Opinions please

[chillychicken]

25 weeks so a while to go but I really want to get some names that I actually like/love ready. The sex is a surprise so we've doubled our work here

Here are names we've both said we like/love and surname begins with F.

Girls

Emilia
Isobel
Zoe
Harriet
Raynah (this is actually the one we've both said we love but I've now got cold feet)
Elizabeth

Boys

Matthew
Owen
Finley (I really don't know if I can do a FF name)
Oliver
William
Dominic
Alexander
Joshua

Names I like that DH doesn't:
Megan
Hannah
Abigail
Gabriella
Meredith
Verity

Ethan
Daniel
Tristan
Nathaniel
Christian
Benjamin

Husband has very helpfully come up with Ayrton, Jenson & Jacques for a boy, Tilly & Lilly for a girl.

If it helps, we both have "strong" names - nothing too out there but not classic and not top 100.

Open to new suggestions and/or opinions on the above!

I've never heard of Raynah! Is it a variation of Raina?

If you both love it, go for it. I also like Isobel, very pretty.

For your boy names, I like William and Matthew.

It is! It's the name of a friend of a friend and I fell in love with it but I'm worried it's a bit "harsh" if that makes sense? Maybe spelling it Raina would soften it a bit?

I also have harriet and elizabeth on my list so you may also like esther, madeleine, georgina and heather. There's only one name in my boys list as we both love it and nothing else comes close and it's sebastian.

Out of the names you both like I would choose Elizabeth or Emilia. In my opinion you can never go wrong with Elizabeth. It is such a beautiful, timeless and classical name. As for a boy, I like Dominic, Alexander and Joshua.

In regards to the names you like, I really love Meredith, Verity, Ethan, Daniel, Nathaniel and Christian.

All in all, I think you have excellent taste in your choices.

As for other suggestions, names I currently love are:

GIRLS: Eulalie, Frances, Jasmine, Leah, Stephanie & Vienna

BOYS: Caleb, Evan, Gabriel, Gilbert, James, Jonathan, Lincoln, Ryan & Wesley

All the best in making the right choice.

I love Raynah, I think it sounds great. I do prefer the spelling Mummy suggests though - it just 'looks right' somehow.

I also like Zoe, Harriet & Emilia but a little less so.

I don't like Isobel, although I'm not quite sure why. It's a hugely popular name though, so not many will think like me about it I'm sure!

Elizabeth is a nice classic, but I would probably only use it as a middle name. So for a girl - Raina Elizabeth.

Of your boy's list, my favourite is probably Alexander (with Zander as a nn). I also love Daniel, but that might be a no go if your DH hates it. So for a boy - Alexander William.

That's that settled then .

bouncin I love Georgina. Sebastian is a fab name and was on my list but massive F1 fans here and not massive fans of Vettel

Wattle Vienna is BEAUTIFUL. I hadn't thought of Caleb either, that's really, really lovely and I'm adding it to the list now!

Santa I'm also now leaning towards the other spelling, I think it's softer. I'm hoping I can persuade DH to start to like Daniel as I really, really love it.

Otherwise, both your full suggestions are great Especially as Zander as a nn is my main reason for loving Alexander so much!

Probably this doesn't matter, but Raina means queen, so Raina Elizabeth means 'Queen Elizabeth'.

Raynah is lovely. It is fairly unusual compared to your other choices do you think that is what worries you?

If your list that is by far my favourite but then I like more unusual names.

I like all of your boy choices, especially Oliver and Finlay. My favourite of the girls names would be Emilia. Have considered Emilia myself but can foresee problems with name spelling ie confusion with Amelia which concerns me a little

Also if you like raynah, perhaps irena would be a similar sounding alternative?