Opinions needed on my short list please!

[Jenniferturkington]

I am due to have my third dc in 7 weeks. I'm struggling to fall in love with a name, but have a few that I am considering. I like names with nn options, classic but not too common.

What do you think? I have reservations about all of them for one reason or another!!

Boys

Arthur
Francis (Fran or frankie)
Raphael (rafi)
Rowan
Nathaniel (Nat)
Jonathan (jonny)
Sebastian (Seb)

Girls

Beatrice (Bea)
Elizabeth (bess, lizzy, betsy)
Josephine (josie, joey, posy)
Rowan
Juliet
Hero
Helen

I love Rowan for both. I think its great because on a boy it doesn't sound too feminine and on a girl its isn't too masculine.

Boys:
Arthur
Francis, but only because I like Frankie then Frank or Francis when older
Raphael is quite nice

The bottom 3 are some of my most hated names so I can't give an unbiased view.

Girls:
Beatrice is lovely as is Bea
Hero I think will become more popular as time goes on and is actually really strong

Hate Josephine, Juliet and specifically Helen/Ellen or anything similar.

Elizabeth is so bland and boring to me its a long version of Anne, Jane and Mary.

A friend of mine has a Nathaniel and it's a bit clunky and I don't like 'Nat' as a nn either, so wouldn't be my choice. I like John but not Jonathan oddly enough.
I like all of your girls names - one of which is my DD's name too. Elizabeth is a perpetual classic with lots of nn options which can reflect current trends too. Hero is rather lovely and whilst it's not currently popular I do like Helen as a name - all the Helens I know are lovely.

Arthur Really not keen
Francis Like a lot (also like for a girl)
Raphael OK
Rowan Not my bag
Nathaniel Like but take Beamur's point about it being a bit clunky
Jonathan Like, but not keen on Johnny
Sebastian OK

Beatrice OK
Elizabeth OK, like Beth as a short form
Josephine OK
Rowan Not my bag
Juliet Like a lot
Hero Like a lot
Helen Like

Lovely choices - you have good taste! Like most of the boys' names, especially Arthur, Raphael, Nathaniel and Rowan. Sebastian always seems a bit effete to me, Jonathan OK but a bit middle of the road, and Francis always sounds vaguely sinister for some reason (probably just me though!). Top choice would be Arthur or Raphael.

Love Rowan for either sex, for the same reason as Ruby. Would probably veer towards girl though - it's my favourite of your girls' choices. Elizabeth and Josephine also nice and classic, with plenty of nickname options. Juliet is pretty, but a bit too frilly for me and I don't like the potential nicknames (esp Jules). Love the idea of Hero (and Juno), but suspect many people are oblivious to its mythological/Shakespearean origins and will just think along Superman/Spiderman lines!

Afraid I can't warm to Beatrice, and Helen still sounds dated to me, rather than classic.

Boys

Arthur - still a bit old man-ish to me
Francis (Fran or frankie) - prefer the female Frances, along with nns
Raphael (rafi) - like
Rowan - like a lot
Nathaniel (Nat) - like a lot, prefer nn Nate to Nat
Jonathan (jonny) - nice enough but a bit dull imo unless family name
Sebastian (Seb) - like a lot

Girls

Beatrice (Bea) - okay
Elizabeth (bess, lizzy, betsy) - really like betsy/bess
Josephine (josie, joey, posy) - really like joey/josie
Rowan - like a lot
Juliet - okay
Hero - don't love it tbh, but could be my aversion Myleene!
Helen - okay, bit dated

Boys

Arthur - Quite like
Francis (Fran or frankie) - Would prefer just Frank nn Frankie I think.
Raphael (rafi) - Like
Rowan - Love this name
Nathaniel (Nat) - Love this name
Jonathan (jonny) - Quite like
Sebastian (Seb) - Like Sebastian but not Seb.

Girls

Beatrice (Bea) - Love this name
Elizabeth (bess, lizzy, betsy) - Really like. I like Bess and Libby as nns. Don't like Lizzy so much
Josephine (josie, joey, posy) - Not so keen, a bit middle aged to me
Rowan - Really like, but more of a boy's name to me
Juliet - Growing on me
Hero - No, bit pretentious IMHO
Helen - Quite like, nn Nell is lovely. Helena seems more popular these days

Arthur - too old man-ish for me
Francis (Fran or frankie ) -dont like
Raphael (rafi) -like
Rowan - ok
Nathaniel (Nat) - LOVE!
Jonathan (jonny) -nice enough
Sebastian (Seb) - like

Beatrice (Bea) - lovely
Elizabeth (bess, lizzy, betsy) - ok
Josephine (josie, joey, posy) - dont like
Rowan -prefer for boy
Juliet - nice enough
Hero - dont like
Helen - not keen,a bit 80's

So for me i twould be Nathaniel or Beatrice!

I like Rowan, Raphael and Jonathan as well as Beatrice, Josephine and Helen. All great classic but not overused names.

How about
Tristan
Quentin
Antonia
Charlotte

Arthur - quite like
Francis (Fran or frankie) - like a lot (although hate it when people mix up the m and f spellings - happens a lot)
Raphael (rafi) - like
Rowan - don't like
Nathaniel (Nat) - don't like

Jonathan (jonny) - ok
Sebastian (Seb) - love

Girls

Beatrice (Bea) - too royal family now

Elizabeth (bess, lizzy, betsy) - ok
Josephine (josie, joey, posy) - don't like
Rowan - don't like
Juliet - like the best of this list

Hero - loathe (too sleb trendy)
Helen - old fashioned and a little wet. Do like Helena however.

Thanks for the comments. It's funny, although I like both Helen and Jonathan, as an 80's child they still strike me as really popular and dull even though they're hardly heard now!

I like Rowan, but lack of nn concerns me. Conversely I like some of he Elizabeth nn but am not overly keen on Elizabeth.

Think my favourites are Raphael and Josephine. But am concerned that I'm too English to use Raphael, and that Josephine is a bit boyish and therefor ugly sounding.

Also quite like Constance and, Frederick.

Feel free to add suggestions, I'm a long way from a decision!

Please dont do a unisex name it is a PAIN when people asks if thats Mr or Mrs and I loathe getting my letters addressd to MR REALLy bugs me.

Of your list I like Sebastian, Juliet and Hero

Jonathan my favourite of the boy names.

Elizabeth for a girl (you could use a nn everyday) or Juliet.

Hero is the name of Myleene Klass's second daughter. That probably now will be the stronger connotation than the Shakespearian one for a lot of people.

Boys - Really like Jonathan and Sebastian.
I like Frankie (but not Francis), Raphael and Raf, prefer Nathan to Nathaniel.
Prefer Rowan as a girl's name.
Girls - Frances?

We have a Josephine (nn Josie), and Beatrice and Elizabeth are on the shortlist for DC2. You have excellent taste .
Rowan, Juliet and Helen are all OK.
Hero makes me think of an old Mariah Carey song, and I just don't like it.