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Baby names

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

Original poster

Henrietta, Matilda, Charlotte, or Other?

56 replies

cttontail · 12/04/2018 12:30

Second child. First DD Emily. I had a dalliance with Anastasia for her during pregnancy, but ended up going for my long term favourite name. Don't really have another established favourite if it's another girl. Is Henrietta the equivalent of Anastasia (am I mad)? They all have quite masculine shortenings/derivatives, but with options for more feminine ones, which I like. Only shorten Emily to Em occasionally at the moment, which I wouldn't have envisioned.

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Smoliver · 12/04/2018 22:16

I love Henrietta. I knew one from my school days and always thought it was a gorgeous name on her. People would call her Hetty or Hen (sounds silly but it did suit her!) Another nickname I like with Henrietta is Etta. I think Emily with either Hetty or Etta would sound cute together.

Whodoeswhatwhennow · 12/04/2018 22:21

My DD is a Henrietta, Hetty for short and it really suits her. Still my favourite pick for her. Smile

redmini4 · 12/04/2018 22:58

I do think Charlotte goes better with Emily than the others. The Bronte theme is brilliant even if it is unintentional!

Beeziekn33ze · 12/04/2018 23:00

Matilda or Harriet

Susurin · 12/04/2018 23:04

I like Charlotte, Anastasia is nice too.

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 12/04/2018 23:10

Henrietta is awful. I'd go as far as to say it's the most hideous girls name there is.
Charlotte is okay.
Love Matilda but only in its entirety. It's one of those names I wouldn't want shortnend
Anastasia See Matilda.
Other ideas to go with Emily.
Rosalie
Catherine
Victoria
Bridget
Claudia
Teresa
Martha
Isabella
Olivia
Dorothy
Maude
Mabel
Violet
Sarah
Abigail
Madeleine.
Maria
Cora
Caroline
Alexandra

GrooovyLass · 12/04/2018 23:11

"Other" is a very bold choice for a girl. I feel your alternatives are much more traditional.

Buntysoven · 12/04/2018 23:19

Henrietta always makes me think of my uncle telling me it was Jasper Carrot's daughter's name as in Henry ate a carrot. He laughed a lot. We didn't.

Taffeta · 12/04/2018 23:20

I like Other

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 12/04/2018 23:24

Henrietta Carrott. Sorry butGrin

WhereIsBlueRabbit · 12/04/2018 23:26

I love Henrietta but I think pps are right - it doesn't "go" with Emily. Charlotte and Matilda fit much better.

Hazandduck · 12/04/2018 23:28

Both myself and DD’s nicknames have appeared here several times (Harriet and Matilda). Of the two I think Harriet goes best with Emily. Have you considered Alice? I think Alice and Emily go nicely together. Also love the Bronte sister suggestion with Charlotte or Anne!

Hazandduck · 12/04/2018 23:40

Not nicknames just names!

flumpybear · 12/04/2018 23:50

Genevieve?

NotWeavingButDarning · 12/04/2018 23:52

I really really like Matilda (and Tilda and Tilly).

Charlotte I think is slightly dull and overused and Henrietta a little stodgy? Prefer Harriet.

Whodoeswhatwhennow · 13/04/2018 07:54

The most hideous girls name there is?!
I had no idea people could get so het up about kids names....

scrivette · 13/04/2018 08:09

I really like Henrietta, I know one and she is called by her full time.
Charlotte is so popular but goes well with Emily. Agree with PP about Harriet being similar but seems to go better with Emily (although after a while any chosen name with 'go' with Emily as you say them so often!)

pipilangstrumpf · 13/04/2018 08:12

I like Henrietta too!

Thebirthdayparty · 13/04/2018 10:45

I like all your names (not helpful).

They are all quite different to Emily though. I think Charlotte and Emily are probably best but of course they may not like the very obvious association when they are older.

BlueChampagne · 13/04/2018 11:41

Juliet?

Hoolahoophop · 13/04/2018 11:46

If you like names with a bit of a masculine feel I love Alberta at the moment with Bertie for a nn

Original poster
cttontail · 13/04/2018 19:57

Grin loving the "Other" appreciation. D'oh.

It seems most people think Charlotte. I just worry sometimes that it's a bit bland. Don't think Bronte sister names would be an issue though?

Matilda seems very trendy at the moment and I'd worry about it sticking out too much as of an era. I had a popular name growing up (1/4 of the girls in my class had the same), but it is a bit more cross generational (albeit uncommon now). Names are more varied now than they were when I was young, so I'm not excessively worried about popularity (as is probably obvious).

Emily wants to call the baby Ettie, which would work for Henrietta. It is a bit longer than Emily though and less sweet and more je ne sais quoi... Probably unlikely anyway. DH not keen.

Anna could be a contender, maybe. I like Mabel too, but pretty sure DH won't. Feel like there should be loads more names I like, but just feeling a bit "meh?" about it all. Took us a while after Emily was born to name her and want to avoid doing that again though.

OP posts:
TheresSomebodyAtTheDoor · 13/04/2018 20:05

I think Ingrid goes well with Emily, and has similar feel to Henrietta (to me, anyway!). Nn could be Inky, which is so cute!

Or what about Roberta (Bobbie)?
I love Henrietta, and Ettie is very sweet!

PinkAvocado · 13/04/2018 20:08

Emily and Matilda are my two favourite girl names. I don’t know any Matildas and it wasn’t top twenty in the stats last year (or previous years) so not very common.

BrieAndChilli · 13/04/2018 20:12

My Matilda says that Matilda is not common at all, she can never find anything with her name on!!
She’s only met another Matilda once when she was about 4 (she’s 9 now!)