Beth

[longestlurkerever]

I know loads of people will say it's a nickname and not a proper name etc etc but I really don't care about that. I don't understand the importance of finding a long version just to be used on forms unless you like both names just as much and I don't really like Elizabeth (nothing especially wrong with it but a bit staid and royal) so aside from that any thoughts? It was a close second for dd and I loved it then but can't decide now if it still feels right. Any other ideas? Dd is Anna and we have a long and difficult to spell surname so on the simple/classic side is best I think. I like Bethan too but am not Welsh and don't know if it is too similar to Anna. Anyway that's a diminutive too so no point in having it just for the sake of it.

Dc2 might not be a girl so boy suggestions welcome too. Default option is James unless I can find something else that will get past the dh veto (I like Edward, Ivan, Keir, he will not be persuaded).

(Biased) I have a Beth and I love it. A couple of time when she was younger she did get Bethan or Bethany but never Elizabeth. A few people have asked if it is just Beth or short for anything. Had lots of compliments on it as well.
She is nearly a teenager now and calls herself Betty

. I have to say I much prefer Beth to Betty and Betty really doesn't go with our surname but I guess I have no say in what my future teen dd might decide! I think I do still really like it and I did save it rather than use as a middle name so would be a shame to waste it (admittedly that was mostly because Anna Beth sounds a bit deep South though).

Sorry - accidentally deleted the "thanks dreams" from the beginning of that.

I think it's a-okay to use Beth as her full name.

Be prepared though, some people will be along to have a conniption at the mere thought of Elizabeth not being on the birth cert.

Yeah does a bit. Very waltons.
I still love the name and dd likes it despite the appearance of Betty. I'm still baffled as to why she's converted it to an old lady name but well I moaned that my mum hadn't called me Danielle or Nicole when I was a young teen.
We have a long and unusually spelled surname too so that was a big reason for a simple short name because she will always spell her last name and she has an outside chance of fitting it all in a signature box.

My sister was the only one that complained about not having one of the longer associated names on the bc she told me that's what she would have called her.
Erm yep exactly.

Beth is lovely, as is Bethan. I think both stand well within their own right and don't need a longer version.

Thanks. Any thoughts about Bethan sounding like Anna? (It shares 2 letters but that is half of Anna's name) and do you need to have Welsh roots to use it? Dh thinks so.

Is the emphasis in Bethan on the last syllable, so Beth-AN, rather than BETH-an? If it's the former I think yes, it's too similar to Anna.

Don't think you need to be Welsh to use it though. Anyway, if you poked around enough I'm sure most English people could find a bit of Welsh blood somewhere.

I love Beth (that's what DS would have been) and you can certainly use it on its own.

Bethan is lovely too. You absolutely don't have to have Welsh roots to use it. I'm Welsh and my children have French and Irish names. Who cares?

I know someone who had an Anna and a Bethan, so I think they work well together.

I think Bethan is lovely and of course you don't newd Welsh roots. The emphasis is on the Beth when I say it rather than the -an so to me they sound fab together.

Bethan is great - i didn't even know it was Welsh tbh, I've known a few and none Welsh to my knowledge. I don't think it is anything like Anna, took mw a moment to work out why you were asking!

I have a Bethany who gets Beth and I love it. So simple, yet kind sounding.
I like one syllable names though. Like Eve, Kay, Nell, Lou, Kate. Love the simplicity of them all.

My DDs Middle name is Beth and I absolutely love it.
It's beautiful. Go for it.

Right, I think it's firmly top choice for a dd2 again, thanks all. Squoosh - I slightly wonder that too as I've heard both - when I say it the emphasis is fairly evenly split - almost like BethAnn but I think the proper way is probably more with the emphasis on Beth. I think Bethan might slightly be my preference but dh is firmly in the "just Beth" camp and I can live with that. Boys' names are much harder!

I like Beth!

It's ok maybe a bit boring.
Better than Bethany I suppose.

I am usually firmly in the 'proper' name rather than nickname camp, but I think Beth has been around long enough that it is a proper name on it's own, like Harry or Jack.

I think Beth is pretty and classic sounding, and goes perfectly with Anna. I can't help but say Bethan with a strong second syllable so I think that is too similar to Anna.

Beth is lovely (as is Anna). James lovely too (Although I hate Edward, so with your DH on that)

Options for boys:

Alex(ander)
Alistair
Harry
Oliver
Thomas
Stuart
Daniel
Cameron

mama I think Alexander would have been top choice if my cousin's baby wasn't called that. In fact his name is James but it feels more acceptable to steal his name thsn his son's.

Update that I showed dh this thread and he has relaxed his stance on Bethan, saying at least that would avoid people always asking if it was short for Elizabeth. So one to ponder.