Out of these three

[nodogsinthebedroom]

Which do you prefer and why?

Cora
Laura
Elisabeth (would be known as Elsa or Elsie day to day)

Surname sounds a bit like Charlie.

Your thoughts would be appreciated - thanks!

I've always really disliked the name Cora, don't get its popularity in the slightest but I realise I'm in the minority.

If I saw an Elisabeth I'd be confused on how to pronounce it tbh e.g. El-Lisa-Beth, Elise-abeth? so i'd stick with the Z (despite also disliking the name Elizabeth) and use Beth or Eliza as a nickname. Actually I'd just use Beth as a name in it's own right.

Laura is my favourite of the 3 but still a bit "meh"

Elisabeth gets my vote much nicer than the z spelling.

My daughter is called Laura.

Laura, Cora and Imogen were my choice of three

I'm with you OP. Laura is my favourite, followed by Elisabeth - & I prefer that spelling.

I really don't like Cora & don't get the love for it at all.

I don't like Cora one little bit.
Elizabeth/Elisabeth is classic and has lots of lovely diminutives.
Laura is a lovely name, less popular than it was but perhaps this would actually make it more distinctive than the popular ones.

I love Laura. Really nice name, suits all ages and not that common. Cora reminds me of downton abbey and I prefer Elizabeth to Elisabeth.

I also like Laura as a name, and the few Laura's I have known have all been lovely, amazing people! One of them performed CPR on my father and maybe saved his life. Personally I see Lauren as being 'of its time' as a name, but Laura as more classic.

Elisabeth but I'd spell it Elizabeth. I really liked Lauren too when we were choosing names, similar to Laura. Quite like Cora but reminds me of Downton which I think make it more popular again too!

Has Downton finished now, or is it an ongoing thing? And is 'Cora' a nice character?

(I tried watching it once but didn't make it through the first episode)

Cora is nice but check it goes with your surname well. For example, if your surname was Harley, her name would be Cora Harley (Cor! A Harley). Basically, it wouldn't work if your surname is also the name of a "thing".

Love Laura. The kick-ass character in Sleeping with the Enemy" was called Laura.

Plus you can sing the Scissor Sisters to her!

Cora

Laura would be my pick.

Find Laura dated and Cora is the name of this sodding VTech singing bear my daughter has! It is quite pretty though.

I like Elisabeth-and all she would have to say is 'Elizabeth with an S'- also I believe if you use a diminutive of your choice from the outset people will go with it. It would be so rude to start calling her 'Lizzy' or 'Beth' if her parents never have. She may choose to go by one of them as she gets older, but if she's always been called Elsa then imo she will see herself as an Elsa or an Elisabeth.

Beware of the rhyme:
Elsie Marley's grown so fine
She don't get up to feed the swine
But lies in bed til eight or nine
Lazy Elsie Marley!

Downton has now finished - Cora was the mum of the family and she was generally a nice character yes!

I love Elisabeth (with an S). Was on my list had DC1 been a girl.

Elisabeth is lovely it gives you the Nn options of your choice and it's a little different but still retains the recognisable charm, Cora is OK but I prefer Cordelia as long form to give more options. I'm a Laura and yes I was born in the 80's the problem I had with my name was it was a bit boring and there was quite a few in the class with the same name, I doubt your daughter would have those issues as it's seldom heard now, she wouldn't find it boring as she won't be in a class with 3 other's, it's literally which I've grown to love so there are many a book your daughter can enjoy. There are some longer forms of Laura you may be interested in :
Laurentia
Loretta
Lauren
Laural
Lorena
Good luck with the name choosing

In order:
Elisabeth
Laura
Cora

I really like Elsie, but the beauty of Elisabeth is that there are so many options for her to choose.

Laura Elizabeth is lovely.
Laura is underused, I don't know of any, under thirty.
Elizabeth is a nice name, and a nice middle name.
Cora, sorry not keen.

I love Elizabeth but only with the Z spelling. Poor child will be correcting the spelling her whole life otherwise.
Second choice is Cora.. It's lovely

I don't really get the 'poor child' comments with regard to spellings...most names you spell out anyway e.g Amy/Aimee/Katie/Katy...it's hardly something that will damage the child. I have a relatively common name and still spell it out just in case. Never bothered me once.

I have a common name but I have a letter missing from the usual spelling, think Tracy/Tracey, it drove me mad as a kid because yes it wasn't a big deal but it was my name and I didn't want everyone sorting it wrong.

Now it still annoys me at times and despite filling in forms etc my driving licence, my work contract and even cards from my Gran have the wrong spelling but I'm told it doesn't matter.

Major bug of mine though from experience I admit!

Cora or Cara, I think the others are too popular/dull.

None of the diminutives of Elizabeth are that nice - Liz, Lizzie, Liza. Beth's ok but neither of my two friends called Elizabeth ever got called that.