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Baby names

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

Please shred our shortlist!

36 replies

clarabellski · 08/10/2015 16:43

Hi everyone

I was hoping for some brutal internet advice on our name shortlists. We're team yellow so need to pick a boy & girl name. This is our first child. Surname starts with 'M'.

Girls:

Aileen
Ailsa
Audrey
Bethan
Blair
Bryn
Callista
Daphne
Darcy
Eilish
Fearne
Grier
Hazel
Juliet
Lena
Mara
Marion
Natasha
Roisin
Rowan
Vhairi
Winter

Boys:

Augustus
Blair
Conrad
Corran
Ellis
Gil
Hamish
Harris
Seamus

Thanks in advance!

OP posts:
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PallasCat · 08/10/2015 17:22

Girls:

Aileen Like
Ailsa OK
Audrey Nice
Bethan Nice
Blair In theory I like this, but ... Tony. No.
Bryn Nice
Callista Nice, and I like Cally
Daphne Like this
Darcy Meh
Eilish Really like
Fearne Really like Fern, dislike Fearne
Grier Like
Hazel Love (high on my DH's shortlist, but I really don't think we can use it with our surname)
Juliet Nice
Lena Like
Mara Like
Marion Like
Natasha Meh
Roisin Like
Rowan Like
Vhairi Very nice
Winter Like - assuming it's a winter bub we're talking about?

Hmm OP we have some shortlist overlap on the girls! Smile

Boys:

Augustus Like
Blair As above, no
Conrad Like
Corran Particularly like
Ellis Very nice
Gil Like
Hamish Like
Harris Like
Seamus Like

None of the boys are on my shortlist, but OP I think we have similar taste, so I'm not able to narrow it down very much!

Vernonon · 08/10/2015 17:25

Natasha for a girl - great name (unlike Grier - is that a joke?)

Out of your boy names I would pick Conrad, I think.

Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost · 08/10/2015 18:10

Love Grier for a girl. Hate surnamy names for girls, yet despise them for boy. Natasha is gorgeous, too. The other names aside from Rosion which is also very pretty. Winter is great too and Winnie is a brilliant nn but as I am free you know it would only suit a child born in Winter.
Out of the boys I only like Conrad but I do like Gus as a nn for Augustus. I am really particular about boys names.

Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost · 08/10/2015 18:14

Love surnamey names for girls that should say , not hate.

phoolani · 08/10/2015 18:14

Callista, hamish. Not fond of any of the others.

BlueChampagne · 08/10/2015 19:59

Conrad or Juliet

Liomsa · 08/10/2015 20:05

Bryn is a male name, surely? Or am I imagining a man-mountain of a Welsh baritone with a voice like God?

And isn't the Scottish version of Mary/Maire Mhairi rather than Vhairi (though pronounced Vhairi)?

Of your list I like Mara and Roisin, Augustus, Gil and Seamus. Winter, Blair and Grier (Greer?) are gruesome.

celtictoast · 08/10/2015 21:03

I like these:

Bethan
Daphne
Darcy
Juliet
Lena
Marion
Natasha
Winter

Ellis
Hamish
Harris
Seamus

myotherusernameisbetter · 08/10/2015 21:35

Aileen - like it
Ailsa - like it
Audrey - like it
Bethan - nope
Blair - like it but only for a boy
Bryn - Nope
Callista - Hmm - maybe
Daphne - Nope
Darcy - nope
Eilish - like it
Fearne - nope
Grier - like it
Hazel - its okay
Juliet - like it
Lena - it's okay
Mara - Hmm - maybe
Marion - Nope
Natasha - Nope
Roisin - like it
Rowan - like it but only for a boy
Vhairi - like it
Winter - nope

Boys:

Augustus - nope
Blair - like it
Conrad - nope
Corran - like it
Ellis - nope
Gil - like it
Hamish - like it
Harris - like it
Seamus - Hmm Maybe

Fallon and Nyree would go well on your girls list. Brodie, Calvin and Keir would go well on your boys list as well as adding Rowan down from the girls list.

AnnaMarlowe · 08/10/2015 21:43

I don't like Bryn, Blair witch or Grier or Winter.

Not sure about Augustus (Gloop). If you like Gus why not Angus?

All the others fine.

I feel a bit mean but you did ask for 'shredding'

familysizepack · 08/10/2015 21:53

Aileen -like
Ailsa- like
Audrey -like
Bethan -like
Blair -boys name
Bryn -not so keen
Callisto - dislike
Daphne - quite like, a bit different
Darcy - dislike
Eilish - ok
Fearne - dislike
Grier - no
Hazel - ok
Juliet -really like
Lena - ok
Mara - ok
Marion - ok
Natasha -quite nice
Roisin - like
Rowan -like
Vhairi - ok
Winter - no, just no

Boys:

Augustus - dislike
Blair - like
Conrad - really like this
Corran -Meh
Ellis -like
Gil - ok but would have as short for something.
Hamish -like
Harris -like
Seamus -ok

Ailsa or Audrey and Conrad probably my favourites

Mirryanda · 08/10/2015 21:56

I actually LOVE Bryn for a girl. I'm not sure how well it would go down in the UK but my sister lives in the US and it's actually a fairly "normal" name. I love it but I tend to not really like very girly-girl names. I mentioned Blair for my first DC but everyone I asked said it was far too masculine but if you love it then go for it.

Also like Blair, Fearne, Juliet, Lena (love Lana also) and Rowan. All of those names are right up my street!

From your boys list i really like Harris and Ellis. Much prefer Blair for a girl. You have great taste

Mirryanda · 08/10/2015 21:56

sorry I meant to say I mentioned Bryn for my first DC

ashesandfire · 08/10/2015 22:40

Love - Bethan, Hazel, Juliet, Lena, Rowan
Loathe- Aileen, Ailsa, Blair, Bryn, Daphne, Darcey, Grier, Mara
Ok- Audrey, Callista, Eilish, Fearne, Marion (love Marianne though ), Natasha, Roisin, Vhairi, Winter

Love - Hamish
Loathe- Augustus (Gloop), Blair (Tony), Corran, Gil, Harris
OK- Conrad, Ellis, Seamus

Liomsa · 08/10/2015 22:47

Isn't 'yn' a male suffix, though? So Gwen is a girl's name and Gwyn is a boy's? Wouldn't it be the equivalent of calling your daughter Andrew?

Sophronia · 08/10/2015 23:43

I like Bethan, Callista, Daphne, Juliet, Lena, Mara, Marion, Roisin, Rowan and Vhairi the best.

I dislike Aileen, Bryn, Darcy and Fearne. The others are all ok.

From your boys list I like Augustus, Conrad, Gil, Hamish and Seamus best, and dislike Blair, Corran, Ellis and Harris.

SionnachDana · 08/10/2015 23:51

Aileen - no, I'm Irish so this is just so dreary and old to me.
Ailsa - I like it
Audrey - sophisticated but not pretty.
Bethan - I love it. Beth for short or Bethan, I like both
Blair - OK, unisex feel which I don't normally go for but I do like Blair(e)
Bryn - no, terrible. Reminds me of brine
Callista - no, harsh
Daphne - no. Can't say why, just no
Darcy - no. this is like a trend that peaked and died a few years back. You'd regret it.
Eilish - bit dreary again
Fearne - ok, more of a middle name perhaps
Grier - are you kidding?! no, this is like the noise a dying animal might make
Hazel - love it!
Juliet - love it!
Lena - quite like it.

Mara - no, prefer Mary tbh
Marion - no, Love Marianne thoug
Natasha - I like it!
Roisin - Like it. Rosie as a potential nn
Rowan - again, kind of like it, unisex feel but pretty
Vhairi - what!? collection of letters?
Winter - American feel. Not sure. Don't dislike it. It might grow on me. Prefer Win to 'Bryn' though.

Boys:

Augustus - love Gus
Blair - quite like for a boy too
Conrad - I like it
Corran - not sure
Ellis - no
Gil - yeh, short but I like it
Hamish - I like it!
Harris - know my dad and other old men woudl say "bomber Harris" whoever the f*ck he is
Seamus - yeh, I like it!

Thanks in advance!
Girls:

CakeRattleandRoll · 09/10/2015 04:49

Girls:
my favourites - Audrey, Callista, Roisin
also like - Ailsa, Daphne, Hazel, Juliet, Lena

As PP said, Bryn is a boy's name as 'yn' is a masculine ending in Welsh.
Have never seen Vhairi before - do you mean Mhairi? Please don't spell it Vhairi!

Boys:
my favourite - Hamish (love)
also like - Conrad, Ellis, Harris

HeteronormativeHaybales · 09/10/2015 09:01

Girls:

Aileen - no, so many pretty names out there
Ailsa - Home snd Away
Audrey - don't like it personally, but it is very zeitgeisty
Bethan - not to my taste, but fine
Blair - not for a girl!
Bryn - ditto
Callista - not sure. Has a ring to it but will be marmitey
Daphne - can see this being top of the lists in 10 years
Darcy - nope
Eilish - nice
Fearne - looks like 'alternative' spelling of Fern
Grier - ???
Hazel - nice, very nice
Juliet - nice, rather 'upper middle class trying rather hard'
Lena - German woman in her 20s
Mara - ditto
Marion - German woman in her 40s
Natasha - I love this. Natalia is lovely too
Roisin - love
Rowan - love
Vhairi - like it, if you can cope with people unable to spell/pronounce it
Winter - nope, not as a name

Boys:

Augustus - nope
Blair - nope
Conrad - OK
Corran - not sure, never heard this one before
Ellis - not keen on surname names
Gil - as in Gilbert?
Hamish - lovely
Harris - see Ellis
Seamus - lovely

FunkyPeacock · 09/10/2015 09:12

Girls - Audrey, Daphne, Hazel, Natasha, Juliet & Rowan all great names, I'm not keen on the others personally

Boys - Love Gil and like Hamish & Seamus too

WishIWasWonderwoman · 09/10/2015 12:21

Aileen - I like it
Ailsa
Audrey - I like it, classic
Bethan
Blair
Bryn
Callista - interesting, maybe divisive though
Daphne - I really like it
Darcy
Eilish
Fearne - maybe, is is pronounced like Fern?
Grier
Hazel
Juliet- I like it
Lena
Mara
Marion
Natasha- it's alright
Roisin- nice! I've never actually seen this one before
Rowan- unisex. I like this for a boy or girl.
Vhairi- unusual (where I live anyway) but nice

Winter

Boys:

Augustus- I like this one but I know lots don't
Blair
Conrad- I like it
Corran- it's nice
Ellis- I quite like this one
Gil
Hamish
Harris
Seamus- I like it!

clarabellski · 09/10/2015 15:23

Ahhh mumsent, I called, and I knew you would answer! Thank you sooo much, great food for thought. Cake

I giggled at the Tony Blair reference - hadn't made that connection!

OP posts:
florascotianew · 09/10/2015 18:18

As others have said, Vhairi is nonsense.

Mairi is the Gaelic form of Mary. It's pronounced 'Marry'.
Mhairi is the vocative form of Mairi. Gaelic nouns change spelling depending upon their grammatical usage. Mhairi is the form used when speaking to someone with that name. In Gaelic, 'Mh' is pronounced 'v', and so the name sounds like 'Varry'. 'Vh' at the beginning of the name makes no sense at all. If it's used, it will just look totally illiterate. Sorry, but that's true.
It is occasional modern Gaelic usage to call girl children 'Mhairi' rather than 'Mairi', but never, ever, 'Vhairi'.

FWIW Hamish and Seamus are the same name - the Gaelic version of James. Seamus is the actual name; Hamish is an anglicised version of the vocative form, used when speaking to somone with that name. Also in (relatively) modern Gaelic usage, the two have become accepted separate forms of the name.

Eilish/Ailish are Gaelic forms of 'Alice', pronounced 'Ay-lish'.

How are you intending to pronounce Roisin? It's normally 'Rosheen'.

Blair is a Gaelic word meaning 'field' or 'flat grassland'. Why would anyone want to name a child that?

Also as others have said, Bryn is a Welsh male name meaning hill or mountain, and signifying massive size and strength. Also closely associated at the moment with large and well-built deep-voiced opear singer Bryn Terfel.

It puzzles me. Why do people think that the traditional languages of parts of the UK can have their spellings/meanings ignored?

florascotianew · 09/10/2015 19:32

Sorry - Roisin is used in Scotland, which I was thinking of in above message, but it's probably more often associated with Ireland. So absolutely no offence intended by use of 'UK' in messgae above. I didn't wish to 'take over' a very pretty Irish name.

rageagainsttheBIL · 09/10/2015 20:40

Hazel and mhairi I really like but expect a lifetime of being called M-hairy unless you live in Scotland. Agree vhairi is wrong.

For the boys, Hamish, Harris and Seamus. I would consider Seamus if I were Irish enough. (Half NI)