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!

Cora makes me think of apple cores

Laura feels very 80s

I like Elisabeth best. A classic name and so many lovely diminutives (ad I think your choice of Elsie is very sweet)

Laura

Cora is my favourite but I agree it's making a comeback and so in the future will be a 'Laura' name and 'dated'. Whereas ironically because Laura has had its popularity surge, it would now be fairly individual and timeless to use it. So if you like Laura don't let the '80s comments put you off - we feel that way because we lived through the popularity surge but for the next generation it will be an unusual and lovely name

I've never got the mumsnet obsession with Cora...it sounds really harsh to my ears...

Of your 3, I would go with Elizabeth (personally like it spelt that way)...

My nan was Kathleen and Cora for short. I like it but so think it is a very now name.

I like Laura best, sounds nice to say.

I think Laura is a lovely name, I do know about 100 but that's because I grew up in Scotland. It's fairly classic without going down the Lavinia/Lucinda route. I also like Lara, ( not for the Lara Croft/Zhivago connotations) but the Ovid/Fausti ones - it goes all the way back to the Lares.

Livia is Laura actually a Scottish name as such? Or just particularly popular there?

Hi nodogsinthebathroom,

I don't think it is but it's the sort of female John Smith there, I still think its a lovely name.

Don't like Cora, it reminds me of apple cores and other associations which aren't particularly attractive.

Laura is nice though, so is Elisabeth. You might get people saying Laura is too 80s now though, so perhaps Elisabeth is your best bet.

What about Corrine?

I like Elisabeth but would spell it Elizabeth. I also like Elsa and Elsie, they are names in their own right, not abbreviations of Elisabeth so this could be confusing. Not keen on Cora and Laura is dated.

I want Laura when we have a girl, after my sister. However I think its quite dated so we settled on Elaura which is a variation of Elora. Nickname would be Elle/Ella. Sorry I know thats not much help but think it's a bit more of a modern twist if you were unsure on Laura! xxx

I like Elsa or Elsie just on their own.

Cora or Lara, Laura is dated.

Elisabeth is a bit clumsy and will be miss spelt.

Elsa and Elsie also good choices on their own.

Coralie perhaps?

Cora

I like Elisabeth, but spelt Elizabeth. Elisabeth just seems like it's spelt wrong IMO. You could still use the nicknames but with the z spelling.

What about Lauren?

Elisabeth

Elisabeth then Laura
Cora is awful, I think of the old bag in Eastenders

Which do u guys prefer out of Malakhi and Malakhi-Ray? And why?

Cora

I like Elizabeth in its entirety, with no silly nn or alternative spelling.
Cora sounds like a kitchen utensil (love Cara), Laura rather dated and dull (love Lara).

No Elizabeth I know has ever been called Elizabeth in its entirety as its just too long.

I quite like all of them. Cora is always associated with Last Of The Mohicans for me, as the author of it invented the name - though that is not a bad association at all. Prefer Elizabeth to Elisabeth. I really like Laura, and I don't think it's dated. I think of Laura of Little House on the Prairie fame - so its associations are Victorian for me, but without being too frilly. It's probably my favourite.

Cora