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......

Phoebe is nice but imagine for example your surname is Buckingham (B with 3 syllables).. Phoebe Buckingham is a bit of a mouthful of b's.
I like Reuben and Felix (I might steal that one for my list!) X

Phoebe is nice but imagine for example your surname is Buckingham (B with 3 syllables).. Phoebe Buckingham is a bit of a mouthful of b's.
I like Reuben and Felix (I might steal that one for my list!) X

OP, I won't beat around the bush, for me, it's got yo be Juliet, or James.

Juliet is lovely, Imogen or Francesca second choice.

James for a boy.

I love Claudia, what a fab name As is Francesca, but she will be called Fran I think (I know a Francesca)
And like Juliet.
Not sure on the boys names... George or James maybe. Don't like Reuben sorry. and Jude no no no. I know two female Judes

thickandthin I don't really like any of our boys names either, they're ok but I don't love any of them. I keep saying that if it's a boy then we're screwed!

Phoebe is my favourite girls name but the B of our surname worries me, like the names merge into one

Imogen is lovely and Phoebe but this will become "Feebs". Felix is cat food - don't do it! James is the nicest on your list but in my opinion I'm not keen on any of them.
Know exactly what you mean about them not even sounding like names anymore.
Why don't you scrap the lot and start again? - I did this and then one or two off my scrapped list kept popping out of my mouth - if that happens I think it's meant to be!

Phoebe is lovely, will the baby have a middle name? If so, I wouldn't worry about the B in the surname.
I really like Imogen too!
For a boy, Reuben is the best name IMO. We're expecting a boy in 4 weeks, still stuck on a name to go with DD's!

Phoebe and Rueben would be my picks from your list. I had Reuben on our recent shortlist but DH didn't like it.

James and Claudia

Ffion middle name for a girl will probably be Helena after my grandmother and for a boy maybe Antony after my Dad.

Just a thought... I like Phoebe and Rueben but uf your surname starts with a B it sounds a bit B heavy.

Phoebe and George

Two of the last three newborn boys I know are called Jude. I'm predicting it will be s popular name this year.

Not sure if that bothers you or not, thought I'd let you know.

(I speak as someone who thought I was picking an uncommon (outside of the top 100) name for DS, only to find it was a top 20 name by the time he was 6 months old)

I know three Francescas and not one has Frankie as a nn - they are Fran, Cesca and Fra (prn. Frah).

I love all your girls' names, probably Juliet the best, and all of the boys' names except maybe Reuben as it's very popular and often misspelled.

I like Phoebe and Juliet on your girls lists

Take Felix out if your dh dislikes it why go with a name you know isnt like by one of you?

Personally I am not keen on the boys names they are just a bit " safe" for my liking. (I know Phoebe likely goes under that too however I have a absolute adoration for it and have had since I was 14 and read a book with a Phoebe in it)

Going against the grain here....

I have a Francesca who was named so specifically so she would be a Frankie. She was almost a Phoebe (but I know a few so thought it was a little popular in our area) and has a gorgeous friend called Juliet. I also suggested Claudia and Imogen but dp vetoed them so I genuinely love all of your girls names!
I've never likes Reuben or Jude but for no particular reason tbh but George and James are good and strong. I suggested felix for possible ds but dp poo pooed it.

Great lists op!

Love your girl names except for Imogen which is one of my least favourite names ever (strong dislike for no rational reason!). I think Phoebe sounds ok with a B surname because of the long vowel sound at the end but Reuban B.... is a bit too much b.

Juliet/Juliette is one of my favourite names at the moment.

What do people think of Erica? That's another one that keeps coming back into my mind. Or Henry? Gah!

Love Juliet, but not pronounced with the emphasis on the last syllable (if you prefer that, go for Juliette but it would be less good with a 3 syllable surname). A close relative is Juliet and she's been very strict with people pronouncing it correctly, with emphasis on the first syllable!

Francesca and Juliet are lovely.
My favourite of your boy's names is Felix, but no use if your DH hates it! Next would be George or Henry.

My faves are Juliet and Felix. Great lists! Maybe wait to meet them and see if they "look like" any of your choices. I think you have a solid bunch of names to choose from

I love phoebe and claudia. Not keen on any of the boys names - sorry.

Love all the girls names. The boys' list is ok.
How about Hugo?

Reuben or Claudia

Congrats!