Ava V Charlotte? Heart V Head?

[mimimomma]

We're struggling to decide on a name for dd2 and caught between 2 names, but both are very different.

Ava- We LOVE. It's been a name I've loved for a few years, the link to old Hollywood glamour is right up my street. We nearly had this name first time around but backed out at the last minute because of the influx of Ava's, Eva's, Evie's etc. However, 3 years on we still love the name. The only negative for us is the popularity of it over recent years, it's quite likely to be the Claire/Nicola etc of her generation- but is that such a terrible thing?

Charlotte- Our sensible choice. It's a great name, solid, traditional, it's my mn and we like Lottie and Charlie as nn. We don't LOVE it, and we've had a fairly lukewarm reception when mentioning it to a few friends. Still a popular name, but more timeless than Ava.

What to do? Head V Heart?

They are both beautiful names - you can't go wrong with either really. If your heart says Ava, then go for Ava

I love the name Charlotte but also like Ava...I would go with your heart - maybe Ava Charlotte....that way if you change your mind you could still refer to her as her mn, Charlotte...I know a few people who have ended up using their child's mn as their first name...

Both are sensible choices.

Hmm, well, I'm going to be honest!

If we ever had a second DD, DH would unquestionably have Ava at the top of his list. It's his favourite name, and the old-school Hollywood glamour association has a lot to do with it as well.

I like the name, - but I've 100% vetoed it purely because it will be the 'Claire', 'Joanne', 'Karen' of this generation.

There is nothing wrong with those names per se - they aren't bad names; in fact, they'e nice names (clearly they are, or else so many people wouldn't have used them back then). But they're dull, over-used and dated. They no longer sound refreshing.

I wouldn't want that for my DD. I like the fact that I don't have one of those names. This is just my opinion, but it is interesting that you've picked on the one name that I just know my DH and I will fall out over, should pigs sprout wings and take flight we have a second DD. :)

Charlotte is a nice, safe name. Is there really no other amongst the myriad of girls names out there that you like?

Charlotte is timeless, classy and elegant. It was uber-popular a generation ago, I imagine every 6th form/university class has one in it....

Ava is the name of Myleeeeeeeeeene's daughter. It was a stylish fillum starry name. Now it definitely is not. (I love Eve, am meh about Eva and shudder at the Evie-insert-hyphen-plus-name-of-flower combos)

Clearly I am in the Charlotte camp!

Go with Charlotte. It will never sound dated.

Go with the name that you love, and never mind its popularity.

Until dh went to register ds1's birth, we did not realise that the names we had chosen for him were both top-ten names. Nonetheless, we did not meet another child with those names until he changed schools. Now, y6, there are five in his year! He doesn't care. OTOH, he has ended up being called by a nickname that I would not have chosen (due to ILs, not school). It's ok, classic, but just not. And I wish I'd stood my ground and stuck to the name that felt so right.

Always go with your heart..when it comes to naming a child.

Ava Charlotte is just lovely

Good Luck

I gave my DD a name which was popular about 10-15 years ago, just because I liked it. Most people say 'oh I haven't heard that for a while', which is nice.
I'd go with Charlotte, just because I love Lottie as a nn.

Go with what you love. Ava is lovely, so is Charlotte and I do think Ava Charlotte has a good ring. My oldest DS is a Joseph which I thought highly original at the time, he has had at least one Joseph in his class every year and is now at uni with a Joseph next door to him in halls. He doesn't mind tho and I still love the name.
My friend has an Evelyn, which I love, and seems to me to have a bit of both about it.

IME there are just as many Charlottes (inevitably nicknamed Lottie) around as there are Avas.

The only difference is that there have always been lots of Charlottes, whereas Ava has only been more popular recently.

If you are bothered by a name being popular then don't choose either Ava or Charlotte. If you are not bothered then choose whichever you prefer (sounds like it's Ava!)

I can't really see what's worse about picking a name that's popular right now, but hasn't always been, than a name that has always been popular.

Charlotte is timeless and used by all. As Bucharest said, Ava did have glamorous Hollywood connotations, but now it's used by Myleene and all and sundry. Last year Ava was the 8th most popular girl's name in the UK. It's the equivalent of Gillian, Julie or Lisa in the 70s - all fine but without the longevity.

I get all the arguments against ava and I like Charlotte.
However, Ava Charlotte is just lovely.

I agree with Bucharest, Ava has lost it's air of 1940's Hollywood glamour now that it's so ubiquitous. Having said that if you really love it above all other names then you should use it. It's not as if Ava v Charlotte name is Popular name v Obscure name. They're both really popular.

Go with your heart.

Go for Ava Charlotte - gorgeous name!

And Ava isn't even THAT popular is it? I heard of far more Evies than Avas.

I think you may regret it if you dont call her Ava! Go with your heart and dont overthink the problems every name has some lind of downside bit you need to love your dd's name!!!

I much prefer Ava to Charlotte, despite Ava/Eve/Eva/Evie being so popular. Charlotte is rather dull and staid.

I like Ava. Ava is my DDs middle name, I gave her this name right at the last minute when we were getting her name registered. At one point I wished I'd kept it for a future DD but it has become SO popular now. My DS has just started reception and there are three reception classes, each have at least one Ava. Bit off putting for me.

Go with Ava Charlotte, pretty and you know you love both names and keeps your options open.

I would choose something a bit more unusual and have Ava as the middle name.

Ava is really overdone and obvious,but if you know it's popular and don't mind then do use it

Remember she will be the only Ava in your life, does it matter about the others?

I have gone off Ava simply through working in early years and seeing a crop none of which you'd associate with 'hollywood glamour'
prefer Charlotte

it matters if one of aces Ava
Ava a, Ava b, Ava c at school
Ava I think mylene klass not reto glamour.at all

I think Ava is lovely. Charlotte is nice enough but a bit dull.