Having a wobble about Esther - nice or not?

[nwthree]

After much discussion, we'd finally decided on the name Esther for our baby due this summer. We love it, but a couple of family members have looked quizzical/faintly appalled at our choice. Now I'm wondering if it's a nice name at all. The Rantzen factor seems to be the main objection, but it's not as though she's on TV all the time. What do you think?

Love it.

Also like Hester too.

Love it too

Not a name that I like, dont know why!

love it

Not sure.

Very nice name

Lovely. Esther Rantzen didn't even occur to me.

Sounds like a 16th century Puritan woman's name. I read a lot of historical fiction :)

The appalled looks and quizzical faces would make me even more determined to use the name I loved. The same thing happened with 2 of our daughters. Your name, your choice. It's a very pretty name..my best friend at school was Esther and she was a lovely, clever girl. Congratulations!

Lovely name.

I would stop discussing names with anyone else, you will always get a few who will turn their nose up. Either that or tell them you are going to call her Engelbert or something in a similar vein :)

I don't like it because of somebody I know with that name. If I didn't know her then I would be indifferent towards it.

I think it's pretty and you will always get those reactions from some people about a name. Once your lovely baby is here they will love her name regardless because it's hers.

Love it, I have two friends with the name and the both wear it well. As long as your/her last name isn't Bond,.

Gorgeous name.

I really like it and had a really good friend called it too. She had a sister called Esme which is a similar option and also pretty.

I won't really discuss names with family until the baby is born as they feel they can give their opinion - but once its born they are more inclined to go along with it!! We had a lot of 'WHat??!! are you joking?' for our sons name but we kept it and now everyone likes it because they love him x

Love it. Also love Hester

I think it's beautiful, I'd gladly use it for our baby if only DH would agree!

Thanks everyone. You're absolutely right that our first mistake was canvassing opinion. We will keep our mouths shut and use the name we love.

It's a really nice name. I like Hester too.

I like it and Hester was at the top of our girls name list, hetty for short. We had boys in the end. Oh and ref asking other folk, we didn't do this with either of ours and didn't tell anyone until the DC were born for the very reason that we didn't care what other folk thought, and knew some wouldn't hesitate to tell us how crap our choices were.

I like it! 'Hester' is DD's middle name and is Greek for star; I'm not sure if Esther is the same root? At any rate, a friend's 6 week old DD is Esther and she's lovely too

I love it! And hester!

Esther is quite nice, but Hester seems a bit frumpy and jolly hockey sticks.

How about Estella?

Like it.

To add to the positive vibe - LOVE the name Esther, gutted that I named my cat Esther is the pre baby years when I just called her a name I loved without a thought to the future. We've had her 12 years so now way we could ever use it for a child. But you should go for it, ignore relatives who wrinkle their noses they will come round.