliteration
Matilda - Great - I'm not usually a big fan of this name but it goes very well with Fox
Florence
Madeleine - Great
Eleanor - Good
Evelyn - Bit unisex for me
Elizabeth - Good
Charlotte - Ok
Poppy - Way too cutesy
Rosalie - Ok. Rosalind or Rosamund better.

minipie · 21/03/2011 14:58

Oops, missed out Florence, would say no due to the alliteration.

MyBoysHaveDogsNames · 21/03/2011 15:04

You can't use Oscar as he will sound like a shout out on a police radio! Ditto Charlie, Delta, or Tango.

Love Sebastian Fox, very strong name. Elizabeth is the best female name, I love it. It was my mother's name but she was called Betty or Queenie.

William is a good name but I would imagine there will be a renaissance in this name's popularity, post Royal Wedding.

PepsiPopcorn · 21/03/2011 15:23

LOL, you did ask for suggestions! Good luck with deciding :)

Joannezipan · 21/03/2011 15:47

Someon once told me you need to imagine them ages 20 in a bar introducing themselves to a potential boyfriend/girlfiend... is it embarasing then? The fast forward another 10 years and imagine them giving a presentation at work to their bosses does the name fit then? Gracie and Freddie are quite kiddieish, will they want a more grown up name in the future?

ChippyMinton · 21/03/2011 16:04

Without wanting to 'out' myself, you have two of my DC's names on your list, both of which are proving popular on this thread Wink

Agree with the strong/long theory.

TheEffinOasis · 21/03/2011 16:05

BlushBlushBlush!!!

Missed that you were a 'double F' - no, of course it's a lovely name, I just try and avoid alliterative names as a personal rule. Have I dug myself out of the hole? Wink

TheEffinOasis · 21/03/2011 16:08

@Joannezipan - I like that rule too! And I agree, I prefer to avoid shortened versions of names so would always give them the formal/full version on the birth cert even if I intended to use a shortened form. Gives them the choice later in life - hence I'm also not keen on Freddie/Gracie.

ivykaty44 · 21/03/2011 16:11

Sebastian
Matilda

two names on your girls list are a bit to F F and Ph F for me

FanellaFox · 21/03/2011 16:12

Grin TheEffinOasis. It's fine.. personal taste. I quite like the double F, hence why there is one on each list. Freddie and Florence were the front runners for a while, but I think Freddie has been scrapped now, it does sound like a childrens character!

OP posts:
ivykaty44 · 21/03/2011 16:14

There are a few Sebs milling around secondary school and somehow has losts its poshness Grin I like Seb and being a longer name think it is good with Fox.

I like Freddie and then Fred when older as Fred is a good solid no frills blokes name - to me. Not sure I would go for Fred Fox

FanellaFox · 21/03/2011 16:19

So...

Sebastion
Noah
How about Wilfred instead of Freddie?

Elizabeth
Matilda
I still like Florence...

OP posts:
TheEffinOasis · 21/03/2011 16:27

Will it get shortened to Wilf? Could you deal with that?

FanellaFox · 21/03/2011 16:29

Err.... I think so....maybe Grin

OP posts:
EdwardorEricCantDecide · 21/03/2011 17:04

is wilfred not a girls name?!

FanellaFox · 21/03/2011 17:05

I've always known it to be a boys name...

OP posts:
TheEffinOasis · 21/03/2011 17:13

I think Wilfred is deffo a boy's name - are you thinking of Winifred?