Iris - too "old lady"? Ruby - too common? or Ramona

[Michellephant]

Hi everyone,

We're struggling to think of a name for our rainbow baby. We like the name Iris because it is a flower name (our angel was called Poppy) and it also means rainbow (which is what our baby is) but I'm wondering whether it actually suits a baby? I also wouldn't want people to nickname her Izzy as I think people will then assume she is called Isabelle and I don't like that name.

Ruby is one we had as a potential name when we named Poppy. I'm not sure whether it is too common/popular (however you want to word it).

I really like Ramona and like the idea of using Romy as a potential nickname but I'm unsure about the name.

Ideally I want a name that links in some way to our angel, so flower names were high up in my list but my OH doesn't like a lot of them. The surname would be McDonald so it can easily result in the full name sounding really common. For example, Daisy McDonald sounds a bit farmer-ish to me, as does Rosie... agree?
I also liked the idea of using Opal as a middle name as it is the birth stone of our angel baby, but then I started to wonder whether it is weird to be trying to make a connection between them? What do people think?

I also like Dorothy (Dot, Dottie). The main thing I'm struggling with is imagining myself saying these names to 1. introduce the baby to people 2. shout across the park/playground etc

Anyone else really struggling to pick names for girls?!

What's a rainbow baby?

Rainbow baby?

Iris is a lovely name

I emphasise with your struggle :)

I like the name Iris a lot (currently considering it myself) I personally can't see why anyone would use Izzy as a nickname?

I don't like Ruby, I think its quite popular - well too popular for me anyway and Dorothy isn't for me at all.

I'm not sure from your post whether you like Ramona or not or just like the name Romy? In which case you could use Romilly etc?

You could also have a third name to make the connection? I don't think there is anything wrong with making the connection but its nice too to make a new start with a new baby, thats what I thought myself after I had a m/c. That said DD has a flower name as her mn and if I'm truthful I like the idea of this baby also having a flower middle name.

Girls names are hard to come up with when you have already used your favourite name!

What do you mean by rainbow baby?

I love Iris, I don't think it's old-ladyish at all.

Love Ramona, nn Romy. How about Romilly?

I do like Ruby, but agree that's it's v.popular.

I'm pg with my rainbow baby too. And I think Iris is a wonderful name and I love the meaning and it fits with Poppy so well, which I know is important. I don't think it will be shortened to Izzy, and also it fits a baby. They are not babies for long.

It would also work as a middle name for the other names you mentioned, which might help with choices? Maybe.

But I really like Iris. Congrats to you, and so sorry to hear about Poppy.

Rainbow baby is the baby you have after a stillbirth, its because your in a storm after such a loss and this new baby brings light as a rainbow but it doesn't mean your out of the storm if that makes sense.

There is a poem about it but I can't link as I'm on my phone

Sorry, a rainbow baby is a baby that has been lost in some way too soon. Poppy was born asleep at 22 weeks.

My issue with Iris as a middle name is that the surname begins with M so we'll end up with _.I.M. as initials. So for example, Dorothy would have initials that spell out "DIM" lol.

Iris is looking like it is going to rocket in popularity so I'm thinking I might avoid it.

I really like Ramona and Romy as the nn, I don't like Romilly because we live near a place with a similar name and it isn't particularly nice!

I was so convinced that we were having a boy this time. I think boy names are so much easier!

michelle I don't think Iris is going to be mega popular, but it will be more common than Romona. I understand the spelling thing if its the middle name.

We have chosen Merryn if our rainbow is a girl, it means joyous, which we thought was very apt.

Maybe Ramona Opal? Or even Ramona Iris Opal MacDonald?

I like two middle names I know some don't.

Actually I like Ramona Iris MacDonald and I don't think RIM is a bad initial spelling.

I don't think the "oh" sounds in Ramona and Opal go together. Merryn is a lovely name. I like names that aren't too common. My OH has three Isabelle's in his class next year!

There are so many mentions of Iris on here at the moment so that's putting me off.

Understand that, it is popular on mumsnet. Do you have any meanings that you would like the name to be?

Iris is lovely, timeless and classic. Ramona is nice too, I think it will be naturally shortened to Mona. I have a lovely friend called Mona so I like that too.

Imho, I don't think Iris will become too popular either. Good luck choosing!

There are so many mentions of Iris on here at the moment so that's putting me off

I honestly don't think the names people suggest on this board are an accurate reflection of the names people actually use. You see the same few names being repeated continuously here and nobody ever suggests a name like Dylan etc. Yet when a thread is started about unpopular names and somebody states the fact that they dislike the name Dylan, you'll find cross mums jumping up saying their son is named Dylan.

Note: Dylan is the first name that popped into my head, I'm not saying its a nice or awful name!

Perhaps look up the CSO figures for actual usage of names?

I like Ramona, it's very spirited.

Iris is old laddish and overused. But Ramona is really cool. Like it.

I have an Iris (6 years old) and she has never been called Izzy or any nickname. I think it's a beautiful name, obviously!

Thanks Michelle. I'd never heard of that term before. It's lovely. It must have been a terrible shock to you to lose Poppy so far on, very sorry to hear.
Best of luck this time and all the names are lovely.

How about Violet? It comes to mind when I think of Iris/Ruby. They're beautiful flowers, too.

I'm so sorry for your loss and hope everything goes well for you with your rainbow baby.

Romy is really more of a nn for Rosemarie (or Rosemary) -- maybe that would be a nice name as rosemary is the herb associated with remembrance?

Other than Rosemarie/ Rosemary / Romy, I prefer Iris over your other choices.

I prefer Renata or Renee ('reborn') over Ramona too. I don't like the 'mona' element.

Wishing you luck whatever name you choose.

Huge congratulations on your rainbow. I think the idea of linking your girls is lovely.

I ADORE Iris! Also like Ramona & Dorothy.

My girls are Hazel & Celeste, both Naturey (Celeste means 'heavenly')

Or:
Estelle/Stella
Seren
Heather
Willow
Skye

??

Oh not as find of Ruby, meant to add that.

Ramona, love this.

Love Rosemarie/Rosemary as mentioned above too.

I love Ramona.

Reminds me of the books and she was one cool kid.

I love Ramona and Iris. I think Ramona could get quite popular, but not overly so. Iris has been around for a while now, so if it was going to become overly common it would already have done so, I think.

Ruby is lovely, but very run of the mill now.

How about Lois, Morwenna or Paloma?

Seren and Merryn are going to become very common indeed. You can't move for people suggesting them on here in the last year or two.

Ramona is lovely, I love Romy.