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Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

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Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Baby names

Ethel

73 replies

ag123 · 09/05/2015 18:08

Firstly, any general opinions on this name?

Would there be any alternatives i.e. to shorten/nickname?

Also, this will be dc2 to older ds Wilf(red)...would this be too weird to have two such old person names??

I'm usually more drawn to 'prettier' names e.g. Ottilie (DH has vetoed :-( ), Hetty, Phoebe etc but quite like the sound of Ethel! Very much in early stages of deciding though!

OP posts:

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DorothyBastard · 09/05/2015 19:38

Ethel is great, Iris is beautiful, and is probably a bit less 'try hard' with your DS's name.

Gobbolinothewitchscat · 09/05/2015 19:45

Ethel is horrific. As is Eunice

I once read a book about Ethel Kennedy and Eunice Kennedy Shriver and other assorted Kennedys

They had made their DC promise on pain of death not their grandchildren those names in tribute as they hated them so much

Iris is nice though

MissBattleaxe · 09/05/2015 19:47

But why does a girls name need to be pretty? I don't think giving a girl a pretty names sets her up for Barbie and frills, but I think giving her an ugly or unpleasant sounding name is going too far the other way in order to make a point.

I like the sounds a name makes and Ethel is an ugly sound. I much prefer Edith, Elspeth or Iris.

TheRealMaryMillington · 09/05/2015 19:50

I know a fair few Iris s and Elsies

Ivy?

Etta is wonderful

Marcipex · 09/05/2015 19:54

Sorry but Ethel is awful, really drippy.
Henrietta, Hattie for short, is lovely.

OftheTwilighttheDarkness · 09/05/2015 20:04

I quite like Ethel, but I prefer Elsie, Esme or Sadie.

Alisvolatpropiis · 09/05/2015 20:04

Agnes

IvoryMadonna · 09/05/2015 20:09

Agnes is pretty if said the French way, an-yes but I dislike the hard g sound in the middle. The old English form Annis is nicer, and unusual. I've only met one and that was years ago.

sweetpeame · 09/05/2015 21:59

Ethel is pretty ugly as a name, sorry. I love Iris though, much, much prettier. I've come across a couple of Irises but it's still not too common.

DahliaBloom · 09/05/2015 22:07

Agree, Ethel sounds a bit trying-too-hard and as a sister to Wilf, it comes across as somewhat themed.

I love Iris, though possibly already fashionable, if that's an issue. Other names I like that I also think would work with Wilf -
Margot
Stella
Daphne
Miriam
Greta
Marion

woodhill · 09/05/2015 22:10

sorry it is awful

nevergooglebrandybutter · 09/05/2015 22:31

yes to iris. was our top girls name last time but he turned out to be a boy and not at all iris-like

ag123 · 09/05/2015 22:44

Talking of babies 'suiting' names is I think part of why I'd like a 'prettier' name though- I've convinced myself I'm going to give birth to a 12lb ginger monster (ds was 11lb and brunette though DH is a red-head) so think at least if I give her a pretty name it might help..!

OP posts:

crapfatbanana · 09/05/2015 22:54

In the time it's taken me to read the thread I have gone from strongly disliking Ethel to thinking it's a great name.

Makes me think of Ethel Merman.

drudgetrudy · 09/05/2015 23:18

I really dislike it-I like red hair though!

Kaekae · 09/05/2015 23:40

Hate it. Sorry I just think it is a very ugly sounding name.

MaraThonbar · 09/05/2015 23:41

I've met two newborn Irises in the last six months. I love it but I think it's about to become very popular.

SantasLittleMonkeyButler · 09/05/2015 23:44

I adore Iris & Ivy.

Not Ethel though, sorry.

VixxFace · 09/05/2015 23:47

BAD

VixxFace · 09/05/2015 23:48

Iris is lovely

mammmamia · 09/05/2015 23:51

Ethel awful. My headmistress in junior school was called this and she was dreadful. Please don't! Iris and Ivy are lovely.

Gobbolinothewitchscat · 10/05/2015 07:25

Um....I'm the parent of two DC with red-hair and I susoect this third DC will have red hair too. My husband is 6 foot 6 with red hair and the gene is ibviously strong!

I'm quite at your comment about a ginger monster though

I never thought that I had to give my DD a "pretty" name to make up for being a "ginger monster" nor my DS.

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Lagoonablue · 10/05/2015 07:28

Ivy is lovely.

OddBoots · 10/05/2015 08:43

Gobbolinothewitchscat - I think the monster bit was more referring to being 12lbs than being ginger.

Mind you, my dd who is now 12 years old was 7lb at birth and recently looked at her newborn pictures and thinks she looked like Golum so the 'monsters' come in all sizes. :) It's an affectionate term, in most cases.

littlejohnnydory · 10/05/2015 09:55

I like Ethel. I love Iris though (I'd have used it except a friend has one!). Dd's middle name is Ivy and I really wish I'd used it for a first name.

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