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Original poster

opinions on my shortlist for a girl please

29 replies

roastpotatoes · 02/05/2013 13:11

I am due my first baby on Sunday and suddenly realising how soon we're going to have to pick a name. We've had three that we have liked for a while but I wondered what your thoughts are. And if you have any other suggestions...?

Alice Elinor
Rose Margaret
Orla May

(all of the middle names are family names, but I think each one sounds best with the first name!)

Thanks!

OP posts:
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mejon · 02/05/2013 13:45

All three are lovey but I'd have Alice Elinor as my first choice with Orla May 2nd. Best of luck!

Still18atheart · 02/05/2013 13:57

In order of preference

Rose Margaret - Love
Alice Elinor - not sure about the spelling of Elinor
Orla May - not a fan of Orla like May though

ABirdInTheBush · 02/05/2013 14:02

I would swap it around to Margaret Rose! Love it Smile

Tortoiseontheeggshell · 02/05/2013 14:05

Alice Elinor hands down. Rose is so so so so so so so overdone as a middle, but Rose Margaret is my second pick if Rose is a first. Orla May is nice but doesn't do anything for me, if that makes sense.

Alice Elinor. Just beautiful. I honestly can't see how you could better that, especially if Elinor (love the spelling) is a family name.

fussychica · 02/05/2013 14:07

Alice May was our top girls name but we had a boy.

All your choices are lovely. Alice Elinor would be my second choice.

MummyBurrows · 02/05/2013 14:12

Alice Elinor gets my vote hands down :)

Thurlow · 02/05/2013 14:14

Alice is lovely, and just once of those nice names that doesn't come with any baggage or connotations, and won't date.

I do love Orla though. Not sure about the May, but more because it sounds like one name, 'Orla-May', rather than 'Orla' 'May' 'Smith', if you see what I mean.

Or Margaret Rose, nn Maggie.

Original poster
roastpotatoes · 02/05/2013 14:18

Thanks everyone - very helpful.

I do love Alice, but I worry that it might be too popular at the moment. What do you think?

And I find it difficult to think of middle names that go with Orla!

OP posts:
Thurlow · 02/05/2013 14:26

If it doesn't clash with your surname, I actually like Orla Elinor.

lollypopsicle · 02/05/2013 14:56

Orla May is my favourite from your list but they are all pretty in their own right.

BikeRunSki · 02/05/2013 15:27

Alice Elinor, and I love that spelling.

I have never been keen on May as a middle name, since my dad had a v wealthy client once who had a yacht called Alice May and it's dinghy was called Alice Did.

glorious · 02/05/2013 16:22

All lovely but I'd go with Alice Elinor. I don't think Alice is too popular, I've met far more Florences for example. Popularity is often quite dependent on your social circle and I think names you grew up with feel more popular than they actually are iyswim. Orla would be my second choice. Might you see what seems to suit when the baby arrives? Good luck!

HappyJoyful · 02/05/2013 16:23

Orla

Weegiemum · 02/05/2013 16:24

I'd go for Alice Margaret

(Margaret is my middle name!).

MolotovCocktail · 02/05/2013 16:27

I think Orla May is absolutely beautiful :)

Alice Elinor is my second choice but I prefer the look of the conventional 'Eleanor' spelling. Alice is a perennial favourite; a classic. If it's a name you love, OP, go for it, regardless of it's popularity.

Sorry, I don't like Rose Margaret at all.

JojoMags · 02/05/2013 16:31

If i'd had a girl she'd have been Margaret Rose nn Rosie so obv would go for that! Alice is lovely too. Not keen on Orla.

Kelly1992 · 02/05/2013 16:37

I love Alice Elinor but i'd change it so it's Elinor Alice.

this is the popularity of Alice over the last few years.
U.S. Population
2013 #66 2011 #142
2012 #68 2010 #172
2011 #96 2009 #258
2010 #129 2008 #326
2009 #189 2007 #346

this is the popularity of Rose over the last few years.
U.S. Population
2013 #188 2011 #291
2012 #205 2010 #337
2011 #245 2009 #352
2010 #280 2008 #344
2009 #298 2007 #351

this is the popularity of Orla over the last few years.
2013 #884

this is the popularity of Eleanor (Elinor is not found) over the last few years.
U.S. Population
2013 #98 2011 #150
2012 #114 2010 #165
2011 #133 2009 #218
2010 #135 2008 #256
2009 #169 2007 #271

this is the popularity of Margaret over the last few
U.S. Population
2013 #375 2011 #187
2012 #452 2010 #182
2011 #369 2009 #187
2010 #387 2008 #180
2009 #351 2007 #173

this is the popularity of May over the last few

2013 #1479
2012 #1069
2011 #1053
2010 #1362
2009 #1424

No U.S. popularity on May in the last few years.

Kelly1992 · 02/05/2013 16:38

first is english second is U.S.

MoonHare · 02/05/2013 17:29

Alice Elinor is lovely.

But why not go for Elinor Alice if you're worried that Alice is a bit overdone?

I do know many more Alice's than Eleanor's - and I would go with that spelling. Elinor is a surname.

MoonHare · 02/05/2013 17:30

Forgive the stray apostrophes!!

AnythingNotEverything · 02/05/2013 17:38

I love Alice Elinor. If you go Elinor Alice, she will spend forever spelling it for people, which is tricky when they start to write it with a H.

Trust me. First hand experience.

Alice is lovely, number one on our list, actually with Orla as a close second!

mejon · 02/05/2013 20:15

Elinor is the Welsh spelling for those of you thinking the OP has made a mistake or is being creative Wink.

QuantitativePleasing · 02/05/2013 20:36

Orla Elinor

invicta · 02/05/2013 20:36

Rose Margaret s my favourite.

What about Rosemary Margaret, or Rosamund Margaret, with Rose as the nn,

JassyRadlett · 02/05/2013 21:22

Elinor is hardly an unconventional spelling; Jane Austen used it for goodness sake.

Another vote for Alice Elinor.