Elsie?

[MsQueenie22]

I really like Elsie as a nn for Elinor. I met a little girl named Elsie a few years ago and she was gorgeous. Little French girl bobbed hair and dimples in her smile. I think that it sounds so pretty and wistful.

However, I noticed that some people on here have listed it as "common" and "chav" and while I am upset about this, I would hate it if Elsie was universally thought of as down market. (My husband would be ashamed of me if he read this.)

What do we think good ladies?

It says 'brassy barmaid with dangly earrings from a 1950s film, now a wise old bird with a chain smoker's laugh and a fund of great stories' to me, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. One of my NCT group had an adorable Elsie, who may have been an Elsie-May.

I prefer Elinor/Eleanor myself. Or Elsa?

when i left school (over 15 years ago) it was one of the worst in the country. Two pupils I know have a baby called Elsie but I can't really comment on whether they are 'common/chav' as I am not in contact with them - I certainly don't consider myself to be! Conversley, I went to school with an Eleanor who I would consider a chav as well as a bully and a bitch so that name has bad vibes for me!

I think Elsie is more of a hipster name.

I really like Elsie. Frozen has ruined Elsa for me. I had a granny called Elsie and another one called Eleanor, so I see them as old lady names that are coming back in, like Lily, May, Molly etc etc.

I think Elsie is a step too far on the granny chic trend for me - even further along than than Ada and Ida. I'm not a fan

Elinor is lovely. How about nn Nell?

I love Elsie, and had a Granny called Elsie May.

I wouldn't attribute any kind of class to it at all but I'm not a fan of it as a name. I know one and I kept thinking it would grow on me but it hasn't. I suppose the people I know who used it would be quite well to do, but I only know one. I love Elinor but, I quite like Ellen too.

I know two little Elsie's. It's cute. Definitely a bit hipster though, if that bothers you.

Elsie wouldn't be a natural nickname for Elinor. My mum is Elsie but her real name is Elizabeth.

When I named my DD Elsie, it was not even in the top 1,000 girls names.. have no idea where it is now. I love it, which is why I used it!

This is so hard! I was quite clear on names until I found Mumsnet, now it's a social minefield!

I'll name her Bob, there are no other Bob's that I know of. Except the Bob in Blackadder of course!

Bob the Builder?
I have adorable 2year old dgd Elsie. Love it.

I absolutely adore Elsie, if i had a DD it would be my choice, it's beautiful and a little bit different without being whacky, it is a classic

I'm not keen on it but don't think it indicates any particular social class. I definitely wouldn't think 'chavvy' or 'downmarket'

MsQueenie - I'm so glad I didn't frequent the baby name board until after I'd had my three

However, I noticed that some people on here have listed it as "common" and "chav" and while I am upset about this

That upsets me too. I think it says far more about them, those who are willing bandy the vile word chav about. I don;t think they have any idea of what's genuinely downmarket from experience.

I;d prefer it as short for Elisabeth or Elinor etc as you're thinking of, but it's still a lovely name.

I know a little toddler Elsie and it has no connotations whatsoever other than a beautiful old fashioned name.
I love it.

I really like it.

I don't think it is chavvy. But my nan in law is an Elsie so I do see it as an old lady name

I don't think it's common or chav at all.

What would put me off a bit is that it's very much part of the current "granny chic"/ 1920s housemaid name trend (Ruby, Molly, Pearl, Olive, Mabel, Lily, Ada etc) and I would worry that might date it.

Also I don't think Elsie is a nn for Elinor. To me nns for Elinor are Ellie, Nell, Elin/Ellen or Nora. There's no S in Elinor.

I agree with minipie it's not a NN for Elinor though.
It's a perfectly lovely stand alone name, but could perhaps come from Elizabeth if you wanted to put longer on the BC?

Sorry but Elsie is horrible (it doesn't help that I know one, and if you knew her too, you'd never want to call a baby by the same name)

I don't really see it as a nickname for Elinor either, they're 2 separate names to me. Love Elinor though.

No, not the most natural nick name. But as many nick names evolve (think, for example, how you get Peggy from Margaret, or Molly from Mary) Ellie easily becomes Elsie. If that makes sense.

My gran was called Elsie. We gave DD1 the middle name Elise in her memory. Elsie was a bit too old ladyish for me but obviously I connect it very closely with my gran who was an old lady (and in no way a chav).

I know of three. One an Elsie, one an Elizabeth and one an Elspeth.