Ellen or Esther?

[BB2018]

Just that...
Middle name would be Florence.

Thanks Matilda - your response is so helpful, really made me think!

(I have one of those names where I could never buy tat with my name on too! Never troubled me too much as far as I can remember...!)

LeeMiller love the nn Nell!

Esther. I know a lovely teenage one. Nice, simple biblical name, so a lot of provenance behind it.

I really don't want to put you off the name - I still love it .

You could, of course, go for the apparently boring Ruth option. That's a name that I really loved, but DH vetoed.

Esther is great. Ellen is bland. Celeste is Esthers sexier more sophisticated cousin.

Oh, you haven’t put me off, Matilda - it’s just good to hear the ‘outside of MN’ perspective!

Mountains - sexy not my top criterion really!

I love Esther x

I know an Esther who goes by Esti.

I agree that Ellen is a bit boring, but Esther imo has a horrible hissy sound to it. I'd go for Ellen.

Esther is fabulous.

I like both but would choose Esther. I prefer Helen to Ellen.

I have an Ellen but she goes by Nellie which I love. Both names are lovely.

Ellen is lovely.

Esther. And Esther Florence is utterly wonderful.

Like Helen too, Mike - and Helena - but clashes with our H surname...

I quite like alliterative names.

There's nothing wrong with Ellen, but it does get lost in a noise of Helen/Ella/Eleanor/Ellie names to me. There's nothing definite about it somehow. That said, I love Nell/Nel as a nn.

I really like Esther, I don't think Esther Ransom (sp?) is a terrible connotation if that's the main one? It was on our list but I felt like it was gaining in popularity which put me off.

I can't remember that I've ever met an Ellen, and the more I say it over in my mind the more I like it. I think it's a name which would age with your dd.

I hope Celeste isn't seen as a particularly sexual name as it's on our list for dc2 and that's not the vibe I'm aiming to achieve!

LastNights - totally agree with you on all points! Esther Rantzen seems a pretty good role model to me, and I think Ellen is a name that works for all ages. I’ve never met one either. And I think you’re safe with Celeste as not a ‘sexual’name! It’s pretty, and again, will age well.

If it helps, as a PP said, Esther is popular on Mumsnet, but in real life not so ubiquitous - only 375 babies named Esther is 2016 and it’s been that way for years - it’s not on an upward swing. Never in the top 100.

I think the name Esther (Dame Rantzen aside) has a gentleness about it, and it's though to mean Star. I know 2 adult Esthers.

@BB2018 that's a good point actually. In utero dc I'm pretty convinced is a boy but if bump does turn out to be another dd I have a name I've fallen in love with (and OH agrees) - I won't mention here as the two times I have people have then put it on their lists... and it's mine!!! 😂😂😂

I'm really struggling with boys names though. I find girls names so much easier.

Lastnight Weirdly I found girls names much harder (there seems to be more choice, I think that’s why).

We decided on a boys name quite easily (don’t know if baby is a boy or girl). There are several I like and could imagine us having, whereas I like lots of girls names but can’t imagine them belonging to us, if that makes sense!

Esther

I have an irrational dislike for the name Ellen as spelled. I prefer Elin which is a slightly different name afaik.

I prefer Elin over Esther, but if your choice is Ellen or Esther then Esther.

I think Esther Florence flows far better.

I like lots of girls names but can’t imagine them belonging to us, if that makes sense!
I think I know how you feel. I chose family names I liked for that reason (big family, lots of names). There is something about girls' names that ties in with your sense of who you are, perhaps.

I loathe Esther Rantzen so on that basis I can't endorse your choice of name, but it's obviously your decision