Opinions on these short(ish)lists please!

[Ohdofuckoffplease]

Ok, looking at this, these 'short'lists don't look at all short, but they were even longer before, I swears!

I have listed names and then possible shortenings beside them in brackets. I know there is no telling what nick names or shortenings might sort of happen organically, but these are my personal favourites.

Suggestions for other shortenings, or other name suggestions for that matter, are welcome.

First names:

Wilfred (Wilfie / Wilf) - this is my absolute favourite boy name but DH doesn't like it at all . I'm keeping it on the list for now though, in case it grows on him.

Reuben (Roo?)
Felix
Laurence / Lawrence (Laurie)
Abraham (Abe / Bram?)
Casper / Caspar

Margaret (Maggie / Meg)
Cecily
Francesca (Frankie?)
Annabel (Annie)
Eleanor (Nell / Norah) - I love this name, but we already have a little Ellie (short for something else) in the extended family, so wonder if it's too similar maybe?

Middle names:

Patrick
Christian / Christopher

Verity
Faith

They are all nice but My favourite is Laurie Patrick and Maggie or Margo Faith.

Not very helpful, but I really like your middle names and would have them as the first names!

Abraham Patrick
Laurence Patrick
Wilfred Christian

Margaret Faith
Francesca Faith (I like alliteration)

I love Verity but I'm not sure it sits right as a middle name with your first name choices.

Other ideas:

Jonah
Lucien
Harold

Felicity
Thora
Una

I like Reuben, and Casper
Neither boys middle name

And only like Verity from any of your girls

Thanks all!

Haha I wondered if someone might say that about the middle names scrivette. The thing is, I really love virtue type names (Christian, Verity, Faith), but I always worry about using them as a first name in case the DC turns out to be not at all like the virtue they are named after iyswim. That's why I've confined them to middle names.

Patrick I guess could be a first name but I'm not keen on Paddy / Pat.

Christian is lovely , of the first names I like Lawrence and Casper ,but don't like Laurie . Of the girls list I like Cecily and that's it , Faith is a bit dull but goes with most things as a middle name .

Love Felix, like Reuben and Caspar, Abraham is okay, Laurence and Wilfred are both horrible.

As for the girls, I don't really like any of them. I suppose Eleanor is the best of them.

Love Laurence and Cecily.

I never post on names threads . This is my forest in 4 yrs on MN but has to say how much I LOVE Abraham - and especially its derivative 'Abe'. Simple, obviously incredibly familiar but really really unusual.

...'my forest'..??? I meant my first !

Love all the names, I have known a couple of Francesca's, one was called Fran, the other Frankie. Both lovely people. Lawrence is another favourite. But all the names are great.

Thanks again for all the comments.

marilyn, yes I really love Abraham too! It might be my second favourite after Wilfred.

Kew, yes, the only two people I know reasonably well who are called Francesca are both so lovely, funny and interesting. It's funny how associations like that can colour your view of a name!

Francesca Faith (Fran).
Abraham Patrick (Bram).

I also really like Patrick, though I know it's a suggested middle name.

Lawrence is my favourite of your boys' list; Margaret of your girls' list

I particularly like Laurie, though not so keen on Lawrence/Laurence. Cecily might become Cecy Generally like all the names except Wilfred. Although shorter version is probably Wilf I think could easily be Willie, which I wouldn't like.

My favourites are:
Felix
Caspar
Margaret
Francesca

My favourites are

Laurence Patrick
Abraham Patrick

Margaret Verity
Cecily Faith

I don't like Margaret and can see Wilfred being willy in school, all the others are nice ruben and francesca my faves, my sister Eleanor has started using Elle is that different enough to ellie, I love norah though, just be aware teachers/friends etc may automatically think it will be ellie, she can correct but may decide she likes it

Love Caspar! Love Eleanor- doesn't matter about another Ellie of you plan to use a different nn. Fab names x

I know a Lawrence in his 20's and his gets shortened to Loz.

Reuben
Francesca