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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Hillary

27 replies

tummytickler · 11/03/2012 09:08

What do you think of Hillary? Hilly is a quite cute nn, I think.
It is a new entry onto my list, which is far too long already (although boys name is pretty sorted), and now all i need to do is get pg after mc.
Rest of list includes
Beryl, Victoria (Queenie), Judith, Angela, Susan, Valerie, Mary, Grace, Morag, Prudence and Priscilla.
Not urgent, I know - but I have had a lot of time to thin about this with the last few miscarriages, so now I have a large list!

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serin · 11/03/2012 10:18

I love Hilary!

nizlopi · 11/03/2012 10:30

I'll be honest, I think its a really ugly name, but its your choice obviously.

Judith is pretty.

birdofthenorth · 11/03/2012 10:37

I know a Hillary in her 30s who is usual Hills. She is very trendy and successful.

You'd have to like Hilary Clinton I reckon (I do) as people might mention her.

birdofthenorth · 11/03/2012 10:39

PS Judith, Mary, and yes, Victoria n Queenie my faves from your other options.

Happymum22 · 11/03/2012 10:50

Love it!
My DD has a friend called Hillary, with two l's as well, she was Hil or Hils or Hilly (mostly the first two though but Hilly when she was much younger I think) she really suited it, shes now a very attractive and trendy 18 year old. I definately prefer two l's but most people automatically spell it with one. I know other Hilarys who are nn. Ree.
While I don't like it for a child as much I love it for a teenager/young woman and beyond. I think of Hilary Swank, Hillary Duff and others who make the name trendy. I think its a very unique but strong and for me definately has connotations of a young attractive woman (but know thats probably because of who I know).

smother · 11/03/2012 10:51

Personally.... I dislike Hillary - partly because it's unisex and makes the most hideous boy's name.

My favs from your list are Judith (love Jude and Judy as nns) and Mary.

Grace seems a little normal safe for you tummytickler!

FilterCoffee · 11/03/2012 12:16

My favourites from your list are Angela, Susan, Mary, Grace and Victoria (but not Queenie).

PhasesRUs · 11/03/2012 13:51

My mother is a Judith and, sad to say, she has always hated her name. Perhaps because of the biblical connotations.

Clary · 12/03/2012 00:17

Hillary. Interesting. Best spelled Hilary really.

Problems with this name; it's also a boy's name (rarely but I do know one) and I believe it is frequently misspelled. As well as the above you might also get Hilliary and Hiliary. This may or may not bug the heck out of your DD. Good things are it's unusual and therefore you will prob be the only one your friends know so not always have to give your full name. A friend called Sarah always (from habit I think) gives me her full name when she rings up.

I know very few chidlren called Hilary but recently met a 16yo. It's a fairly ugly name IME (and I am allowed to say that! Grin)

Of your list I like Prudence. Grace is very now, whereas Susan and Angela have a real ring of the 1960s.

BustersOfDoom · 12/03/2012 00:29

Nope don't like it. I think it's quite an ugly name, there's nothing feminine about it. When I was little our next door neighbour's daughter was called Hillary. She wasn't very feminine and when she got married she wore her brown lace up shoes under her wedding dress because it would have been a waste to spend money on satin ones she wouldn't wear again. Her mother was horrified.

I've never met another Hillary since.

TheMerchantOfVenom · 12/03/2012 01:14

I don't think Hilary/Hillary has nothing feminine about it all - with all due respect Busters, you probably think that because your association is only with a non-feminine one. :)

I don't love the name, it don't dislike it either.

Bubbaluv · 12/03/2012 01:20

In my mind Hillary would judge the sponge cake division at a country fair. She'd have a huge bosom and a cat's bum mouth. Sorry.

From you list I love Angela and Priscilla.

Beryl (my GM's name) and Morag are considerably worse than Hillary though. I know a Prudence who really suits her name - but I can't imagine it suiting many people the way it suits her. Mary is just too religious for me. Susan will always be Milly Molly Mandy's friend to me. Valerie makes me hum Any Whinehouse. Judith is a bit dull IMO. Victoria is OK and has lots of nn options.

saffronwblue · 12/03/2012 01:31

I like Victoria out of your list. I know a very charming Hilary who is about 16. (I prefer it with one l).

Bue · 12/03/2012 09:26

Well I feel uniquely qualified to comment Grin Hilary much better than Hillary IMO. Spelling problems, oddly, are an issue but that can happen with many names. It's certainly not popular for children, but I think it will come back in with the 1950s names a few years from now as it is actually a great name.

Mary is my favourite from your list though!

Hedwig3 · 12/03/2012 10:19

Hilary is lovely

Prudence is fabulous

befuzzled · 12/03/2012 10:23

I am normally very open minded about names but Hilary is the worse of the old lady ones imo - not even old lady, just makes me think bland, dull, daily maill reading middle aged woman.

but then i have to stick by my normal thing with names - past associations shouldnt prevent use to today as children grow into their names and their peers wont have the same associations I have.

noddyholder · 12/03/2012 10:25

I love susan

Rhubarbgarden · 12/03/2012 20:41

I think Hilary is a lovely name. And I love Morag.

skinmysunshine · 12/03/2012 21:01

I dislike Susan and Angela on your list but like all the others, including Hilary (one l). Love Prudence though. My absolute fave

exoticfruits · 12/03/2012 21:41

I prefer Hilary. I think that Victoria is lovely but not Queenie (poor thing!)
Mary or Grace are nice.
Not Beryl! (the peril) or Morag-both horrible.

Clary · 12/03/2012 21:50

I don't read the Daily Mail Shock

Do have big boobs tho Grin

Anonymumous · 12/03/2012 22:08

Urrrghh - can't believe the Prudence love on here! Not only does it look like the name of a priggish, censorious, boring old cow with a cork stuck up her backside, but it has the added huge disadvantage of being associated with Gordon Brown of all people! Shock Just YUCK!!!

Hilary and Valerie are a bit like Margery for me - they conjure up the image of late-middle-aged ladies helping out at jumble sales and knitting circles. I'm not keen on Judith or Morag either, but the rest are all OK.

Good luck for a successful pregnancy next time. x

MrsJoeDuffy · 13/03/2012 00:06

I love Ilaria, which is the Italian for Hilary.

startail · 13/03/2012 00:31

Oops that's a most unfortunate list.
Hillary is a retired HT, I once knew.

Your other list has me and both my grandmothers. All names I didn't feel any need to resurrect.

However, I do wish you luck with TTC and I do like Queenie, much better than Vicki.

TheMerchantOfVenom · 13/03/2012 00:54

Anonymumous - I agree re Prudence, plus she was always the name Enid Blyton used for the 'bad apple' character in her books. Wink