opinions on my shortlist for a girl please

[roastpotatoes]

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!

[Gimmeechocolate]

I love Orla May. I think Orla Rose also sounds lovely. Second choice would be Alice Elinor.

[forgetmenots]

Orla Elinor! By a mile. Though I like your other choices very much too :)

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

Alice Elinor - Elinor is my preferred spelling tbh and I think Eleanor looks wrong (but I am a Janeite so that may have something to do with it).

[JassyRadlett]

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

Another vote for Alice Elinor.

[invicta]

Rose Margaret s my favourite.

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

[QuantitativePleasing]

Orla Elinor

[mejon]

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

[AnythingNotEverything]

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!

[MoonHare]

Forgive the stray apostrophes!!

[MoonHare]

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.

[Kelly1992]

first is english second is U.S.

[Kelly1992]

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.

[JojoMags]

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.

[MolotovCocktail]

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.

[Weegiemum]

I'd go for Alice Margaret

(Margaret is my middle name!).

[HappyJoyful]

Orla

[glorious]

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!

[BikeRunSki]

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.

[lollypopsicle]

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

[Thurlow]

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

[roastpotatoes]

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!

[Thurlow]

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.

[MummyBurrows]

Alice Elinor gets my vote hands down :)

[fussychica]

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

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