Re-thinking our choices... should we go for different names?

[Linguaphile]

DH and I have, for the most part, settled on calling our twin girls Philippa Winter and Vivienne Gray (Pip/Pippa and Vivi for short), but with our induction date looming less than 2 weeks away, I'm getting cold feet.

I really do love the classics (Alexandra, Elizabeth, etc), but we avoided them because our original criteria was to have something out of (or at the higher end of) the top 100--wanted something classic and interesting that wouldn't date quickly. I'm just not sure we've accomplished that with the names we've got!

I suppose I'm looking for either reassurance about what we've got or inspiration for something different. Any suggestions (even out-of-the-box ones) are really welcome. Names like Primrose, Seren, Zara and Persis have been on our list at some point or another, so I'm open to ideas!

Vivienne is lovely and phillipa is ok. Winter and grey are a bit out there but they are MNs so no biggie. I think I would go with something a bit more romantic than philippa to complement Vivienne. Maria, Cassandra, Catherine, felicity, Eleanor. Something like that.

Love Vivienne; less fond of Philippa but it's fine. Personally I don't like the middle names at all, but they are not my babies!

What about a 'classic' in the sense of Greek or Roman-esqe? Cassandra, maybe? Or Isolde? Claudia?

Crossed posts! That's two votes for Cassandra!

I love them. And the out there middle names commpliment the pretty first names brilliantly!

Wasn't Rodney's drippy wife in Only Fools and Horses called Cassandra? Ruined it for me forever.

Vivienne is gorgeous.

I'd feel sorry for Philippa being lumbered with such a plain name in comparison.

What about Zara and Persis? Or maybe Vivienne and Persis?

I agree with squoosh - I can foresee sibling rivalry, a very jealous Philippa wondering why she got such a boring name compared to her sister's beautiful one....

I love them both. Please don't change your mind! It's natural to get cold feet at this point. I think both of them are classic names fwiw!

Btw I think Vivienne is becoming a bit more popular so Philippa won't seem boring I don't think.

Don't lose Vivienne, it's beautiful!! I love Phillipa aswell but agree that it's not on the same page as Vivienne.

Cassandra - love this also and Cassie is cute
Cecilia
Camilla - both can be Cece which I love
Talia - the name I always regret not using - love Tali
Lydia
Susanna
Juliette
Juliana
Georgiana

Not keen on Zara or Persis either but that's just my opinion.

I think they are both beautiful and it will probably be counterproductive posting here at this stage as you are never going to find a name that will be universally loved. Therefore you will be left more uncertain and possibly make a rash decision.

you need to go with a name you are comfortable with. Having has 'close friends' who copied our choice (we especially chose names that weren't that popular as we didn't want a big/little x) I would suggest that love of the name should over-ride originality. Maybe you just know nicer people than us!!

might vivi get shortened to viv at school and therefore become a bit more dated? I have an old person's name and therefore am a bit biased against anything old.

I really like Phillipa, not as keen on Vivienne but both perfectly nice names. I'm sure its normal to get cold feet with whatever name you choose, you must have loved them to start with to choose them, I wouldn't change them if I were you.

Vivienne and Madeleine?

I automatically think of Madelaine McCann...

Your first names are ok. Not to my taste but fine. The middle names are pretty bad though. If you changed those they might sound better.

The middles are meaningful/family names, so not choices made to sound quirky or different.

I'm rubbish at making suggestions of my own but like other people's ideas of Talia and Felicity instead of Phillipa (don't know why I don't like that name, think I might have known a really plain girl once with that name?).

Out of interest why the winter themed middle names (which I totally love by the way) for a baby due in September? A question I could also ask my friend whose dd Autumn was born in June...

Hi Choccy, see above for reason behind middles. Felicity was one of our top choices, but we went toward Philippa because we didn't like the nickname possibilities as much for Felicity... figured she'll probably get a lot more use out of her nickname since 3 or 4 syllables is a mouthful for little friends.

I knew a Felicity who was Fizz for short. I've always loved Felicity but not the nicknames so much and then I met Fizz!

Lol, makes me think of Frizz.

Ahh not Flick like in Neighbours? (all those years ago!)

I have a lovely friend who is in her early 60's called philippa , she is fantastic fun and a great advert for that name, I think it's particularly lovely as pippi or pippa are good as nicknames and you still have more formal version for job application/ passports etc!
I wouldn't worry about having decided 100% about names pre arrival, we had convicted ourselves we agreed on one boys name but when ds arrived we completely changed our minds!