Opinions wanted on shortlist.

[NotJustKangaskhan]

My shortlists for DC4, due in November, is still in flux and needs whittling. Since those around me I'd either rather not discuss it with or have been no help at all (My husband, for starters, pretty much only cares that it's old/has a bit of history to it - can only get an 'it's okay' or unhappy face out of him), I'm braving Mumsnet for some British general public opinion of the names (as I'm an American ex-pat, and don't want names to come out American-y).

So which names do you like, dislike, and which do you think go with our current DCs Owen, Alexandra, and Mirabelle?

Boys:
Emmett
Cyrus (Owen's choice)
Zakiah
Ilan (ee-lan - would this get mispronounced a lot?)
Ulric
Doran (family name)
Franklin (family name)

Girls:
Winifred
Irena
Teresa
Honora
Hester
Elanor
Gwendolen

Boys:
Emmett - Like a lot, but DH doesn't because of Back to the Future
Cyrus (Owen's choice) - allright - actually quite like (ie it has grown on me in past 30 secs!)
Zakiah - don't like it
Ilan (ee-lan - would this get mispronounced a lot?) - yes
Ulric - don't like
Doran (family name) - personally not keen, but like using family names
Franklin (family name) - personally not keen, but like using family names

Girls:
Winifred - don't like
Irena - don't like
Teresa - like, but NOT TERRY for short (maybe Ti (pronounced "tea"), Tia)
Honora - don't like
Hester - like
Elanor - don't like - seems quite popular at the mo
Gwendolen - don't like

Cyrus, Emmett or Zakiah for a boy, Teresa or Honora for a girl.

Emmett - fine
Cyrus (Owen's choice) - like
Zakiah - nice but is it ZAK-ee-uh or Za-KEE-uh?
Ilan - yes, would be mispronounced a lot
Ulric - don't like the sound
Doran (family name) - quite nice, although similar to girls' name Dorian
Franklin (family name) - OK but too surnamey and yes, very American (since you ask)

Girls:
Winifred - too "old lady" for my taste
Irena - don't like
Teresa - lovely, and you can have Tess/Tessa as nickname too
Honora - very nice, like Honor too
Hester - don't like, although Esther is OK
Elanor - nice but Eleanor spelling much more usual
Gwendolen - do you have a Welsh connection?

... or Eleanor for a girl

Emmett or Hester

I love Cyrus and Irena. Not keen on the others; Ilan is particularly bad as it would be mistaken for Alan.

Like Cyrus and Emmet

don't like any of the girls (but neither do you ).
Gwendoline? [gwendoleen]
Irina? [eereena]

like Mirabelle! DD1's favorite is Alexandra.

what about Amandine, Angeline, caroline, maureen, ... I think any girl's name ending in "een" will suit

Interesting set of names

Boys:
Emmett I like a lot but in the UK it can have slightly whimpish suggestions. (not British myself)
Cyrus (Owen's choice) I like a lot
Zakiah not my cup of tea at all
Ilan (ee-lan - would this get mispronounced a lot?) I like and yes to begin with it will but people learn
Ulric I love but uncommon in the UK
Doran (family name) I like
Franklin (family name) less keen on

Girls:
Winifred cute
Irena like a lot
Teresa to nun fo me im afraid
Honora love it (prefer honaria laughs)
Hester I like it
Elanor not my cup of tea
Gwendolen very sweet but will she be gwennie for a nn?

I like Doran and Cyrus from your boys list and Honora from your girls list.

LOVE Hester and Gwendolen but not fond of any of the others, sorry. Don't like any of the boys' names.

Emmett and Winifred (love this name )

If you go for Zakiah or Elanor you might want to think about the spelling again.

I've met an Ilan - its a beautiful name IMO...he spelt it Elan though.

Your girls names are not my personal cuppa but of them I'd probably go with...Winifred - I think "fred" as a nickname for a girl is cute.