Beryl

[tummytickler]

Can I use Beryl if I already have a Pearl?
Dh and I agree on 4 girls names. I also have two more that I am trying to get him to agree to.
Beryl is my favourite from the 4 we agree on, but we have a dd Pearl already.

She is nearly 6, so at school. Baby and dd will not be at toddler group together or anything like that.

What do you think?

And we too chose names outside of the top 100 for both our dd and ds - there really are a lot of lovely underused names to choose from .

same name in scottish, tbh, bar a consonant. hence beryl the peril

pearl is lovely, beryl is not. love miriam, now that you mention it.

I actually think it is fine to have 2 gemstone names in the family.
As someone pointed out, this was a tradition in the Victorian times to name children after all flowers or gems.
If you really really want the name Beryl you go for it. I don't think you will get any negative reactions if you tell people that you have named your baby Beryl as people (unless they are crashingly rude) will not tell you what they really think - and do you even give a shit anyway?
Anyhoo, good luck with the birth. You never know you might start a revival!

I've heard MUCH worse teasing than Bery the Peril which is actually quite cute...

And do you really think people today will know of some 70s comic? I doubt it.

with a beryl and a peryl in the family, it's the first thing most adults will think of imo.

Beryl...is fine if you're naming an 80 yr old but a cute baby girl...really?? If you love it then go for it! But it's not my cup of tea.

LOVE Ursula!

hellojude, the same (granny association) was said for names like Pearl, Florence, Clementine, Arthur, Stanley, Quentin until very recently... these associations will be lost soon imo. The more children use these names the quicker they will lose any associations .

Yes the OP is ahead of the curve, but I think just a bit too far ahead. Every time someone asks what your baby's called you'd have to apologise for it's name.

hulabula Those are all awful names too

and I don't think they will ever lose their old man/lady associations

I think their will be a generation of teenagers growing up who hate their names

Www, my mil's name, horrid sorry. I like pearl with maud or Geraldine maybe.

Bit of a risk tho hulabula? For every Ruby there's an Ermintrude...

"you'd have to apologise for it's name." .

No, you wouldn't have to apologise. People have no right to like other people's names. There is nothing to apologise about imo.

Yes but it's desirable that people can get on with their OWN names, and the further off-piste you go with the name, the higher the risk is that they won't, shurely?

Well, usualsuspect we obviously have different tastes . Thankfully so, wouldn't it be dull if we all chose the same names...

Most children just accept a name, be it their own or their friends imo, they don't know any different nor do they associate their mates' names with anyone else than them (unless it is a very silly or comical name or something, of course).

Well, if you are going for gemstone related names, may I suggest Ruby or Opal?

Mildred? ugh. Beryl? awful. Ursula is ok.

Now you see I am staggered by the popularity of Ruby, because I associate it with the character in the Andy Capp cartoon strips.

You can't have Pearl and Opal, it would be like Pearl and her Irish cousin, O'Pearl! But Pearl and Beryl remind me of an aquaintence who called her daughters Alex and Alice, and couldn't see the problem. How about Melisande if you want an old fashioned name that sounds pretty?

Thanks all.
I really couldn't use Opal - it is lovely, but not with Pearl, and the Irish cousin made me laugh!
I spoke to dh about this thread this morning, the only comment that has made us stop and think is that Pearl and Beryl could turn into Burl and Peril, when calling them in together!
So its still on the list, but we are reconsidering.
Gertrude has gone on the list (loved it since I was a child - ET), Mildred is dh's favourite.
TheSecondComing - I love Marjorie, but dh is having none of it.
Well, it might be a boy, still early days, we will find out when I have 20 week scan, and we are settled on 2 boys names to see wht he looks like when he is born. So I can forget about Mildred and Beryl if it turns out to be a boy at the 20 week scan!
I think I will hold off any more lists on Mumsnet until after the 20 week scan!

Please please please (x 1000) don't name a little baby Mildred. I know it's up to you, but think of the little girl at nursery school or Reception saying her name is Mildred. Imagine her as a teen being lumbered with the nickname Mildew and her friends sniggering about it. Imagine her first job - hello my name is Mildred Smith. If she's lucky, she may have it shortened to Millie, but it won't stop the jibes. Mildred will not come back into fashion in the same way Florence and Elsie has. It sounds like a) the Worst Witch or b) a sad old lady in a care home whose relatives don't visit her and she lies all day staring at the wall smelling of wee. Please.

Tummytickler - you said your DH likes Jane, I think Jane is a lovely name.

I am a Jane, and have always liked my name. It is not too common, easy to spell, and not a modern name. Pearl and Jane go well together.

I do not like Beryl or Mildred, sorry.

have you considered emerald , i would have loved this for dd4 but dh was having none of it .

Please do not name your child Beryl.

DD goes to nursery and there is a Beryl there - she get called Rilly! Very cute little girl, and although I don't think the name is gorgeous I think it's fine - and my name in RL is one of the ones mentioned on here that people seem to hate! :( :)

I think it would be rather cruel to name a child Beryl.