Thoughts on our shortish lists please

[mappemonde]

Dc3 - both dds have traditional, (boring to some) names that everyone knows and can spell but are not particularly popular at the moment.

Girls:

Beatrice
Martha
Harriet nn Etta/Ettie (or Juliet but family have used as mn)
Rose/Rosa

Boys:

Joseph
William
Matthew
Thomas (prob can't use due to friends/family)

I like Rowan for a girl and DH likes it for a boy but R as a first initial isn't great with our last name (meaning Rose/Rosa will probably be mn rather than first too)

Beatrice - nice
Martha - ok, not really to my taste.
Harriet - I really like Harriet and think it fits perfectly into the 'everyone knows it, but it's not too popular' category. I think the nn are a bit of a stretch though. Etti sounds like Yeti and Etta just doesn't fit with Harriet at all. I prefer Hattie or Harri.
Rose/Rosa - no good if you want a name that's not too popular. I know about 50 under the age of 2! Either just Rose or Rosie or Ellie-Rose, Connie-Rose, Jessie-Rose, Taylor-Rose etc. etc.

Joseph - nice
William - nice, but again no good if you want one that isn't overpopular, I know at least 20.
Matthew -nice and underused imo.
Thomas - again nice, but very popular.

I don't think you can really go wrong with any of them, they're all good classic names. I think Rowan is nicer and more interesting than all of the names on your list tbh (but I'm biased because it's on my list!). I'd go for Harriet and Matthew from your list.

Girls:

Beatrice - Brilliant. Love the nn Bea too
Martha - Lovely
Harriet nn Etta/Ettie (or Juliet but family have used as mn) - Not keen on Harriet, but love Etta/Ettie. They work just as well with Juliet, which I prefer very much. Personally I don't think the family mn use would put me off - it's not at all the same as if it had been used as a given name, though I would probably sound out the Juliet/her parents (depending on age!) before making a decision.
Rose/Rosa - Nice, but not standing out in your list. Definite mn material IMO! Would go well after any of the other suggestions.

Boys:

Joseph
William
Matthew
Thomas
Not wild about any of the boys names - they're all nice, but not really my taste. Probably like William and Matthew most, Thomas least.

I love Rowan - it's on both my shortlists!

Really love all your boys' names, although only if you also like the shortened versions as well.

Like Beatrice/Bea and Martha. And Harriet. Don't think you can go far wrong with any of them, they are all fine.

Martha or Matthew.

Thank you for thoughts. I'm leaning towards Matthew but not sure about Matt for a really little one (Mattie?)

Martha always seems a Marmite name - it's probably DHs least favourite...

Mattie, Mattie and Hattie!

I don't think that Juliet would cause issues but I'd have to ask. DH wants to go for just Etta but I've always been a 'needs a long name on bc' kind of person.

I think things are geographical because I know no Roses/Rosies (but lots of little Harriets and a few Marthas) - they would be way more usual than either of DC names.

Harriet is unlikely to be Etta unless by nickname you mean 'only name she is ever know by'. It's not a known nickname for Harriet. I'd have thought it more likely that by the time she is a teen she uses Hattie/Hetty/Harry.

Please go for Beatrice or Juliet for a girl, both are gorgeous! I like all your boys' names; I think Matt would be cute for a little boy.

Matthew and Juliet are my favourites. If a family member has Juliet as a md how about spelling it Juliette?