Which girls name would YOU choose?

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Our DD1 is due soon, and it feels like we've been thinking of names forever! The only names we have agreed that we both like so far are:
Zara
Emmeline
Harriet
Sadie
We would like to use Emmeline as a middle name (as there is a little Emily already in the family and it sounds a bit same-y). I've liked all of those names for a long time, but now it comes down to choosing one to give to my child, one which I will undoubtedly say thousands of times over the coming years I just can't choose one, I'm stricken with doubt that I don't actually love any of them and there's a much better name out there somewhere. So which would you choose? Why? Do you know any babies/children/teenagers/adults with those names? What do they remind you of?

Zara is an 80's name to me, possibly because there were 2 in my class at school.

Emmeline was the name of my French penfriend, I love it.

Harriet I don't like

Sadie I like but not sure I'd use it

I'd use any of them as a middle name with Lucia or Alice as a first name.

Emmeline. Lovely

Now I do like Alice too, though I'm pretty sure DP has already said no to it (for no good reason!) so I'll keep it in mind and try again when the time is right.
Is Emmeline too similar to Emily?? I love Emmeline, so does DP, but the family thing plus potentially having to correct everyone who hears Emily when you introduce baby as Emmeline are the only things putting us off the name.

With the family issue, can you call dd Emmeline but use a nickname that doesn't sound too similar. So instead of Emmy call her Linny or something of that nature?

When you're introducing Emmeline instead of EMMEline put the stress on the second syllable as say EmmeLINE.

I love Zara. Sadie not far behind. I agree with you on Emmeline - think it makes a better middle name than first name. Don't like Harriet at all though.

Thanks RaRa - I think ultimately we're going to have to hold off the final decision until we meet this little girl, and hopefully she will decide for us when we meet her!
Also, it's just occurred to me that Rara could be a very sweet nickname for a little Zara!!

I love Zara, it's simple but beautiful. I know one who is 4 and I've always thought what a well rounded, lovely name it is.

I don't get excited by the others, especially Harriet which I really dislike.

I really like Sadie

I really like Sadie.

Sadie

Zara - lovely, definitely the best on your list
Emmeline - too frilly for me
Harriet - my least favourite name EVER
Sadie - quite nice

Sadie. Reminds me of a lovely smiley horsey lady I knew when growing up.

Quite like Harriet too.

I am sometimes known as Sadie and have a Harriet and an Alice so utterly biased :)

Not keen on Harriet.
Zara reminds me of Zara Phillips (not a bad thing!) and I like it.
Also like Sadie, name of very good friend so reminds me of her.
Love Emmeline and have one in my class at the minute who is completely lovely. Don't think she is called Emily, at least not in school.
Have only ever met one of each name so wouldn't say overly popular near me.
Would go for Sadie/Zara Emmeline unless you came round to Emmeline as first name

As a mother of an Emmeline, I have to warn you that EVERYONE will hear it as Emily, it is an daily event and I must say that whilst I love the name, if I had been aware of how annoying I would find it, I would have probably have chosen differently and used it as a middle name instead. It does cause pronunciation issues as well - we use the "leen" pronunciation, but many say "line" ( to rhyme with "fine") - which I also find very frustrating! Don't get me started on the spelling variations, but I guess that can happen with any name! Definitely only choose it if you absolutely LOVE it.
FWIW, given my experience with the name Emmeline, I would probably choose Harriet from your list.

I have just re-read you post and realise that you intend to use Emmeline as a middle name anyway, so my vote would be for Harriet as a first name and Emmeline for the middle. Harriet Emmeline - what a great combo!

From your list I would choose Harriet. If I ever have a DD4 she will be Harriet.

I don't love any of your names (all ok but don't LOVE) except Emmeline. On my short list for a girl.

Thanks all, it's great to get some outside opinions as we are just going round in circles discussing the same names over and over, and neither of us are willing to share the names in RL as its difficult enough choosing a name that the two of us like, without factoring in the wishes of others too.

So... What do you think about the two vowels together / two E's together in Zara Emmeline, and Sadie Emmeline? Do those names scream that we have no imagination? Are they at all classy/classless??

I'm a teacher and taught both a Zara and a Sadie (but never yet an Emmeline) and both girls were delightful and I thought their names stood out a little amongst the numerous Ellie's and Evie's and Amelia's that were in their respective classes.

MerryChristmas , could you be convinced to share your shortlist? Pretty please?

The are 2 Zaras in one of my dc's class so I don't think of it as "stand out". I guess you have to consider if you are just choosing a name because you think it is more unusual rather than whether you really love it. I do really like the name Zara and think it goes nicely with Emmeline - no issues with vowels etc. Personally I'm not so keen on Sadie - it's a negative sounding name to my ear.

My favourites are Emmeline and Harriet from your list.

Depends where you live- but Zara and Sadie would be council house glam names round here.

(yes, yes, I'm a snob)

Gahhh really Saucy ??? Where are you? I'm in Cheshire, though was living and working in North Wales when I taught Zara and Sadie.

Nooo, definitely not choosing names just to have an unusual one Summer , but my family is huuuuuge (Gran has 35+ grandchildren, not including great-grandchildren) so a lot of names have already been taken by cousins. I just meant that in those particular classes, those names stood out to me as pretty and somewhat underused.

Harriet with nn Hattie is, by far, my favourite from your list.

My preference would be for Harriet.

Would you consider Sara, rather than Zara, Emmeline? To me it just works better - also gives scope for Sadie as a nickname as Sadie is NN for Sarah.