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Original poster

Unusual Girls name shortlist.. Honest comments please. Not long to go.

88 replies

bagladywilts · 15/08/2012 07:56

We are expecting a dd in the next few weeks but we just need to get the name sorted... stress of name is enough to bring on labour in itself. We like unusual names but they can be a bit marmity and we don't want to burden the poor little thing. Ideally something timeless, not obviously shortened, elegant. Which do you like or hate of..?

Romily
Verity
Serena
Selina
Xanthe
Nancy
Lydia
Beatrice
Cynthia
Fleur
Rowena

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PurplePidjin · 15/08/2012 07:58

Verity. I've known a couple of people called Verity and they were/are lovely.

Also Bryony :)

picnicbasketcase · 15/08/2012 08:00

I like Lydia, Beatrice and Serena. Not a fan of Romilly or Verity. They sound like adverbs.

MrsJohnDeere · 15/08/2012 08:11

Love Lydia (underused IMHO), Beatrice, Fleur.

neontetra · 15/08/2012 08:12

Beatrice is my favourite of those. Good luck with the baby!

besmirchedandbewildered · 15/08/2012 08:14

Not keen on Cynthia or Rowena but otherwise that's one of the best shortlists I've seen Grin

Thumbwitch · 15/08/2012 08:15

Romily - like
Verity - don't like
Serena - lovely
Selina - my great grandmother's name - like
Xanthe - like but prefer Iolanthe
Nancy - not keen
Lydia - LOVE
Beatrice - too popular to qualify as unusual
Cynthia - not keen
Fleur - love
Rowena - like

outtolunchagain · 15/08/2012 08:16

Romilly my favourite although I do know a baby called Romilly. Also like Beatrice and Fleur, Cynthia I am afraid I don't like. What about Daphne or Delphine

EdithWeston · 15/08/2012 08:17

Romily - fine
Verity - still looks dated to me
Serena - lovely
Selina - OK
Xanthe - OK
Nancy - three of these at our primary, may therefore fail the "unusual" test
Lydia - like
Beatrice - know a couple of these
Cynthia - seems both dated and prissy (sorry)
Fleur - OK, but may be assumed it's Harry Potter, not Forsyte Saga
Rowena - OK

Yama · 15/08/2012 08:20

I like Romily and Xanthe the best.

Not keen on Nancy or Fleur.

The others are nice but not as nice as Romily and Xanthe.

Wildwaterfalls · 15/08/2012 09:06

I love Fleur and it really meets your criteria of elegant and not easily shortened. Can't have it myself but would be on our short list otherwise!

Indith · 15/08/2012 09:13

Romily- Love love love Romily.
Verity- Also love Verity.
Serena- Meh. Personally not keen on it but it is a perfectly nice name.
Selina- Ditto
Xanthe- I do like it, you might get more Hmm looks with this one though.
Nancy- Nancy is great.
Lydia- Always makes me think of the flightly little sister in P&P!
Beatrice- Sedate and matronly, though it is my mum's name so I shouldn't say that Grin.
Cynthia- Ok
Fleur- I don't like the way most brits pronounce it.
Rowena- I alsways feel like if Rowena is a character in a story she is the evil one.

ScrambledSmegs · 15/08/2012 09:14

Of your list, I love Serena, it's very elegant. Also Beatrice and Verity.

The others are ok, apart from Lydia and Fleur - but that's because of the old 'unpleasant girls I went to school with' chestnut, not because the names are unpleasant IYKWIM.

CajaDeLaMemoria · 15/08/2012 09:18

Serena is on the increase due to Gossip Girl - the effect may end in a few years as it is the last series, but it's worth taking this into account. The same goes for Blair.

I love most of the names on your list. I only know one Verity, but she is lovely. We do shorten it to V occasionally, but most people call her proper name.

Xanthe is a stunning name!

tiredteddy · 15/08/2012 09:20

LOVE Xanthe such a beautiful name.

emmyloo2 · 15/08/2012 09:30

Romily - i like this
Verity - like this a lot
Serena - love this
Selina - love this
Xanthe - not my cup of tea
Nancy - nice and not used much
Lydia - ok
Beatrice - love this but more popular than your other choices
Cynthia - love this
Fleur - nah
Rowena - gorgeous!! My favourite

Overall I like your choices a lot, particularl Rowena and Serena.

curiousgeorgie · 15/08/2012 09:36

Xanthe my favourite! Lovely name, know a zanthie and she is adorable... (much prefer the x spelling though!)

Like the rest except Serena, who was a bitch to me at school haha...

Littlecherublegs · 15/08/2012 09:48

Like Lydia and Beatrice the best.

Fleur and Serena are ok.

Not keen on the rest.

puds11 · 15/08/2012 09:53

What about celine? Or cecily

ArthurandGeorge · 15/08/2012 09:57

I like most of them but some of them are atually quite popular imo. Dislike Fleur.

Cynthia is probably the most unusual.

GnocchiNineDoors · 15/08/2012 09:58

Beatrice my favourite but Id go for Beatrix.

Ephiny · 15/08/2012 10:46

I like Serena, and Rowena. Verity is OK. Not keen on the others at all.

neontetra · 15/08/2012 11:39

I know it's a personal thing, but I myself wouldn't avoid a name I liked just because it is quite popular. My name was very unpopular when I was little (though very high in top 100 now!) and I loathed it growing up, and was so jealous of my friends with their fashionable names! Each to their own, though!

Muffincrumpet · 15/08/2012 11:46

Serena or Fleur

TenthMuse · 15/08/2012 12:32

Great shortlist! I adore Xanthe, so this would be my top choice, but Verity and Nancy are also nice. The only ones I actively dislike are Lydia and Cynthia. Rowena nice too, but prefer Rowan as it's less 'fussy'.

iheartmycat · 15/08/2012 12:49

wow, love your list!! Rowena's just too...old womanny? try hard? I can't put my finger on why I don't like it, tho Rowen is lovely! Same goes for Cynthia.

Xanthe, Nancy, Verity, Romilly, Fleur and Selina would be my faves from your list (in that order!).

Let us know what you choose!