Elizabeth Wren?

[trilottie]

We're more or less settled on Elizabeth but my query is about Wren. Wanted a short middle name that's slightly out of the ordinary since the first name is quite traditional (my MN is Rose and I dislike it). Our surname begins with B and is 2 syllables, ending in 'is'.
Love Ellie Wren as a nn.
What do you all think? Does it sound a bit too surnamey? Too weird?

Family names (another option instead of slightly unusual name options) are Ellen, Doris, Florence, Dorothy (Dot).

I love it!

First time I've ever seen/heard of Wren being used as a name.

Very nice.

Goes very well with Elizabeth.

I would steal this if I were to have another child :)

Love it! Love bird names, generally. Well, not all, obv.

Elizabeth Wren sounds nice, but Ellie Wren is a bit too similar to Jenny Wren.

Elizabeth Florence sounds lovely, or Florence Elizabeth.

Dorothy quite nice too, not sure about Dot though - too Eastenders.

I like Wren. People use flowers, so why not birds. Lark is nice too, gannett not so much.

Wren is a surname to me, but thats because im used to it

I think its lovely! I think you will get a lot of people assuming it is a family surname or asking you where it came from, but as long as that won't bother you, I would say go for it!

It's awful, and your dd will probably hate it when she gets older. You will also wince in later years when you have to tell the doctor's receptionists and such like what her name is. Honestly, don't do it.

And if you go for a family name, go for anything but Doris.

Why would anyone wince saying Wren?

Because it is a trying-to-be-different name - and the novelty will wear off after a few years.

I agree that some names give that impression cookie. Hard to say so on here though, because the North Londoners are always keen to say how cosmopolitan and open-minded they are, so anything goes (as long as it's acceptable in their little enclave, and isn't chav...)

I do quite like Wren though :)

Not every middle name has to be Rose or May you know.

You can get away with all sorts in middle name territory although I like Wren so much it would work prefectly well as a first name.

Thanks all, that's more positive than I was expecting!
My one very slight worry is that written down its lovely, but when you say it it sounds like Ren/Renn so she'll be forever saying 'No, Wren as in the bird!'. [Confused]

It does sound a bit Beatrix Potter. To my ears Wren works better as a first name, so you don't get the "Elizabeth Wren hopped off to Mrs Tiggywinkle's to collect her freshly laundered handkin" effect.

Oh I like it, very cute.

I love it.

I like it (but they are bolshy little birds)
What about Linnet? I wanted to called dd that.

I like it a lot. Wren is a little out there but if it's going to be the middle name what does it matter? She just won't use it if she doesn't like it. Having a "safe" first name and an usual middle name covers all bases. If she grows up to be a CEO or Prime Minister she can be Elizabeth but if she grows up to be the lead singer in a punk band she can be Wren.

It's PERFECT - I love it. :) Doris, on the other hand, is NOT perfect!

It sounds lovely