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Old fashioned but unusual girls names, help!

91 replies

durhamgirl · 28/07/2015 00:15

DD due in a few weeks and really struggling to find a name! Looking for something old, not common and not weird! Does such a name exist?!

My son has a name from the chronicles of narnia, a horse and his boy book and my daughter has an old English name that has been used more in the US in recent years.

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Psst - this thread is a little old. If you’re looking for old-fashioned baby names, these ones are due a comeback. MNHQ

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
feetheart · 28/07/2015 23:22

Haven't come across another Tessa in nearly 13 years :)

sleeponeday · 28/07/2015 23:34

Hmm, if your son's name starts with a C, then it's a really nice one.

Nina
Iris
Elise
Penelope
Lydia
Cicely
Linnet (the Children of Green Knowe, to continue a book theme!)

BikeRunSki · 28/07/2015 23:42

Jocasta
Sheila
Angela
Georgina
Gillian
Christina
Gladys

My grandmothers/great Aunts

sleeponeday · 29/07/2015 00:00

Oh yes, and Elsie, Elspeth, Agnes are all due a revival again, surely?

It's funny, I remember being horrified to discover that a friend's middle name was Margaret when I was 20. Thought it the epitome of hideous old lady ugliness on the name front. These days, I think it's rather elegant. Fashions are odd.

chocolatedonut · 29/07/2015 00:03

Alexandra/Alexandria/Alexandrina Smile

kippersmum · 29/07/2015 01:11

Ivy. Unusual, classic & very easy for DD to learn to write at school ;)

reuset · 29/07/2015 02:03

Ivy is not unusual I'm afraid. Just outside top 50 and v high climber (no pun intended Grin).

Sorry, not trying to single you out, Kippers. Lots of the names given don't match the OP's 'uncommon' criteria (e.g. Elsie., mentioned, was one of the highest climbers one year and is top 50), and I think that might be because people don't know their real popularity in stat terms and base on personal experience (that seems to be generally the case in the name section)

Baffledmumtoday · 29/07/2015 08:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PinkSpottyHat · 29/07/2015 08:26

Susan ;)

Corin is amazing, I wanted it for DS2 but wasn't allowed! Sad

lemonade30 · 29/07/2015 08:53

Dina
Ismene
Augusta
Anastasia
Astrid
Dolores
Ida

TiedUpWithString · 29/07/2015 09:48

Picked out some medieval girls names I liked:

Abelena filbert; hazelnut English
Abellana filbert; hazelnut English

Aldyth old battle English

Alvina friend of the elves English

Amity friendship English

Arietta little song English

Avellana filbert or hazel English
Avery elf ruler English

Daralis beloved English

Eda abbreviation of letter E English
Edeva expensive present English
Ellette little elf English
Elvina friend of elves English
Eolande violet flower English
Erline

Everild boar battle English
Everilda boar battle English

Farah beautiful; pleasant English

Fira fiery; ardent English

Héloise sun English

Ingrith Ing's beauty English

Jetta jet black mineral English

Jolenta violet English

Kip pointed hill English

Laila guardian angel English

Liliana gracious lily English

Marigold

Marlow drained lake English

F Maven is knowledgeable English

F Myla merciful English

F Nissa friendly elf English

F Odile elfin spear English
F Oletha nimble English

F Raven raven English

F Rosalie rose English
F Rosetta little rose English
F Rosina little rose English

F Roxanne graceful rose English

F Sable sable; sleek English
F Saelufu strength of the English

F Susane lily English

F Tana fairy queen English

F Timothea honoring God English

F Willow willow English

F Wren wren English

F Zanna lily English

F Zuzana rose

TiedUpWithString · 29/07/2015 09:54

That didn't work....

Abelena hazelnut English
Abellana hazelnut English

Aldythold battle English

Alvina friend of the elves English

Amity friendship English

Arietta little song English

Avellana filbert or hazelEnglish
Avery elf ruler English

Daralis beloved English

Eda abbreviation of letter EEnglish
Edeva expensive present English
Ellette little elf English
Elvina friend of elves English
Eolande violet flower English (love this one)
Erline

Everild boar battle English
Everilda boar battle English

Farah beautiful; pleasant English

Fira fiery; ardent English

Héloise sun English

Ingrith Ing's beauty English

Jetta jet black mineral English

Jolenta violet English

Kip pointed hill English

Laila guardian angel English

Liliana gracious lily English

Marigold

Marlow drained lake English

Mavenis knowledgeable English

Myla merciful English

Nissa friendly elfEnglish

Odile elfin spear English
Oletha nimble English

Raven raven English

Rosalie rose English
Rosetta little rose English
Rosina little rose English

Roxanne graceful rose English

Sable sable; sleek English
Saelufu strength of the English

Susane lily English

Tana fairy queen English

Timothea honoring God English

Willow willowEnglish

Wren wren English

Zanna lilyEnglish

Zuzana

Zeta

Zena

Xanthe

Swishyswashy · 29/07/2015 10:00

Damaris or Menafreda

wonkylegs · 29/07/2015 10:41

Ones that have fallen out of fashion Christine
Dorothy
Rosemary
Cecile
Florence
Annette
Josephine
Yvonne
Susan
Diane
Lynne
Roma
Janice
Fiona

durhamgirl · 29/07/2015 12:54

Yes my sons name is Corin, I love it and don't think he'll ever meet another, he was the only one in the country registered in his year of birth.

Some more that I like added, in particular Odile and Linnet but l just realised when writing it down it would be too easily confused with Lynette which I don't like it all!

Maybe I'll just call her Child 3 to save all this hassle!

OP posts:
TiedUpWithString · 29/07/2015 14:16

Odile would be really lovely. I wish I'd thought of these names for DD- although she does have a lovely Celtic name.

I also love Seren.

ancientbuchanan · 29/07/2015 21:11

I thought it might be ( didn't think you would go for Cor, Dar or Darrin..or Shasta). I love Linnet. There was a Kinnet in the Children of Green Knowe.

Richenda
Bertha
Roberts
Phyllida/ Philippa/ Phyllis

Same about Corin ( lovely name) as Corinna going a maying...

Lilias
Lydia
Lalage
Leda

Off the wall choices..
Vanda
Vera
Verity
Felicity
Prudence
Lavender
Charity
Grace
Hope
Patience
Pansy
Esmeralda
Carmen
Carmel
Bernadette
Helena
Justinia
Juliette
Juliet
Julia
Juliana
Tamsin
Thomasina
Deborah
Susanna
Moll/Mary/Molly
Loveday
Frederica
Francesca
Frances
Fanny
Xenia
Xanthe
Ianthe
Rumer
Diana
Dione
Dianne
Dian
Vanessa
Virginia

Look at the lovely 17 century names, and Elizabethan madrigals. Gloria and Gloriana!

ancientbuchanan · 29/07/2015 21:14

Bloody predictive text linnet and Roberta

pinkje · 29/07/2015 21:15

Odette, if you like Odile and Linnet.

mewkins · 29/07/2015 21:16

Prudence or Josephine.

EnriqueTheRingBearingLizard · 29/07/2015 21:21

Lorna.

A fine name which means honour or victory.
I think that would fit well with your family.

Congratulations Flowers

ancientbuchanan · 29/07/2015 21:30

The Edwardians liked Enid and Edith.

US 19 century include Coralie, Rosalie as well as all the little women/ Katy/ Rebecca names

Rosalind
Rosamund
Rosabelle
Belinda
Amabel
Annabel
Arabella
Isabel/Isobel/Ishbel/Isabella
Carlotta
Ninette
Annette
Nanette
Esther
Hester
Hero
Celia
Claudia
Camilla
Catherine
Theophania/Tiffany

Or be scots 19 century and take your dh'a name or his df's or your DF's and add ina. Angusina not my thing, but lots of Inas around in the past...donaldina, davidina

ancientbuchanan · 29/07/2015 21:31

I had a lovely great aunt Lorna and know quite a few scots lornas

Frostycake · 29/07/2015 21:32

Emilyne
Jayene
Agnes
Arlette
Millicent
Patricia
Cecilia

SilverHawk · 29/07/2015 21:37

Althea has interesting meanings.
It is mentioned by Richard Lovelace in his poem....Walls do not a prison make, nor iron bars a cage......
It is also Greek for a healer.
Also, can be a corruption of hollyhocks.
It's also got the three syllables that I like in a name.