Eleanor, Vera or Nina?

[badg3r]

Very common surname so would prefer something not so popular as a first name.
I like all three but my big shadow of doubt is telling me Eleanor is very popular, Vera is an old granny's name and Nina is too twee.

Don't know the sex yet but for boys I like names like Matthew and Hamish, although can't use them, so suggestions there very welcome too!

I love Vera with Kate as a middle name.
Boys
Reuben
Bertie
Kenneth
Jacob
Thomas
Raymond
Robert
Silas
Samuel
David
Darius

I think Vera is beautiful - classic, classy and pretty. I recon this might be a name that rises in popularity. Plus when I think of a 'Vera', I think of a strong little girl with lots of personality. Nina is nice too, but doesn't feel quite as whole as Vera.
Eleanor is a name I really like, and has lots of versatility in terms of nicknames - Ellie, Els, Lenor, Elle etc. That name would be on my list if it wasn't an ex of my Husbands

Nina. Love it. Would have had it if mine had been a girl

I have a Nina
All the Nina's I know are hardcore dd included.

I like Vera.
Alternatively about Vita?
And Leonora rather than Eleanor.

Yes I don't know many ninas either but the ones I do know are all pretty feisty! Leaning towards Vera more too now since not everyone has said it's terrible. I do live Eleanor and nn Ellie or Nora but I do feel it's the safe boring choice.

There's nothing twee about Nina.
It's strong elegant famine and classy and not too common.
Vera is awful. Old but not in a nice vintage way and Eleanor just has no imagination or thought. They're everywhere.

Nina can be short for Katerina, Christina/Kristina, Alexandrina, Valentina etc.

I don't like Eleanor.

Vera is okay but my only associations are Vera Wang, and a Vera who lived into her 90s despite being a chain smoker her entire life. Her house reeked.

How about Leonore or Leonora?

Vera is not an attractive name and IMO still has a strong whiff of old lady about it. Possibly this may change in the future. Definitely your worst choice.

Nina and Eleanor are both lovely! Although Eleanor has been very popular for a number of years now as I'm sure you know. Plus she may end up as the ubiquitous Ellie. Nina is very chic and a bit more unusual. I don't know where you got twee from as I don't really see how that could apply. Fifi-Belle, for example., would definitely be twee.

Nina is the nicest of the three.
Not keen on Eleanor, prefer Ellen.
Don't like Vera but love Verity.

Ooh I really like Nola too! DH has said he thinks Vera sounds a bit harsher than the others and isn't so keen now.
And I agree that compared to Fifi-Belle Nina is not really twee i love the name but just trying to not pick as much as I can for reasons I might go off it. I saw a thread a year or two back where a lot of people said it sounded like the noise an ambulance makes...

I love Nina. It's my top runner for our next baby.

What about Edie instead of Eleanor?