Deirdre or Daphne, can't decide which. Deirdre Ann, or Daphne Helen.

[Sylviet]

These are the front runners at the moment, would appreciate your thoughts.

Deirdre is nice when pronounced deirdra in an Irish accent (though the only one I know goes by Dee) but in English it's Deirdree and sounds very dull.

I'm Irish. Don't call her Deirdre. It is very passe in Ireland, and Deerdree is a horrible mispronunciation.
When did Deirdre become so unpopular!
In the late 70s it had run its course in Ireland. Other Irish names that had been popular alongside Deirdre (Niamh, Orla and Aoife for instance) continued to take over the world but Deirdre was left in the dust.

Daphne otoh is gorgeous. I love your original idea of Daphne Helen.

If you're looking for EE and AH sounds, how about Letitia?
(Avoid Sheila though. It's as bad as Deirdre).

What about Delphine pronounced Del-feen

Delphine isnt an unknown name thanks to her being a character in peppa pig

I have a niece called Daphne, age 7! I didn't like it to begin with but as with all names I now associate the name with my lovely niece

My SIL isn't a soap fan but a massive reader so she only associated the name with Daphne Du Maurier.

I'm in NI and I know a Deirdre and its pronounced Deer-Dree
If you want to call her Deer-Dra you could spell it Deirdra otherwise it'll be pronounced Deer-Dree

Deer-dreh is the correct pronunciation of the name Deirdre. It sounds similar to Deerdra. But 'Deirdra' with an A at the end would be all wrong because it would ignore the broad/slender vowel correspondence rule in Irish spelling.

I love Delphine to look at, but I'm never sure if it's DELphine or delPHINE. Which is it?

I think in peppa pig it's DELphine donkey?

I like your user name. Sylvie.

Delphines was the name of the posh restaurant Mike Baldwin always used to take his clients to.

Whichever way you turn there's a Corrie connection.

I go for delPHINE. Though I imagine it depends on your accent.

(btw - recently started a thread about French names seeming very trendy. Had a new Delphine and a Mirabelle near me recently).

I'm on that thread! Pining for a daughter who I can call Delphine.

Going by this thread we've settled DD2 with a life long trauma over her name

She's Irish though, living in Ireland. Her older sister has an Irish name out of mythology too.

Obviously, we love the name. Had no idea it was so strongly out of favour. Reactions have been positive so far, now wondering if people are sniggering behind my back

Daphne Helena is lovely.

It's a grown up person name, which is exactly as it should be as this bundle will be a baby for a short time. If she needs a " cutesy nickname" then Little Dee fits the bill.

( though DD has never needed, or from the time she could make herself known, wanted the cutesy nickname every grown up wanted to give her !)

I know a pair of Irish sisters aged 3 and 1 who are named Bernadette and Dymphna so don't worry, Cleio .

I don't know how Deirdre became less popular than it used to be. There were a lot in my school in the 70s and early 80s and I also had a few neighbours who were Deirdres. Maybe it's because everyone knew a few?

As a Deirdre, I've always hated my name. Although I waited until I was 30 when I shortened it!! Don't think I'd saddle a child with it!!

Now reading this thread I feel really sad. I am one the cheeriest people around not at all dreary or dull