Madeleine?

[CruCru]

What do you think?

[ShadowStorm]

DH loves the cakes. It makes him very sad that they're so hard to find these days.

[MumOfTheMoos]

Love it

[Mariannesmum]

Love it. Such an elegant, beautiful name that suits a child and a grown up.

As an alternative, have you considered Marianne? I think it is in a similar vein...

(Disclaimer - I may be biased)

[CruCru]

Yep, Marianne is also on our list. Only trouble is there was one at school who I didn't like much. It doesn't seem as controversial as Madeleine seems to be among people I know.

[BreasticlesNTesticles]

I love it, I don't get the association thing - but I have a Claudia which many people on here wouldn't have as it "means" lame or crippled.

Oh and I like Cassandra.

Clearly meanings and associations of names mean stuff all to me

I am thinking of Madeleine for dc3, also like Josephine, Alice and Hermione

[plummyjam]

Madeleine is a lovely name. Have you thought about Mireille? Pronounced Me-ray I think it is a beautiful and uncommon (at least in the UK) French name.

[Mariannesmum]

I think if you love Madeleine you should go for it. The name will be your daughter's, no one else's. She will make it her own. Am sounding a bit like Simon Cowell now...

[mathanxiety]

You can't predict what name will be associated with the next tragedy. If you like Madeleine then use it. How would you feel if you were to name your child 'Anything other than Madeleine', only to find the next tragic case involved a child with the name you had used?

[CruCru]

Thanks, that is a good point.

[trixymalixy]

My DD is Madeline after DH's gran. I love it.

[DessieLou]

I have a Madeleine. Most people comment on what a lovely name it is. No one in real life has said anything about Madeleine McCann but I'm sure a few may think it. People you know will soon come to associate the name with your dd rather than the poor McCann girl.

[Kaekae]

I would not let the McCann association put me off at all. This name was on my sisters SL almost four years ago and she did wonder whether it was a good idea or not, but she had a boy anyway. I know someone who has just had a little baby Madeleine. It is a lovely name and should start being used again.

[KittenofDoom]

Madeleine is a lovely name and I wouldn't avoid it because of the McCs.

I also like the English spelling Madeline which can be pronounced to rhyme with wine, as in the Keats poem 'The Eve of St Agnes'.

[CruCru]

I think this has become closer to one of my favourite names. Plus I've just found out there's a Princess Madeleine of Sweden.

How would you spell it?

Madeleine (I think this one)
Madelaine
Madeline?

[miffybun73]

Lovely name, but I immediately think McCann, not a good association.

[MrsBungle]

Beautiful name. Makes me think of my friends two year old. I also like marianne. I don't like Maddie though.

[prolificnamechanger]

I would spell it the first way. I met a lovely little Madeleine recently and know a very sophisticated grown up one. I think it is a timeless, ageless name. Really beautiful. Don't mind the nickname Maddie but Lainey could be an alternative?

[FetaCheeny]

Beautiful name, the Mcann situation wouldn't put me off.

[MatersMate]

No, I think in RL no one would think of mcann.

It's a beautiful name :)

[bananaramma]

I like Madeleine pronounced the French way, emphasising the last syllable, -eine. I dislike the MAD sound and really dislike Maddie as a nickname, sounds like someone very mad .

[Thurlow]

Madeleine.

[EuphemiaLennox]

It's a beautiful name.

I know one teenage Madeleine, I associate the name with her not the McCanna little girl. .

If you used the name you and your family and friends would associate it with your daughter and these associations distant to you would be forgotten.

Alternatives to consider:

Miranda - I love this.

Adelaide - has a similar feel to Madeleine.