Opinions please

[orangemouth281]

DC1 is due in 2 weeks and we are close to making a decision on names.

We like Violet Elizabeth for a girl but have noticed that this is the name of a character from just william (who I have never heard of!) Does this matter? Or what do you think of Ivy Elizabeth? Is Ivy becoming too common?

For a boy we like Alexander, Thomas or James, middle name will be Matthew. My only concern is that our surname begins with S and I am worried that a first name ending in S doesn't flow right?! So I am thinking Alexander is best. Any opinions?

Violet Elizabeth was an annoying girl with a lisp in Just William, but I think only the older generation would make the link. Don't let it put you off. Ivy is nice too - more popular than it used to be, but hardly too common.

I remember Violet Elizabeth from Just William - but don't consider myself that old!
Agree with Beach - don't let is put you off.
I had the same issue as you - loved Thomas and James, but also have a surname with S - so we went for Alexander in the end.

I prefer Violet to Ivy (a lot prefer).
All boys names good by me.

Unless you are going to call her 'Violet Elizabeth' all the time, most people won't know, and won't make the connection. They will just think that her name is Violet (pretty!).

The Just William books by Richmal Crompton - now there's an out-of-fashion name for girls (traditionally, it had Quaker connections) - were children's stories written from the 1920s onwards.They feature a gently anarchic 'loveable rogue', William, and his gang of Outlaws, all boys. Violet Elizabeth is a prissy, annoying girl who lives close by- her two very feminine names seem to have been chosen as a deliberate contrast to the short, simple names of the scruffy, dirty boys.

William's adventures are 'scrapes' - safe danger. William has wit, courage (and the luck of the devil); he challenges authority and does not intend to do harm. He's inventive and creative. The books poke fun at some silly social conventions and pretensions. But, as always, there are stereotypes that we really might not like today - especially to do with class. (The stories are set in an olde-worlde village, where people know their place. And Violet Elizabeth has a lisp.)

This might be of interest:en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just_William

Edited versions of the William stories have been read by Martin Jarvis on BBC radio 4. Whatever you think of the content, Jarvis's performance is pretty impressive.

I'm not keen on violet, prefer Ivy Elizabeth and think it flows nicer too but that's just me. I think all the older generation names r becoming more popular but I don't expect ivy or violet will b in the top 10!
For boys i like James Matthew and then Alexander Matthew not keen on Thomas sorry xxx

I prefer Violet Elizabeth. I really don't think people will be thinking of the Just William character either.

Dislike Ivy.

All your boy names are very nice.

I don't like Ivy, but then I'm not a fan of old fashioned names.

I haven't even read Just William and I'm in my 30s so wouldn't make the connection so I doubt many other people would!

Your boys names are nice.

I'll thscream and thscream until I'm thsick. That was violet Elizabeth.

Haha, I immediately thought of 'I'll thcream and thcream...' when I heard the Violet Elizabeth combination. Hopefully your last name isn't Bott.

Tricky. She is such a horrid character (I'll thcream and thcream 'til I'm thwick). Elizabeth Violet?

I like your traditional list of names. We're expecting our 4th in 4 weeks. so far Christian John, Elizabeth May, and Katherine Mary.

This time we're looking at Iona, Louise, Noa, Zoe, and Rowan

I love Violet, not keen on Ivy

Out of you boys names I love Alexander as this is on our baby list. From your girls list I most definitely prefer Violet Elizabeth.

Thanks for the replies. The Just William thing is putting us off slightly but we are still swaying towards Violet, how about Violet Emma?

Juliealpha your DCs have lovely names, my DM is Elizabeth (which is why I wanted to use it as a middle name) and I have a cousin Katherine otherwise they would both be on my list.