Which girls' name to choose

[mammiebee]

I am expecting DC in 3 weeks time and we've settled on a couple of boys' names but girls' names are proving more tricky so I'd love your thoughts on these please:

I love Florence but I feel like every other little girl I meet is a Florence at the mo. I know this really shouldn't matter but I'm also not keen on the NNs Flo, Floss, Florrie etc

I also love Madeleine but I wonder if people of our generation will always think of the poor McCanns when they hear it?

I also adore Effie but I wonder if it sounds like a nickname and I don't like Euphemia, which it is short for.

BTW, I also love Tabitha but DP has vetoed this!

Any thoughts?

My DH also vetoed Tabitha but a couple of weeks before she was born - without me having gone on about it - he said he'd changed his mind and was happy to go with it if I still liked it! I did and so DD2 is Tabitha. I will keep my fingers crossed that your DH has a similar change of heart as it is such a fantastic name.

I have heard Effie used as a nn for Frances. It would work for any name staring with F.

Hmmm...literary.....

Alice
Tabitha
Beth
Rebecca
Daphne
Hermione

Harriet (Hattie), Sylvie, Elodie, Enid............ all of that Ilk...

Essie is a name in its own right! It is of Persian origin and means 'star'

Effie could be used as a nn for Stephanie which I think would be quite glamorous and unusual these days!

I think Effie is a great name.
I also like Tabitha if your dh changes his mind.
Madeleine is lovely too and I wouldn't be put off the name.
I don't know many Florences, but prefer your other choices.
Altogether I am not much help!

Following on from my last post on this thread, I had a look for Essie but cannot find evidence of it historically being a name in it's own right. In addition to my suggestions, Estelle/Estella, Esther/Esta were suggested as sources of the Essie diminutive.

Of course, if Essie is a name that you like, then go for it as her proper name! After all, Libby, Jamie, etc, started as diminutives and are now fully-fledged names. Essie is so cute (and not outlandish) that I think you'd be able to do it.

Congratulations and best of luck! x

Whoops, just read Spanish's post. Estelle means 'star' too, so you have a few more choices with the name :)

Thanks MammaTonic for lots of great feedback. Essie is very sweet and you've given me some food for thought. Esther is a name that I have been to-ing and fro-ing but then it is nice to hear from Spanish that Essie is a name in its own right.

Thanks Luna. Although I really don't think DP is gonna have a change of heart :( Probably because I have been banging on about it for sooo long now!! I think Tabitha is absolutely beautiful and I love Tabby too so I am very glad that your DH had a change of heart x

Babster, your daughters have gorgeous names. Every time I watched Larkrise to Candleford I kept thinking what a wonderful name Queenie is. And Scarlett is so glamorous. Great name for a teenager.

I love Nell too but it would rhyme with the baby's surname and sounds a bit daft!

Sorry, MoonHare / LunaMoon I got you two muddles up! I blame my baby brain!