We have decided to go with Alison

[emmyloo2]

After much discussion, posting, more discussion, arguments etc, we have tentatively decided to go with Alison for DD due in 9 days.

I am still having a few wobbles but I think I would have that with any name. My main concern is I feel like it's a little dated because I know quite a few Alisons in their 30s. However, my DH really likes it and it's my late aunty's name and so we have decided family trumps trends.

I always envisages we would go with something old-fashioned to match DS (George) but this seems to be where we have landed.

Not sure why I am posting but any last minute thoughts or comments, encouragement or otherwise, would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Stella I think you're right. Sorry.

I really like Alison. We have an Alice and would love a George but it really doesn't go with our last name!

Great name ! I know Alison who is 60+ and and several of 40+ no one younger but it's due a return I reckon.

Thanks all. To answer Rooney - I like it, but I wouldn't say I love it. I love it only because it's my aunty's name and there is a whole family history which makes it very special. But do I love it as a stand alone name? No.

I think that's my wobble. However, we can't seem to agree another name which I do love. Our other option is Elizabeth which I do love, but it's very popular and a little "safe" for me. If I had my choice, I would name her Mabel, Maude, Agnes, Hazel, Ruth or Margaret. None of these passed the muster with DH. So we have sort met in the middle with Alison, which is my family name and he really likes it. So perhaps that's why I have some niggling doubts.

Other options we have both liked but discounted are: Nina (I don't love this either though), Eleanor, Caroline, Josephine etc.

I think it is lovely actually. To me it is a classic name.
Go for it :)

My name is Alison. I am 50 this year and am Scottish, my maiden name is very Scottish.
I have never been able to decide whether I like my name or not, but when I see it on this post, I do quite like it, iykwim. I do get called Ally by some people, when I was younger I got called Ally Bally Bee after the song.

I see what you mean. Sometimes relevance trumps beauty.

But fwiw I prefer Elizabeth by far.

Alison is a wonderful name, both for a baby and a grown up woman! Go for it.

Elizabeth isnt that popular among newborns though.

Elizabeth Alison is nice.

Alison is lovely. It's got a medieval ring that outweighs the 70s/80s sound and also sounds quite fresh again now. That plus meaning to you equals winner, I think!

Dd who is 20 is called Alison and also known as Ali. We chose it because we knew of people from 80 down to 5 when she was born so thought it would not date in the same way as all the Emmas and Emilys that were around at the time.

I love th name and it really suits dd as the people we knew called Alison were strong independent people and that is how dd has turned out!

Alison is lovely - I like some of your other options (elizabeth, Eleanor and Caroline), but Alison is far lovlier - it is not in the same vein as Barbara etc at all.

I wouldn't go for Elizabeth teamed with George personally as that is a bit "royal" for me as a duo.

Alice is becoming more popular I think - having Alison just makes it a little different without being an unknown name or too far from the style of George.

Its never been a favourite of mine but it will be a "rare" name for her generation without being stupidly whacky and leave people saying WTF???

If you like it then go for it.

Alison as a name is fine. But I am concerned that you don't seem very enthousiatic about it yourself. I love some of the names you've suggested - Maude, Hazel, Ruth.

I have a Hazel and I love the names Alice and Martha and Tess.

BTW I know a baby Simon

I love it, a beautiful name.

Just seen upi've mentioned the name Elizabeth.

I lvoe that name. You really can't go wrong with it as a name. Everyone knows the name but it really isn't that common at all.

Eliza is lovely too.

Don't go with Alison if you aren;t that keen on it. Elizabeth Alison sounds like the best compromise.

i have a name from my mothers generation and i hate it. basically i have an old person's name. oh how i would have loved to have had a more modern name.

If it helps too, I had an Aunt Alison (husband Charles) and my Dad was a George as was Charles' brother - so a perfect age wise match in my head. Other names from that generation as far as girls go, Elizabeth, Margaret (Rita), Henrietta (Hetty), Norma, Evelyn and Mary.

Alison is pretty and will be unusual at playgroup but to my (late 30's) ears it is a little dated.

How about Alice - it has a very similar sound, is a nod to your family history but is a classic with a contemporary feel about it.

I also love Elizabeth - a lovely name with plenty of great nicknames for a small child - Lizzie, Beth, Betty, Eliza etc....

I love Alison, but then I suppose I am biased, it was my Granny's name, it's my Auntie's name, it's my cousin's name and it's my middle name. So we have 3 generations of our family with that name. So in my mind Alison isn't old fashioned at all, just a classic, but currently unusual name. Every second little girl is Poppy, Milly, Tilly and Grace these days. Use it!

One of my best friends is called Alison Good choice!

Also, I have a name from my parents' era. It is about 20/30 years out of date. It did make me self concious and is not a popular name at all in my age group.

DH wanted the name Alison, he loves it especially the nn Ali mind you he also wanted the name Dolores

I vetoed it for some reason but actually I think it is really nice.