Alice Ethel or Alice Rose?

[siluria]

Expecting DD2 in a few weeks' time :) We had settled on Alice Rose and were very happy with it (and haven't told anybody in RL), except that SIL keeps on banging on about how Rose is her favourite name for a girl and we're 'banned' from choosing it.

Obviously this is ridiculous - she is single, she may never have children/may have only boys/may have a DP who doesn't like the name Rose anyway/may go off the name, etc. Plus we'd only be using it as a middle name (DH's middle name is his cousin's first name, and as Rose is fairly common I don't see a problem if she used it too). BUT, she and her sister are sure to kick up a big fuss about it, and I really don't want to start my new baby's life with a stupid argument about names which could sour things.

So we've been thinking of alternatives. DD1's middle name is Edith, and we both like Ethel. I know it's not massively popular on here, but there's a sort of symmetry to it and I think it's pretty. Plus it's a bit quirkier than Alice Rose. So I'm warming to it.

Any thoughts?

I love Ethel!

Alice Rose is beautiful. Go for that one!

Alice Ethel sounds a bit like Ali Sethel iyswim.

Alice Rose flows better.

Alice Louise
Alice Maeve

Sorry I went awol - hectic couple of days. Thank you so much for your responses. I thought Ethel wouldn't be that popular but it is growing on me (especially as, as lots of you say, Rose is just SO popular as a middle name). Plus I worry that Alice Rose sounds like a chintzy tea set?!

You're right about SIL. I actually love her to bits but sometimes she and one of her other sisters just think in the maddest way. And though I like Rose, I don't like it enough for a fight. I'm struggling a bit as I love my DD1's name so much (Isobel Edith - this is going to out me if anybody I know is reading this! - Edith being the name of the only one of her great grandmothers she never met) and I'm only 80-90% of the way there with this one.

I love Alice Elizabeth but DH isn't keen (for no reason in particular) - I think it flows really beautifully. I'd quite like Alice Beth too, though when you put it together it sounds almost as if you're saying 'Elizabeth'.

Any other ideas?

If you have family that is very opinionated about names, then expect some comments if you do decide to use Ethel as a middle name.

Alice Rose. Ethel is a horrible ugly name.

My DD's middle name is Rose. She loves it. I think she would hate Ethel.

Obviously I like Ethel or I wouldn't have put it on here ;) Find it weird that people hate it so much, actually! But that doesn't bother me. I don't have family with rude opinions about names - there would be far more upset over Rose than Ethel.

Still trying to think of other ideas, but not getting very far ...

Alice Rose is lovely. I'm not keen on Ethel - not as a middle name.

I have an Alice Elizabeth too! It works brilliantly. Sometimes called Alice Lizzie for fun.

We were always set on Elizabeth as the middle name. Others on the list were Susannah, Eleanor and Katherine.

Alice Rosalind sounds great! I do think Alice goes well with longer middle names

Alice Rose of the 2 ; can't abide Ethel personally.

My dd is Alice Catherine, and she get lots of compliments on her name!

I have an Alice too!

You say DD1's middle name is after a member of the family- have you thought about doing that for Alice?

Oh go on, go for Alice Ethel! How often do we say first and middle names together? Very few people remember my DC's middle names. There must be thousands of Alice Rose's out there. Give her a more individual name so she has something to talk about in the playground when all her friends have Rose/ Grace/ May middle names. Love Alice Ethel.

I think you should go for for Alice Ethel but just seen you asking for other suggestions too so here goes;

Alice Mabel
Alice Emmeline
Alice Clara
Alice Harriet
Alice Clementine
Alice Flora

Think I could go on!

Alice Rose is beautiful!

Thanks everyone - nice to see a few votes for Ethel.

DH also likes Alice Daisy, and though I like it I think it's too girly-girly.

fobblywoof Alice is actually a family name (two of my great grandmothers - one of them a big favourite with my mum, and though I never met her, she sounds pretty cool). All we're left with after that are Janet (my grandmother, and she HATES her name with a passion), and Iris and Josie, neither of which really work I don't think, and would also involve picking favourites from living grannies, which would be problematic ...

I do have an Alice Martha in my family tree, which I think is gorgeous. DH won't go for it though.

Alice Iris works quite well imo.

Ultimately, go with what you really love.

Alice Daisy is lovely too.

Alice Lily

I sometimes wish I'd called dd this, it was one of the names we discussed early on; I do love the name we chose but still love Alice Lily!

Alice Hazel. Similar sound to Ethel but softer.

Alice Daisy is great too.