We've got it down to 4 for each - honest opinions if you please

[blueberryink]

Boys

Zebedee James
Zebedee Andrew
Zephyr Andrew
Zeno Eddy

Girls

Iona Mary
Ida Mary
Ines Catherine
Iona Catherine

Love your Z names - Zeno is my favourite, then Zebedee James. Zeno Eddy is best all round.
Girls - Iona Mary or Ida Mary for me.

Love the girl's names, especially Ida. All the Z names sound a bit silly. James and Andrew are nice. What about Ziggy?

I hope you have a girl (like all their names)

I thought Zeno is derived from Greek. Zeno was the name of two famous Greek philosophers: Zeno of Elea and Zeno of Citium, the founder of the Stoic school in Athens.

But I guess it does sound a little Italian too.

Lots and lots of names we use in Britain are derived from different cultures. I think that is actually lovely and increases name variety.

tammy, I am with you on the Greek thing, and your comment about deriving names form other cultures. Zeno is most definitely a name, it just isn't well known.

Yes, it is an ancient greek name, but has been used in Italy for centuries. Saint Zeno is especially celebrated in Verona.

Can't believe your all being serious about Zebedee!!!

Sorry Zebedee is awful.

I cant believe how many of you like Zebedee.

I like your girls list.

All your boy names would be greeted with a fixed smile from me. I like your girls names though.

Iona Catherine

Sorry tammytoby I don't think Zebedee is a lovely name. I think it's somewhat ridiculous. It's a red ball with a black moustache and a spring, let's face it (and yes, I do know there's one in the Bible).

Zachary is OK, it's Zack, like Jake and Luke - there are lots around and peopel won't make this face at it.

I like Zephyr best of the boys' names but not Andrew - why not Zephyr James? (Definitely NOT Zephyr Eddy - sounds too much like a brand of battery!)

Iona Catherine/Mary would be lovely.

Ida is lovely for a girl.
All the boys names sound ridiculous, especially zebedee!!!

I'd avoid Iona Mary. Mary is slang for fanjo in many parts of the country, and your DD announcing 'I own a mary' may cause a few raised eyebrows! Iona with a different middle name would be lovely though.

I do like Zeb, although would lose the -edee bit, much as if I named a child Max I wouldn't add the -imilian to the end, even on the birth certificate.

Zephyr Andrew
Iona Mary

Zebedee: "It's a red ball with a black moustache and a spring, let's face it"
I have no idea what you mean, and I have been in the UK for almost 20 years .

I happen to like the name Zebedee, as I do Zachary and Maximilian, but thankfully we all have different tastes

I like Zeb and Iona.

Being Welsh, I have a few friends called Iona, (sometimes shortened from Eifiona, Meirionna, Eiriona etc). But the Welsh pronunciation is "EE"onna. As opposed to the Scottish way of saying it as "EYE"ona, (like the Island). (although my best friend Iona does occasionally get called Una by some English speakers who've just heard her name and not seen it in writing!) :)

Iona Mary and Iona Catherine are lovely. I don't like the other girls names.

As for the boy names they're all bloody awful,Zebedee is particuarly bad.

I like Iona and Ines, Mary is ok. I love Eddy, hate all the other boys names. Zebedee?

I like Zebedee James and Iona Mary best. I have a friend called Ilona prononced Ee-lona, which is nice too.

I, like a few others above, didn't grow up with Magic Roundabout, so won't have any negative associations with Zebedee, and I doubt the younger generation will (is the show still on?). I don't think Zebedee is any more unusuall than, say Zachary or Ezekiel, both of which are quite common these days.

Ines Catherine is a lovely name.

I really wouldn't call a boy either of the first names you have chosen - I can assure you they will get sniggered at - don't you remember Magic Roundabout?

Ragwort, I doubt any of OP's classmates will have a clue who/what Magic Roundabout is.

I want to contribute but I can't take this thread seriously.

I keep waiting for Jeremy Beadle to jump out.