Phoebe, Lucy, Ellen or Emmeline?

[birdofthenorth]

These are our current faces for a girl, what do you think? I know Lucy and Phoebe are very popular, which usually puts me off, but I think they are quite classic rather than faddy. Emmeline and Ellen less so with great namesakes. What do you think?

"faves" not "faces", stupid iPhone!

I love Emmeline. I wanted to use it, H vetoed... All of those names are beautiful and classic, though. If I had to order, I'd go Emmeline, Lucy, Ellen, Phoebe.

I like Emmeline too, but it would probably just get shortened to Em, so worth bearing that in mind. Phoebe's nice and it's not universally popular, and Ellen's not bad. Not so keen on Lucy but it's all very individual!

I like Emmiline and Ellen and Phoebe, in that order. Not that keen on Lucy.

Ellen, please.

Thanks all! Bit surprised Emmiline has the majority so far but I do love it! Perfectly happy with Em or Emmy for short

Well, we have an Emmeline Lucy so I quite like your faves and she does get called Emme, Em or even Emmelina the Ballerina or Semolina (but that's just by us).

My order of preference would be Emmeline, Lucy, Phoebe and Ellen.

If you do use Emmeline be prepared for everyone listening to the first bit and calling her Emily.

Emmeline is beautiful. :) Lucy, Phoebe and Ellen are also nice but less unusual.

I especially dislike Emmeline & don't much rate Phoebe, either.
Er... just to give you a different perspective. Lucy is okay, but I like it best when it's short for something else (like Lucinda, Lucille).

Just goes to show, whatever you name your baby someone will dislike it.

Emmeline and Phoebe!

I think Emmeline is getting more popular and therefore may age a bit, but it is a nice name. My favourite is Phoebe. Ellen is nice, its similar to all the other 'Elle' names, Elle, Ellie, Ella etc but more classic imo and she always has the option to use a shorterned version. I like Lucy, its classic and not trying to hard. I would rate them in this order

Phoebe
Ellen
Lucy
Emmeline

If popularity is putting you off, have you had a look at their position in the National Statistics Website?

Phoebe - OK, but a bit like "feeble"
Lucy - lovely, classic name :)
Ellen - a bit lumpen
Emmeline - nice, though slightly on the frilly side

I'm a Lucy, I'm 24 and I remember there were five of us in my year at school which use to really annoy me having to be known as "Lucy M". And in the class I teach now, I have three Lucys. Personally I'd go for a name less popular. I love emmeline

Thanks everyone! Another name I've just managed to squeeze onto the list is Esme (pronounced the Ez-Mee way not Ez-May), any thoughts? Ta!

I'm loving Emmeline, but not as much as Esme, which we would have used for DD had my neighbour not beaten us to it a month earlier. She's still the only Esme I know, too

Ellen.

(OK, so I'm biased , but it is a lovely and underused name.)

The only disadvantage is that it does get mistaken for other things (a bit like Emmeline/Emily): Helen (esp. if you live in an area where it's normal to drop the aitch!), Ellie (which you might like as a nickname, but my Ellen doesn't), Ella, etc.

Still love the name though.

I also love Esme.

Out how annoying your neighbours popped you to the post! V unlucky! Do love Esme, thought DH did not, but today he seems keen

Prefer your other choices to Esme.

Emmeline, very Edwardian suffragette (Pankhurst)

Ellen

Phoebe has a moment back in the late 90's, Lucy is a tad dull, and Emmeline is too J-Lo for my liking

I like them all (except Esme) but Lucy is my favourite.

Lucy or Emmeline. Esme is nice too if pronounced Es-may (imo)

Phoebe.

I know a wonderful one so it makes the name seem all the nicer, iykwim.