Boys and girls lists:

[scatterpuss92]

Not finding out the sex of bump so hoping for opinions on two lists please:

Girls:

Belle
April
May
Zelda
Maya/Maia
Destiny (worried this could be a bit of a marmite name)
Esmeralda, ( Possibly more a middle name)

Boys:

Deano
Zayden
Jay
Jamal, ( is this acceptable as we are both white British ?)
Zack

I realize a lot of these names are either "love or hate," so honestly won't be offended by honesty.

Also, although it's a different style, I quite like "Billie," as a girls name

Belle - quite like
April - quite like
May - not a fan, it's a bit boring
Zelda - don't like I'm afraid
Maya/Maia - ok, fairly popular tho
Destiny - sounds like a stripper's name, sorry
Esmerelda - ok as middle name, don't like as a 1st
Billie - quite like, would prob use as nn for Belinda

Deano - dislike, sounds trashy to me
Zayden - dislike, sounds made up and a bit trashy too
Jay - like this
Jamil - definitely odd if both White British, don't like
Zack - quite like, prefer Isaac

I think we have very different tastes!

Yep that is the problem bluestars, I do like "unusual" names but I do not wish to sound trashy, both myself and DP have fairly normal names and so obviously have no experience of living with an unusual name but I would not wish to cause problems for my child with C.V's etc in future life.

Belle & Deano. Fabulous names.

I think we have quite different styles OP, but I do like both May and Maya and I also think Zelda's pretty cool in a '1920s flapper' kind of way! Belle and April are OK. Not keen on the rest, and strongly dislike Destiny - it just screams 'stripper' to me, but as you say it may well turn out to be a bit of a marmite name. A lady I once worked with called her daughter Destiny Breeze, and had to put up with constant snide comments that it sounded like an air freshener!

Not a fan of any of your boys' choices I'm afraid. I do think Jamal would be slightly odd coming from an entirely White British background. If I had to pick one it would be Jay.

Meant to say that I think Dino can work it spelt like this and particularly if the child has some Italian/Spanish heritage - but Deano to me just sounds like a daft nickname for a Welsh footballer! (Sorry but you did ask for honest opinions! )

I love April. Belle and May are ok. Dislike the other girls names.

Jay is the only boys name I like there, but I like it a lot.

Belle-disney princess
April-ok but nothing special
May-as above

Zelda- best of the bunch
Maya/Maia- prefer mia
Destiny (worried this could be a bit of a marmite name)-stripper
Esmeralda, ( Possibly more a middle name)-the hunchback of notre dame's girlfriend

Boys:

Deano- NO NO NO NO-
Zayden-again a big no
Jay-ok if a shortening of james i guess
Jamal, ( is this acceptable as we are both white British ?)-odd if white british
Zack-best iof the a bad bunch

Belle - don't like. Bit too pretty pretty and limiting on career options. She may grow up to be a builder! I really love the name Starr but I think it is a little less twee
April - love it
May - ok, bit old lady for me
Zelda - nah it's a game
Maya/Maia - too pop and I always get mixed up: "Is that one Maya or Mia?"
Destiny (worried this could be a bit of a marmite name) - nah
Esmeralda, ( Possibly more a middle name) - Ez would be a cute nickname, but there ain't no way you can expect teachers to be calling that full name all the time. (Although ds2 does have Michaelangelo in his class and it is NOT shortened!).

Boys:

Deano - He'll be the naughty one in the class then
Zayden - It's ok, makes a change from Jayden but it's a bit made up
Jay - ok
Jamal, ( is this acceptable as we are both white British ?) - Too try-hard if you are not Muslim
Zack - nice but fairly pop.

Like Zelda; would you consider Vashti?

None of your boy names rock my boat - how about Jago?

Torin any good for your boy list?

Hard one this as it's clear OP has very different taste in names to myself.

Girls:

Belle - ok. Prefer Isobel/Isabelle/Isabella with Belle/a as nn
April- not keen
May - not keen
Zelda- no
Maya/Maia - not keen
Destiny (worried this could be a bit of a marmite name) - no
Esmeralda, ( Possibly more a middle name) I actually prefer Emerald

Boys:

Deano - absolutely not. Sounds like Beano comic or nn for Dean
Zayden - made up name
Jay - like this
Jamal, ( is this acceptable as we are both white British ?) answer : no
Zack - if short for Zachary, yes

Well thanks for the honest opinions...is "Zane" any better as a boys name or "Zeina/ Zaina/ Zayna" as a girls name or is it back to the drawing board lol.

back to the drawing board

do you really like the sound of those names or do you just want an 'unusual' name?

what are your criteria for a name? do you want it to be classic? trendy? bohemian? do you like soft sounds or harder sounds?

all those zane names are horrid

Also middle name for a boy would be "Barry" to honor my husbands Grandad, ( yes I do realize it's completely awful lol,) if that helps with suggestions. Girls middle name can be whatever we fancy !

Girls:

April and Maya are lovely. All the rest are awful.

Boys:

Are you even serious?

I've always liked "Z" names and met a girl called Zeina which I though was really pretty, am aware it is not to everyone's taste though which concerns me as I wouldn't want my child growing up hating their name. I do still really like Deano, but i'm concerned that everyone else hates it !

deano is anickname -like deano in gavin and stacey

Dino is a real name for people of italian and spanish origin

or even just Dean?

how about Zara for a girl?

Belle - Disney princess
April - a bit bland
May - equally bland
Zelda - just no
Maya/Maia - best of the girl's name here
Destiny (worried this could be a bit of a marmite name) - no
Esmeralda, ( Possibly more a middle name) - no way, worst of the lot

Boys:

Deano - sounds like a nickname and Dean is dated 80s sounding
Zayden - sounds made up
Jay - OK
Jamal, ( is this acceptable as we are both white British ?) - no
Zack - OK but not with Barry!

or daniel-that has that hard d and n sound in it-could be danny for short?

An old friend of mines Mum was called Zena - what do you think of that?

I agree Isabelle/a is better as if she's a small child she can be Izzy, Belle as a teen and Isabella as an adult.

Mia is a lovely name - how about Gaia or Zara?

Isaac instead of Zachary personally but I don't mind it just reminds me of Saved by the Bell.

Jay is nice though.

What about Jason/Jace?

Belle, Billie and Maia are all nice.

only like Jamal on your boys list but don't know if it would be odd on a white British boy. Maybe, maybe not.

I don't hate Deano, it's quite entertaining, but I couldn't ever take an adult seriously if he had that name, sorry! Sounds like an Aussie nickname.

From your girls list I only like April. None on the boys list except Jay though I wouldn't use this particular name myself. It's a bird.