Amanda or Vanessa?

[Supersesame]

I'm back with a new set! Thought Harriet was our name but once I paired it with our surname it sounds dreadful.
Both of these sound ok with surname.
I'm trying to avoid any of the current trendy names as we did with our DS. I'm so pleased we took a risk with his name so I don't mind taking a risk again!

Ooh, interesting! I really like Vanessa, classic and have only ever met one.

Not as keen on Amanda. Just can't picture a baby Amanda for whatever reason!

I know me too. Lots of thirty something Amandas but can't picture naming my baby it!

Do you like Mandy? If not, I'd go for Vanessa, but don't know how you'd shorten it - Nessie?

I know Amanda was very popular in the 60s/70s but it is still a very pretty name, so why not? You could start the revival!

Vanessa is OK, but not as nice.

Like Vanessa. Nessa may be nick name but nothing else.

Vanessa. Friend was Van throughout teens (cool name), then Nessa when adult. Amanda is nice, but not keen on Mandy.

I like Amanda not Mandy never Mandy.

And Amanda means 'worthy of love'. Which I agree with cos I am

Vanessa, Vanessa, Vanessa.

Choose Vanessa.

Vanessa. Elegant and timeless.

Amanda is really not a nice name. Sorry to all Amandas!

I don't like either, sorry! One of them is my name and I hated the bullying rhymes and it is soooo clunky to say.

I like both Slightly prefer Vanessa.

I like Vanessa. Not sure about Amanda as it's my name and I neither love it nor hate it. I think you don't need to wait a hundred years for it to be ok to revive a name. If you like a name from the 70s or 80s then go for it.

Cat I'm curious about the bullying rhymes. I'm an Amanda and I can't think of any, so are you a Vanessa?

I love both - classic, feminine and not trendy at the moment.

I slightly prefer Amanda - so pretty and she'll be the only one with her name in her age group!

Vanessa also nice but feels more 'now'.

Vanessa

Amanda

don't like either. both names are from our era, and having had a parent who did this to me i would not wish an 'old person's' name on any child. oh to be a susan, or karen and whatever else was popular when i was born.

I think Vanessa is lovely. Amanda reminds me of that woman who presented the Word.

All the Amandas I have ever known have been silly and immature. Whereas the Vanessas have been intellectual.

Both lovely names. I've known a few of each - one Amanda went by Mandy, but the others were always just Amanda with no shortening. And none of my Vanessas were shortened. I must admit that I think Vanessa is a difficult name to carry off if you are not beautiful though! but that might just be me

There is no such thing as an 'old person's name'. All the middle aged Vanessas, Sarahs, Amandas etc were all children too one day!

We sometimes forget why we name our children - they are not fashion accessories that need trendy/fashionable names, they are people who need names to identify them! A Vanessa or Amanda will much more likely be remembered for her name than yet another little Ellie, Evie or Poppy.

Also, a little Amanda will grow up to have a 'cool' name whereas all her contemporaries will have typical, middle aged, 'old' names that so many of you seem to worry about!

I tend to agree. I would not like my child's age to be identifiable by her name, which it could be with the Evies and Lilys of today.
Opinion is very divided on these two names. I'm veering towards Vanessa. Only have DH to convince now.

I prefer Vanessa.

Amanda is ok though will inevitably get shortened to Mandy which I dont like. (though saying that, now I think about it, I know 2 Amanda's who only ever get called Amanda!)

I'm a Vanessa and I like it. Most friends call me Nessa or Ness and I don't mind them either. 2 of my best friends are Amandas. One is only known as Amanda and the other is known by nickname Millie. I'd love to meet a baby Vanessa!