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Baby names

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

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Original poster

The problem with Poppy

46 replies

Justfuckingdoit · 26/04/2011 17:24

We are having a DD in June and until recently thought it was a boy! So slightly caught on the hop with girls names.

I love Poppy, but am worried it's one of those names which is very cute on a 3 year old, but a bit ridiculous on a grown woman. I always promised I'd pick long versons of names, so we could use the diminutive as a cute name, but leave the option of a more formal name for when they are older and want to be taken seriously.

Thoughts please. Does Poppy fail this test, and do I need to go back to the drawing board (for a boy, was thinking Archibald, Archie for short)?

TIA

OP posts:

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pink4ever · 26/04/2011 19:33

Please op go with Clementine-thats much nicer than poppy. My own dd has a slightly unusual name(not outrageous-think it is in the top 30 but we had loads of moaning from family about it along the same lines as arguments here(oh she wont like it whens shes older.doesnt suit an adult etc). So we have given here the middle of name of Sarah just in case she wants to be sensible/boring!.

DialsMavis · 26/04/2011 19:36

Clementine is gorgeous and my DD's middle name, it would have been her first name but DP wasn't keen. I am not keen on Clemmie thoughn as it sounds a bit "phlegmy"

pink4ever · 26/04/2011 19:40

Just checked and apparently my dd's name is not in the top 100. I thought it was becoming very poplular/common. Feel quite smug now!.

wildspinning · 26/04/2011 20:09

My sister's at a top 5 uni and one of her housemates is called Poppy. This Poppy is an elegant, classy, intelligent biochemist and I have never thought of her name as childish or cutesy!

My sister also has 20-year-old friends called Daisy, Lily and Chloe and they're high-achieving uni students. These names are normal names for young girls and women nowadays. When they're 40 they'll sound totally normal for women of that age. Maureen, Doris, Edna and Maud were 17 years old once!

Kaekae · 26/04/2011 21:35

I have a Poppy and I have know a grown up Poppy. I love the name, the only problem with it, I would say is that its become far too popular.

TheBolter · 26/04/2011 21:37

I think it's fine on an older woman.

cazzybabs · 26/04/2011 21:40

I have a Poppy and debated long and hard about whether to use it ... but I love the name. She has a more formal middle name that she can use if she wants too or change her name ... but Poppy she is now. Everyone comments about how much they love it.

Original poster

Justfuckingdoit · 26/04/2011 21:45

Thanks everyone. Erring towards Clementine. Clementine Poppy...not sure I can do that to the poor child even though at the moment she is being refered to as the bloody baby as she appears to have both feet hooked on my ribs.

You hear that baby? Move or else.

OP posts:

CarefulWithThatAxeEugene · 26/04/2011 22:33

Twee is twee. And will still be twee in 30 years, no matter how many other poor sods were lumbered with the name by stupid par people share the name. JMO

squeak2392 · 26/04/2011 22:51

I quite like Clementine. Can't say the same about Clemmie though. Cleo, Emmy or Tina are other options.

I hate the name Poppy, frankly, and can't bring myself to see it as a proper name. It just doesn't have the integrity of names like Jasmine, Rose, or even Lily. And yes, it's very cutesy. I can't imagine her getting a job any better than an average-wage role at the office of a big company. I always try to imagine my name ideas on Apprentice candidates - if it makes me cringe, or I can't get over the name long enough to consider the candidate's skills, it's a no.
Penelope for long is a good idea though, I've never thought about that.

Archibald's lovely, btw.

Dilligaf81 · 26/04/2011 22:57

DD1 is Poppy and I thought it was a baby name until I met Dr called Poppy and it just cemented my love of hte name (DD3's middle name is Clementine after DD vetoed it for first name - I still look at her thinking I can change it till she's one....Now to convince DH.

Dilligaf81 · 26/04/2011 22:58

BTW I think Poppy Clementine has a better ring.

TheSecondComing · 26/04/2011 23:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MayBankHoliday · 27/04/2011 00:04

Poppy and Clementine are both lovely names. In a few years Poppy won't be unusual as a woman's name.

5DollarShake · 27/04/2011 05:25

A child named Poppy is an indicator to me that I wiukd have nothing whatsoever in common with her parents. Basically, what squeak2392 said.

CheerfulYank · 27/04/2011 05:37

I love Penelope nn Poppy! It's on my shortlist if I have twin DD's someday since there's another name that I absolutely HAVE to use since I sort of snaked it from my SIL but that's another story. :)

Clementine is also lovely, and I think Emmie is a nice nn.

GotArt · 27/04/2011 05:46

DH and I are tossing Poppy and Pipa around for our NB due next month. I love the name, however what's deterring us is that our DD is Violet, named after my great grandma and I don't want to spend the rest of my life telling people that no, we weren't doing a theme with names for our children. Clementine is really nice too. Clemmie is awful though. Emmy is a much nicer nick name for it.

CheerfulYank · 27/04/2011 05:49

LOVE Poppy. And Pippa, and Piper. The double P sounds are just so bouncy and fun. :)

virginiasmonalogue · 27/04/2011 10:58

I have a poppy and it suits her to a tee! I can't imagine her as anything else.

I know a teenage poppy too and think it's a really cool name, and was probably quite unusual 16 years ago

I don't think it willseem out of place on an adult in 20 years time.

I also loved the name Piper but husband veto'd it!

HRHUrsulaBuffay · 27/04/2011 11:50

I love Poppy, but did feel this way & DH wouldn't agree, went for Phoebe instead which has a similar sound but I felt would grow better. Still love Poppy though.

TallulahBetty · 27/04/2011 16:09

It's a nice name, but I had a rabbit called Poppy when I was a child, so I automatically think of it as an animal name. Sorry.

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