Honest opinions please!

[MissObsessed]

First baby due in about 8 weeks and I now have a mental block over names. It's like I've said them too many times and now they don't even sound like names, more like weird noises My husband and I don't agree on many names (his all have a 70s feel about them....) but we do have a small list that we kind of agree on. We don't know whether it's a boy or a girl and our surname is a three syllable name beginning with B. Any honest opinions would be great as both our sets of parents are lovely but we're just getting "it's your baby, please yourselves with the name" etc, etc.

Phoebe
Francesca
Imogen
Juliet
Claudia

Reuben
Felix (DH hates this one!)
James
George
Jude

So what's your first thought when you hear these names? Any help is very appreciated, I feel like I'm going mad......

I like most of them, lol. I guess my faves would be:

Phoebe
Imogen

and

Felix - I wanted this for DS but OH vetoed it :(
Jude

I like most of them too. Your girls names are all very pretty and I especially like Phoebe, Imogen and Juliet. My favourite of the boys names is James.

I like all of your girl bunch except Imogen (irrational dislike probably). Francesca is a bit meh (she may well end up Frankie). The name of one of my daughters is in your list!

Boys I'm less keen on - favourite is Felix :) Really don't like James, George/Jude/Reuben are okay - George probably best out of those three.

Gorgeous list of names. V similar to my own choices.

Top for me would be Francesca and Jude

I love Phoebe, Imogen and Juliet for a girl. Not keen on Francesca, because she will undoubtedly become Frankie and that really grates on me
I'm with your DH about Felix (it's a cats name ). A lady from my playgroup has two sons called Felix and Rufus and I genuinely picture a cat and a dog when I hear her say their names
Jude is my favourite from your boys names

They're all pretty inoffensive IMO but definitely My advice would be to make sure whichever you choose you like the abbreviated/one-syllable version it'll inevitably end up being shortened to by friends and siblings....

Personal preferences from your list works probably be Phoebe or Imogen, and Reuben or George.

Juliet and Felix.

Wow, nicked off for a few minutes and lots of replies already - thanks!

The Frankie thing worries me with Francesca and there's no way I could stop that NN if she wanted it when older.

I was worried George was getting a bit popular (esp. with the royal connection) and there's something about Jude that's stopping me.

Girls names seem easier than boys for some reason.

Also, does anyone else seem to struggle when saying Juliet? I feel like I need to really emphasise the t on the end but it seems unnatural

I like Phoebe and Imogen for the girl's names....and George and Jude for the boys

Phoebe and Reuben

I like Francesca and Juliet, James and George.

If you don't like the T at the end of Juliet, what about Julia?

I love Claudia, but I am biased as I have one. We've not met another one yet - admittedly she's only 3 so there's still time!

Boys wise I like George best.

Francesca is lovely, really lovely.

I'm biased towards James because it's DS2's name, but I do like Reuben as well.

Imogen and reuben are my favourites from your shortlists though all are good names. George is very popular already even pre royal baby so if you don't want a very common name avoid that one - and James.

Juliet is stunning
Francesca is lovely but I agree Frankie is horrid. The two I know are known as Chesca so not sure how big an issue that is.
Claudia is also lovely. Think it means crooked or something of that sort unfortunately, but I wouldn't be put off by that. It's too nice a name.
Phoebe and Imogen are meh imho.

Felix- I love this but no good if your DH doesn't
James- like this a lot
Reuben- like
George- irrational dislike
Jude- I know I'm wrong, but it sounds feminine to my ear

I love Phoebe, Imogen and Reuben.

Another vote for Phoebe and Ruben ....and I have a James, still love it but Ruben sounds nice and fresh

My fave of your girls is Claudia, the rest are a little plain for me. Of the boys, I like Reuben best, Jude the least. I don't know why but Jude always sounds like a shortened version of judy to me

Reuben wins the boys names in my opinion!
I like Felix too but it's becoming a little more common nowadays i think and as you said your DH isn't keen.
I do like Jude as well for boy but Reuben is def tops!

Only one of your girls names I'm not keen on is Francesca. I just find it hard to say and spell.
Two favourites are Phoebe and Imogen.
Claudia is also nice and not heard of much I think.
No strong feelings about Juliet really.

Love all of your girls names, I hope you have 5 daughters and use them all.

Strangely though, dislike all your boys names. James is the best of them.

Phoebe or Claudia

James or George

I like all of your girl makes, especially Juliet and Claudia. Would pick James or Reuben for a boy. Not keen on George, it's just very meh sounding, Felix is a cat and Jude sounds feminine to me too - I work with a female Jude (Judith).

Girl names not makes! Perils of typing on iPhone while watching men in tiny speedos at the Olympic diving

Francesca is beautiful and Imogen is lovely too, not keen on any of the boys names tbh though xx