Best Amazon Prime Day deals: Mumsnet favourites

Best Amazon Prime Day deals:
Mumsnet favourites

Shop now

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.