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Baby names

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

Original poster

Opinions on our names

27 replies

Baz13 · 23/04/2016 06:34

So I think we are decided on names if baby is a boy or a girl. Asking for opinions on here as I don't want to tell family and friends. We have picked uncommon names where we live and being a teacher I have never taught anyone with these names. Although I do know one person with the girls name :)

For a boy we have decided to go with Henry. Possible mn James (dh mn and nephews first name).

For a girl we like Esme. Possible mn Jane (my mn and family mn)
I know there are a lot of pronunciation issues with this name, but we would pronounce it Ez-me.

Siblings are Charlie (boy) and Tilly.

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Afreshstartplease · 23/04/2016 06:37

I do like James, I am contemplating it of this baby is a boy. However I'm undecided on how I feel about the obvious nicknames - Jay? Jamie?

Esme is nice, I wouldn't use it because of the pronunciation issues though

Afreshstartplease · 23/04/2016 06:37

Posted too soon, not keen on Henry or Jane sorry

Original poster
Baz13 · 23/04/2016 06:43

James is a lovely name and not very common either, my nephew suits his name :)

I see on MN that there is always lots of debates about the pronunciation of Esme, but I really like the name for it not to bother me too much. I can't think of any other mn to be honest; apart from Pearl as DH wants to honour his granny Margaret.

Can I ask why your not keen on the name Henry?

OP posts:
Afreshstartplease · 23/04/2016 06:52

To me, Henry is a hoover Blush

srslylikeomg · 23/04/2016 06:56

I like your choices very much! Lovely names. My only comment would be that the Henry I know gets called Hen which he and his mother don't like.

Original poster
Baz13 · 23/04/2016 07:23

Henry the hoover made me laugh!

I don't mind Hen or Henners . I think nn come naturally but it's good to know how the name can get shortened. As Afreshstart said about James being Jamie or Jay.

OP posts:
Afreshstartplease · 23/04/2016 07:27

I dislike the obvious name shortening one of my DC gets , I think this is why I'm hesitant about James!
I also like Thomas, but not Tom or Tommy so think that's out too

Original poster
Baz13 · 23/04/2016 07:38

Oh that's a shame. At the moment my nephew James gets called Jame-o (by his mum) We all call him James at the moment, but he's only 5 months old.
We have a cousin called James, he was always James as a child/teen but he started calling himself Jim as an adult ( I still call him James though).

Thomas is lovely but think he would automatically get called Tom when older.

OP posts:
Afreshstartplease · 23/04/2016 07:50

Oh no I forgot Jim!

It's definitely off my list now!

Original poster
Baz13 · 23/04/2016 07:52

hahahahaha - i'm not fond of Jim either

OP posts:
Afreshstartplease · 23/04/2016 07:55

Or even worse Jimbo Sad

SuburbanRhonda · 23/04/2016 07:55

I like Henry. We have two in our school and their names aren't shortened.

I like Esme too but i disagree it's uncommon. It's like all names beginning with E - they've experienced a huge surge in popularity in the last few years.

mostlyexhausted · 23/04/2016 07:56

Both lovely names, both were on my shortlist too! (I now have Lily and Samuel).

Pronunciation issues with Esme never crossed my mind! Can't imagine any other way to say it...

Jim you can completely ban until he's a teenager and then, if he's a dude, he will be able to carry it off.

Original poster
Baz13 · 23/04/2016 08:09

I never thought there would be pronunciation issues with Esme, it's only when looking on MN there seems to be confusion of the pronunciation (so I thought I would put before a debate occurred how we would pronounce it).

Suburban: I'm not saying it's an uncommon name just that it's not a very common name where I live, I only know one. But that's not to say there aren't more around where we live. Same with the name Henry, I don't know any children/adults called this where I live. I don't think I explained myself very well (sorry).

I don't mind if they are common names- as a teacher of young children I wanted to pick names that I hadn't taught lots of, if that makes sense, and I have never taught an Esme or Henry :)

OP posts:
Afreshstartplease · 23/04/2016 08:12

I work with children and have for over ten years

I've met one child called Esme (Ez-may) and no Henry's

KoalaDownUnder · 23/04/2016 08:15

I've only ever met Esmes pronounced Ez-may.

I don't like the Ez-mee pron. Sad

Henry is great.

Original poster
Baz13 · 23/04/2016 08:18

I have found it hard choosing names this time round, as all the names I like I seem to associate with the children I have taught and it's put me off. Totally irrational I now.

OP posts:
lornathewizzard · 23/04/2016 08:21

I love Esme (I'm pronouncing it in my head as Es-may?).
Not keen on Henry. Just doesn't do anything for me.

Original poster
Baz13 · 23/04/2016 08:21
  • know not now.

I prefer Ez-mee probably as the one person I know pronounces it this way. I think once we introduce her, people will follow our lead (hopefully).

OP posts:
Afreshstartplease · 23/04/2016 08:23

Baz I feel exactly the same

If you have taught/looked after a child with a name who was not very nice for one reason or another it can really put you off!

rainbowstardrops · 23/04/2016 08:27

I also work in a school with little ones and I've only come across one Esme and no Henrys!

I quite like Esme but not so keen on Henry. Prefer Harry but of course that's way more popular in primary schools Smile

Original poster
Baz13 · 23/04/2016 08:54

At least i'm not the only one who feels that way :)

rainbow- I like Harry, but my best friends son is called Harry and as you point of far more popular.

OP posts:
BertieBeatle · 23/04/2016 09:02

I think they are both lovely names. Esme pronounced Es-mee would be one of my top picks if I was having a girl, its so pretty and elegant but not fussy. Henry is great too.
I much prefer the es-mee pronunciation and you would only need to tell people once, really wouldn't be a big deal.

DerelictMyBalls · 23/04/2016 11:26

I absolutely love Henry. Much nicer than Harry, IMO.

Esme is a bit faddy for my taste, sorry.

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 23/04/2016 11:32

Henry and Esme are absolutely fine.

I love Jim/Jimmy, why does no one else??

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