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Baby names

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

Original poster

Malin for a girl?

91 replies

Sessy19 · 30/05/2018 16:08

Is this a bit ‘out there’ or too different? (I don’t know any youngsters with the name)

I’m half Danish, so the scandi link means it’s not completely odd, and I’ve always been a fan or the name. But I’d like honest opinions...

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Flexoset · 30/05/2018 16:41

Roseandrose GrinGrinGrin

Clarabumps · 30/05/2018 16:43

A woman at my gym has a daughter called Mallin and I really like it. The wee girl looks Scandinavian so I think that helps. I love it.

TroubledLichen · 30/05/2018 16:47

Even if it is also a name in Sweden that doesn’t stop it from also being a word with a nasty (pardon the pun) meaning in France. It may not bother you, go ahead and use it if you like! But you can’t claim it’s not French as it is very much a word in the French language.

Original poster
Sessy19 · 30/05/2018 16:58

Sorry billybigballs123, I don’t understand what you mean. Thank you for your comment. It doesn’t mean ‘evil’ any more than the name Damien or Seth, which are both very popular names.

Your perspective comes from a fairly narrow view, but I understand. Bless you. It’s not necessary for you to resort to profanities, but I’m touched that you are passionate about how I name my child. Perhaps we could meet when she’s born and you could call me what you like to my face...? No? Toddle off then Smile

OP posts:
HollyBollyBooBoo · 30/05/2018 17:03

Don't love it if I'm honest. My first thought was it sounds like a fish.

MrsSchadenfreude · 30/05/2018 17:05

It means malignant, in French, I think. Also very close to the Polish word for raspberry.

AuntieStella · 30/05/2018 17:09

"Perhaps we could meet when she’s born and you could call me what you like to my face...? No? Toddle off then"

I think you misunderstand the value of MN baby names threads. It's where you'll get people's real opinions, not what politeness demands they say or do in RL.

I would manage to greet you and your daughter in such a way that you'd never know that I was wondering why you chose a shipping area.

MyOtherProfile · 30/05/2018 17:11

Clearly a lot of people associate it with malin in French, I guess because so many people here do speak at least a bit of french. If it was a positive or at least neutral connotation I would ignore it but it is so negative (mean, evil, nasty) that for me that would be a no.

Original poster
Sessy19 · 30/05/2018 17:15

I think calling me a bitch goes beyond ‘honest opinion’ and into the realms of unnecessary rudeness. If you don’t like the name, it’s fine, I asked for opinions...not narrow minded cruelty-asking about names is often the business of pregnant and hormonal women, do a little common decency would save the reputation of this reviled site.

OP posts:
Original poster
Sessy19 · 30/05/2018 17:17

Thank you to those with a little decorum and class who managed to withhold themselves from completely embarrassing themselves.

OP posts:
ShmooBooMoo · 30/05/2018 17:18

I like it a lot. What do you think of Merle? I've always like that too (I think it translates as blackbird in French which is quite nice).

PlumptiousBeauties · 30/05/2018 17:20

My family are Finnish, so I wouldn't think to associate Malin with the negative French connotation - I know a lot of Swedish-speaking Finns with that name. I like it.

RavenWings · 30/05/2018 17:47

The most northerly part of Ireland. I wouldn't use it because I live here and all the possible Malin Head jokes make it ridiculous.

bridgetreilly · 30/05/2018 17:51

I would pronounce it with a short 'a' and assumed she was named after the shipping forecast.

ScreamingValenta · 30/05/2018 17:53

Shipping forecast name - which is no bad thing!

RavenWings · 30/05/2018 17:54

I'm not against it as a name though, just wouldn't fly here.

FreeHeftyHughAndLankyLen · 30/05/2018 17:57

Love it. Isn’t there an actress with the name Malin? It’s pretty.

BikeRunSki · 30/05/2018 18:01

I only know 1, a 5 year old boy, named after the shopping area, where his father was taught to sail, by his father.

But it still makes me think of the Malin (May Lynne) Bridge part of Sheffield.

applesandpears56 · 30/05/2018 18:04

I don’t like it sorry
I thought duck/fish
Can you have Malina

Harebellmeadow · 30/05/2018 18:05

I would pronounce it ‘morlin’. I know two and they pronounce it this way.

KirstenRaymonde · 30/05/2018 18:06

I know a Mailis (Dutch) would that work instead?

BB2018 · 30/05/2018 18:24

I’m depressingly not bilingual, so no negative connotations. I think it’s pretty, and unusual, and just thought of the actress Malin Ackerman Smile

daisypond · 30/05/2018 19:02

It's fine. I think it's really nice. I knew immediately it was a Scandi name, so I didn't make any connection with the French meaning - and I'm a French speaker.

DuchyDuke · 30/05/2018 19:05

There’s an Indian version - Malini, which I quite like.

TheBlackMadonna · 30/05/2018 19:42

Not neard it before but its lovely. Being unfamilar with it if i saw it written down i would have thought it was pronounced to rhyme with Tallin.

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