Anyone want to come and comment on our shortlist?

[Mackrelmint]

dc2 due april so we've got a fair bit of time to keep changing our minds, but thought I'd subject the current lot to mn scrutiny, just for fun

so, do your worst... (and if you have any more suggestions along similar lines let me know! still nothing really standing out at the moment)

GIRLS: (probably middle name of Joan - family name)
Dorothy
Isadora
Elodie
Isaura (it's an old Greek place name apparently)
Eliza

BOYS:
Irvine
Errol
Merle
Wilbur
Ramsay

Love your girls' list (except Elodie which I don't like and Dorothy which I can take or leave).

Isaura is beautiful. You may also like Isolde or Ishbel or Emmeline or Audrey.

Don't like any of your boys' list, sorry.

Also not really keen on any of your boys' names, sorry! And not really getting a feel for what alternatives might work for you.

GIrls:
Dorothy - not keen, can't get away from Dotty or Dolly nns
Isadora - nice
Elodie - nice
Isaura - more unusual and nice
Eliza - way too popular and I prefer it as a short form for Elizabeth

What about Elise? Eloise? Alyssa?

Dorothy - OK
Isadora - I like this, but becoming the new Matilda (original at the moment but could be getting a popularity surge - it's often mentioned on here now!)
Elodie - very pretty
Isaura - too dinosaury
Eliza - maid's name and too nicknamey (OK as nn for Elizabeth)

Irvine - not keen, surnamey
Errol - Flynn, don't like
Merle - quite nice, but isn't blue merle an animal coat colour?
Wilbur - OK, a bit old-man-faddy
Ramsay - Street, Neighbours

Elodie is lovely. Not keen on Isadora - it's reminiscent of a kids tv show for me...not sure which one though. Dorothy is ok, and preferable to Eliza IMO. Isaura I'm just not keen on. It feels a bit forced to me.

For the boys I like Irvine the best - has a nice traditional yet slightly alternative Scottish feel to it. Ramsay at a real push. I couldn't even consider the other three, sorry.

Not keen on any on the boys' list. I could just about live with Ramsay, but only if it's a family name.

For girls:

Dorothy - not that keen.
Isadora - OK
Elodie - lovely
Isaura - no. Sounds like "I saw a..." and also, it will be hell for her to introduce herself, it will be constantly misunderstood.
Eliza - OK, prefer Elizabeth.

GIRLS: (probably middle name of Joan - family name)
Dorothy - No
Isadora - Is A Dora What? ('joke' as a kid)
Elodie pick of the bunch
Isaura (it's an old Greek place name apparently) I Saura What? (same 'joke')
Eliza - Dolittle

BOYS:
Irvine - Just No
Errol - Flynn
Merle - Really? No.
Wilbur - (not wishing to upset another MNer really...sorry) Smith
Ramsay - Gordon

Sorry - but you did ask.

I took Isaura to be pronounced Iz-ora...

ooh, thanks for responses...

Remus - you're very insightful, or I'm very predictable - DD is Audrey! I love the look of Isolde, but can never quite work out how I want to say it, and I'm sure you should be confident saying the name of your own child. Also love Emmeline, but find it too similar to Emma - already one close by in the family.

Thumb - haha! that is exactly why we like Dorothy - love Dotty/Dolly. unfortunately I'm not so keen on the full name itself.

Queen - you're thinking of Wizadora, which is a drawback. I've never seen it, but do have the association. Also think 4 syllables probably too much of a mouthful for me.

Chipping - weirdly enough I hadn't even thought of Gordon... We were just looking for Scottish names and both quite liked the sound. Isaura pronounced Iz-Ora, but could have people making jokes about I Saw Her, or I Saw A... I don't think that's a big issue though. Most names can be played on a bit. I love the sound/look of Isaura, but not convincing DP at the moment, and also don't like Izzy as a nn so would be a bit of a risk that that's all she'd be known as.

Not surprised really that the boys names are unpopular, but weirdly enough doesn't affect my thoughts that much - still very much like Irvine and Merle (although think I'm probably not bold enough to use the latter) especially. But I'm realising I don't really love any of the girls list now... slightly leaning towards Dorothy but it still sounds a bit clumpy to me.

Did remember one more I liked, which I think will probably be as unpopular as our boys' names - Alberta - nn Alba or Bertie...

GIRLS:
Dorothy - it's ok
Isadora - love it
Elodie - love it
Isaura - makes me think of dinosaurs
Eliza - only as short for Elizabeth, which has nicer nns imo

BOYS:
Irvine - I like it
Errol - Flynn! no
Merle - yuck
Wilbur - I like it
Ramsay - it's ok, but does make me think of Gordon, so eww.

Alberta/Alba is quite nice :)

I love Dorothy.Isadora is nice. Elodie is is lovely. Not fond of Isaura. Eliza is nice.

The boys names however,are all horrid.

Oh I LOVE Isolde! I would pronounce it Iz-old. Dolly is lovely as a nn for Dorothy. You have really interesting taste, and I mean that in a good way, not an way.

And Alberta is awful.

How are you pronnouncing Irvine? It can be said Ir-vine or Irvin (in northerly reaches of Scotland).

GIRLS: (probably middle name of Joan - family name)
Dorothy - no makes me think of your one from Men Behaving Badly
Isadora - sounds like a cheapy make up brand
Elodie - love it
Isaura (it's an old Greek place name apparently) - bit pretentious but somehow I like Isaure
Eliza - nice

BOYS:
Irvine - love it
Errol - quite nice
Merle - er, no.
Wilbur - sounds like an aged pet
Ramsay - makes me think of Neighbours

Another point on Errol, that will be more pertinent to the peer group that your DC grows up in - it's the name of the useless little old owl who can't fly straight in Harry Potter (belonging to the Weasley family) so you might want to give that one a miss. :)

I'd put the e on the end of Isolde - Iz-old-uh - but I don't know if that's normal!

What about Iolanthe?

Not at all keen on Alberta - try Aurora or Aurelia - oh, except you have an Audrey already, don't you? Not such a good plan then.

Are you American?
Not keen on Isaura - sounds a bit 'made up'. The boys names are truly terrible. They read like a roll call of the worst 30's Hollywood names.

Er, each to their own?

Audrey is lovely - see, I knew you had good taste in girls' names! But Alberta is dreadful, sorry.

A few more:

Yolanda (means Violet, which is also lovely)
Eloise
Louisa
Naomi
Hermione
Imogen
Sylvia

Boys:
Wilfred
Vincent
Frederick
Mortimer
Thaddeus
Robin
Rupert
Matthias
Barnaby
Laurence
Edmund

Iolanthe is beautiful too.

I think Eliza goes very well with Audrey, Audrey and Eliza go well. I would stay clear of the names ending in y but thats just my opinion

I love the name Wilbur I think its really cute, I also like the name Irvine.

Dorothy I definitely like, although Dorothea would probably just have the edge over Dorothy for me.

Merle - a girl's name surely? Merle Oberon is the only person I've heard of with that name.

Dorothey and Eliza are gorgeous.

Don't like any of your boy's names, sorry.

Thanks for suggestions Remus - I like Wilfred, and I was very keen on Sylvie (not Sylvia because I know a middle-aged one I too closely associate with the name) for DD but DP vetoed on grounds of it being French and us having no French connections.

Aquilla - pronounce Er-Vin. Never heard anyone say Er-Vine.

guinea Merle Haggard is the only one I know, and he's definitely not a girl. I think it's more of a girl's name in some countries (there was a very sweet little girl Merle on The Killing) and a boy's name in others. Sounds nicer pronounced Danish/French - more of a Mare than a Mur sound to start.

I love Joan :)