Miriam or Hester

[Donthackmenow]

For our (currently fictional) 3rd child I really like Miriam and Hester for girls. I mentioned them to my husband this morning and he would need working on but didn't reject them. But what do you think? Are they nice names or do I need to think again?
I always find boys names harder, ds has an Old Testament name which means laughter but when pregnant I really liked Rupert (husband wouldn't back down on that one) and Edward.

Miriam sounds so dowdy and frumpy.

Hester is great. Much much better than Miriam!

How about Mirabel?

I have a Hester. Mine is usually shortened to Hetty though. I love it and wanted to use it for about 20 years before we did

Hester has no good short form, and that is always a disadvantage.

Hessy? Hess? Hez? Our Hezza?!

Miriam is ok, but nothing special.

Aha x-post Pootle!

There you go OP.

Hetty is lovely. Now that hadn't occurred to me-so I take it back, Hester comes above Miriam in the general niceness/usability stakes.

Um, not an x-post at all- why couldn't I see that last post until I'd just posted myself??? How odd!!

I love both, but am particularly fond of Hester (used to be my MN name!)

There's a character in a John Irving novel called Hester; her siblings called her Hester the molester.

Just putting it out there....

Love Miriam, nn Mim.
Also like Hester. The only one I knew used the nn Hettie.

squoosh Are you Katie Hopkins?!?

Rofl at 'our Hezza'

I like Miriam better but I prefer the Maryam version.

Hester - absolutely love it.

Between Miriam and Hester of course Miriam. But if you change to Esther than i vote for Esther;-)