Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Morven or Alba?

76 replies

Scottishgirl85 · 15/12/2017 17:49

We're expecting dd2 and looking for a name that is Scottish and unusual but not too tricky to spell or pronounce as we live in England. Dd1 is Eira (Welsh, pr Ay-ra).

So far Morven and Alba are top of the list. Interested in people's opinions, and other suggestions welcome! Thanks!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Awwlookatmybabyspider · 15/12/2017 18:00

Both nice but although I do marginally prefer Alba. I think I'd go with Morven as
Alba and Ayra sound too similar, imo

Lily2007 · 15/12/2017 18:03

Not overly keen on either - alba makes me think of albatross.

I probably have quite different taste but like Lorna and Bonnie.

Though you should choose what you like.

gunsandbanjos · 15/12/2017 18:04

Is Eilidh too difficult? I love that name.

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 15/12/2017 18:06

Eilidh (Ayley) Is gorgeous

glitterbiscuits · 15/12/2017 18:06

Morag? That’s lovely.

Since Eira means snow maybe look for a similar theme?

Doubletrouble42 · 15/12/2017 18:07

Love love love morven, don't like alba. Makes me think of sub standard electrical goods. ( due to a crap stereo I once owned)

gunsandbanjos · 15/12/2017 18:07

Or...
Catriona
Isla
Alana

gunsandbanjos · 15/12/2017 18:08

Also BBC ALBA is the Gaelic channel up here I think!

Shadowboy · 15/12/2017 18:10

A friend has a baby called Morven it’s nice. I love Lorna more though as it sounds softer.

gunsandbanjos · 15/12/2017 18:12

Elspeth is the Scottish version of Elizabeth, it’s beautiful.

OatcakeCravings · 15/12/2017 18:14

Morven, Alba is Gaelic for Scotland, I wouldn't call my child Scotland.

yousignup · 15/12/2017 18:16

Alba also means dawn, and it's quite common in some countries. Never met a Morven though!

MrsPringles · 15/12/2017 18:16

Alba. Absolutely Alba.

It’s my fictional daughters name and I love it!

LadyPug · 15/12/2017 18:16

I adore Morven and put it on our list but as we have no Scottish connections took it off again :-( please use it on my behalf!!!

strawberryblondebint · 15/12/2017 18:18

I like Mirren. Easy to spell and only ever met 2 here in Scotland or Alisa

mirren3 · 15/12/2017 18:21

Morven is beautiful, how would you pronounce Alba though? In Scotland it is not pronounced as it reads, as in Al-ba.

IVflytrap · 15/12/2017 18:24

I really like Morven. Alba is nice too, but maybe a little too similar to Eira. Eilidh is also beautiful, but definitely too similar to Eira, unfortunately.

Mirren
Marsaili
Elspeth
Annis
Iona
Sorcha
Siofra

AethelflaedsWhiteGoose · 15/12/2017 18:26

Alba means dawn in Spanish. I know two little girls with this name, both living in the Netherlands. I prefer it to Morven.

ChocolateCrunch · 15/12/2017 18:28

I like both and I know a 4 year old Alba. I think Morven sounds better with Eira though. Do you like Flora, Innes, Lorna or Shona?

eastlondoner · 15/12/2017 18:29

As a non Scottish person I'd assume Morven was a boy's name.

teaandakitkat · 15/12/2017 18:33

Alba has too many associations with Scottish independence for me, I would think it was a bit of a political statement. But if you're not in Scotland maybe that's not a problem.
And it sounds a bit like your older daughters name.
And I had an Alba tv back in the day.

Morven is lovely, I don't know anyone called Morven.

genever · 15/12/2017 18:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TheGirlOnTheLanding · 15/12/2017 18:36

Morven for me, partly because of the stereos and Gaelic tv channel. I know a few, some in their 40s and two in their teens. Eira is beautiful but with Alba it might be mistaken for Eire! (Scotland and Ireland).

I also love Morna and Mirren/Muirne.

Deux · 15/12/2017 18:41

Just an aside if you don't know, Morven is a mountain in Caithness. It's very picturesque and you can see it from many miles away.

Madbengalmum · 15/12/2017 18:42

Love Alba, dislike Morven,sounds harsh to me.

Swipe left for the next trending thread