be brutally honest, I don't mind

[ch1134]

Obviously we all have our own ideas and opinions so I won't be offended. But I'm interested in what others might think of these names:

Ray, Daniel (Dan), Jeffrey (Jeff)
Anna, Helen

Thanks

Like the girls' names. Ray sounds just too grown-up for a baby to me. Ray was born at around age 36. Dan is nice. I like Jeff but short for Jefferson (ha!) rather than Jeffrey.

My DS2 is called Emerson and my dad thought it would be hilarious to pretend to forget his name (his little joke for DS1) and call him 'Jefferson Befferson'... We still sometimes call him Jeff! It seems cute on a little one...

"Ray sounds just too grown-up for a baby to me"

But they're naming a grown-up! He will be a baby for the blink of an eye and a child for not much longer than that. Names should be chosen with the adult in mind.

Absolutely. You are naming a person- not a baby.

Doesn't Sophie Ellis Bextor have a Ray?

Every time I hear the name Jeffery I think of Coupling. "Oh, Jeffery!"

I love Helen though. I might even have to add it to my short list.

I agree with the person upthread who mentioned all the cool Rays. Ray Charles, Raymond Chandler, Ray Bradbury, Ray Liotta, Ray Davies....

Loads of 'em.

Geoffrey Palmer is the quintessential Geoffrey to me. Everything about him is so Geoffrey-ish.

Ray Liotta is cool. He is bloody fantastic in Ed Sheeran's latest video Bloodstream. Expresses more in four minutes than others do in two hours.

Love all your names.

Been mulling this over and although it could change, right now I'm thinking Hannah or Ray.

The Pixies. Jeff is the coolest name ever.

Does popularity bother you? Hannah is lovely, but a lot more popular than Helen.

I see your Geoffrey Palmer and raise you Jeff Buckley:

Ha ha! Kind of sums it up... in my head somehow Geoff is old and boring, but Jeff could be cool.
Not too worried about popularity, I just don't want 'trendy'.

I love Daniel/Dan. Ray is OK. No no no to Jeffrey (have you seen Rainbow?)
Anna is lovely, but I prefer Ellen to Helen.

Oh & Hanna with no H on the end is my preference!

Helen is such a wet name. Every Helen I know is a massive doormat.

I like you Bigfoot, I like you a lot (even though his real name was Scott!) ooh, a poet and I didn't know it!!

Nussbaum Sssshhh! Helenmumsnet might hear you!

Nussbaum? Wtf? How did my kindle get Nussbaum from needabum? Stupid.Bloody.Kindle.

I'm intrigued by all the boring Helen comments. I love my name. I think it's a classic name that doesn't really link me to an era. The only other Helen I know well is super bright and sociable. I like Anna too but I might be a bit put off by the Frozen link.

Jeff will be a massively trendy name by the time your son is a teenager. All the Jeffs, Dougs and Alans will be old men and at least three generations removed.