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Baby names

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

Original poster

Come and tell me these names are awful.

99 replies

SmugairleRoin · 16/08/2015 18:20

Well hopefully you won't think they're awful but am going through girls names now and would like you all to pick as many holes as you can in them, so I don't end up picking something dreadful.

If you have any suggestions for the name I'd be very grateful for those too! :)

So we have:
Mariela
Amara
Lila/Lara
Etain (my phone is refusing to include fadas...)
Saoirse
Liadain
Lena
Juliet
Allegra
Reeva
Soraya
Jane

And that's it so far...apologies I know that's quite a few!

OP posts:
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Archer26 · 16/08/2015 20:20

I really like Jane. It's simple and sweet and rare but not crazy unusual.

A family i know has a little girl called Jane and everyone expressed surprise when they named her but all said how lovely a name it was.

SaulGood · 16/08/2015 20:25

Oh, you've listed a lot of very pretty names. I think pretty much the opposite of passthewineplz. I don't like 'chavvy' as a descriptor at all but I think you've listed a lot of very pretty, elegant and traditional names. The suggestions of 'Amber' and 'Honey' are ones I'm more used to seeing described as 'chavvy' on here.

I'm beginning to think it's a meaningless term. Grin

I think Saoirse, Juliet and Caoimhe are my favourites from your list. I know somebody who has a Caoimhe and a Cadhla (they seem a bit too similar to me if I'm utterly honest) and they're wonderful girls.

Jane is great too. It's simple and pretty. Much like Mary or Jean or Rose. They're not massively popular as first names but v pretty.

Clara? That might fit. I much prefer it to Lara too.

mikado1 · 16/08/2015 20:30

Not mad on siofra, cad faoi Doireann or Laoise or Tara or Cara?

villainousbroodmare · 16/08/2015 20:31

Oh, yes, Jane is a great name too. Síofra very pretty. Sinéad might appeal? (possibly equivalent of Jane?)

mikado1 · 16/08/2015 20:32

Grace?

BecksTroll · 16/08/2015 20:35

Mariela, Lara or Juliet are all beautiful
Dislike all the others, sorry, at a push Saoirse if you are staying in Ireland
Reeva? Nope. RIP Flowers

BecksTroll · 16/08/2015 20:38

Oh forgot to add own suggestion....

Aurelia

means golden.

YeOldeTrout · 16/08/2015 20:46

What about Maricela instead of Mariela (not even sure how to say latter)

Am not a fan of Irish names in England unless they are spelled phonetically to make sense to English speakers.

Allegra is great.
What about Somaya? It's anglicised version of a very pretty Bangladeshi name.

YeOldeTrout · 16/08/2015 20:46

Are you Spanish & Irish, OP?

Original poster
SmugairleRoin · 16/08/2015 21:02

I'm Irish, DP Arab. So I would like her to have an Irish name in a way, to acknowledge her heritage and also Irish names are generally beautiful imo. DP not interested in an Arab name. At the same time, she'll be a tan little girl so I think she'd be able to pull off Soraya etc.

Maricela sounds like a chipper (Marsellas) here in Dublin, sorry. Somaya lovely though! I would never, ever phoneticise an Irish name, I like to use Irish at home and love the sound/look of the language. I have an Irish name myself and while it can be a bugger to spell when abroad, I love the sound of it.

Cupcake, go for Amara! I think it's lovely.

Aurelia is lovely but one thing putting me off it is that I see it on here quite a bit - and I'm also not sure how it would play out in Dublin. The meaning is beautiful though so will have a think about it.

Have another friend called Sinead Grin My friends do have lovely names but never imagined I'd see so many of them here. Laoise is a name in my family as is Doireann, they are lovely names though.

SaulGood that was a lovely post :) Also will have a think about Clara. Cadhla is interesting but I think many people would automatically spell it Kyla or something...at least with Caoimhe etc they'd have to stop in confusion!

OP posts:
Original poster
SmugairleRoin · 16/08/2015 21:06

Bah, I always forget bits of posts Blush

Mariela: Mar-E-Ehla I think I would pronounce it.

OP posts:
Ladypug · 16/08/2015 21:11

Watching this thread as one of my chosen names is on it!

UrethraFranklin1 · 16/08/2015 22:00

Etain is the best, also Liadain and Aifric. I think you should use an Irish name for an Irish girl, you have some lovely ones on your list. There are loads of Caoimhes about though, I wouldn't pick that.

MayoforSam · 16/08/2015 22:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TRexingInAsda · 16/08/2015 23:18

Saoirse is really nice, as she'll be half Irish.

CakeRattleandRoll · 17/08/2015 00:48

I think you have a lovely list of names. My favourite is Saoirse, we didn't really have enough Irish heritage to use it, but I think it sounds just beautiful.

Also like Lara, Juliet and Soraya.

Allegra is lovely, but is a very well known allergy medicine in USA (equivalent to Telfast, I think), so that would be the first thought for most Americans.

Cookie122 · 17/08/2015 07:14

sorry i really dont like Jane!!! my fave is Reeva

Pandora37 · 17/08/2015 07:29

Okay, you wanted holes so here they are. Grin

Saoirse - I'm assuming you know the political history behind the name? Obviously as it's so popular in Ireland most people don't care about it (or view it as a plus) but it's something to bear in mind.

Etain - I thought it was French at first glance. I think there are nicer Irish names out there.

Soraya - Now don't get me wrong, I do absolutely love love LOVE this name but....it does sound unfortunately similar to psoriasis. Also, it's a Persian/Iranian name. I know you said your DP isn't bothered about having an Arab name but people might assume that she's half Iranian or has an Iranian background rather than an Arab one with this name. Would that bother him?

A few suggestions:

Amira - similar to Amara but has an Arabic background

Zara - Again, has an Arabic and English background.

Leila - similar to Lila but has a Middle Eastern background.

Original poster
SmugairleRoin · 17/08/2015 12:56

DP is middle eastern originally (American mum though) but moved here at about 4 and doesn't have much connection to family back there. I'll run Soraya being an Iranian name by him later but I don't know that it'll bother him too much.

Adding Grace and Clara to the list :)

Róise I do like, but my mum is a Rosemary so was considering it or a variation as a middle name - definitely possibility as a first name!

Zara = shop to me unfortunately. Leila not bad though!

I do know the Saoirse history and it doesn't bother me, but am wondering now if there may be a glut of them next year (centenary of the Easter Rising against the British)?

Maybe allegra will have to come off the list :(

DP suggested Aphra yesterday - anyone like that? It's a pretty name but I just hear aphrodisiac...

Thanks all for your thoughts, really helpful! :)

OP posts:
dotdotdotmustdash · 17/08/2015 13:19

I have a tanned Dd (Scottish x beautiful island in the Indian Ocean). She's Leah Jane :-)

DeandraReynolds · 17/08/2015 13:25

Lena and Etain are my favourites.

Love Caoimhe (as Keeva rather than Kweeva though) but I think it is becoming very popular. Similarly I like Lila but have met a few under 5s with that name recently.

MayoforSam · 17/08/2015 15:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
SmugairleRoin · 17/08/2015 16:09

I think I'll add in Aurelia to the list, it seems like it'd suit her.
As in Parisa meaning June, or June as a separate name Mayo? Smile People do bring up the Saoirse thing but I think in general the Irish dint see it as a bad name, and sure foreigners are will just be flummoxed by all those vowels anyway!
It's just this centenary next year that puts me off a little.

OP posts:
mikado1 · 17/08/2015 16:38

Caoimhe is not Keeva tho.. Confused

DeandraReynolds · 17/08/2015 16:45

Er... what is it then?