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Original poster

How do you like these baby names? No hate, please

148 replies

Woollymammothz · 30/09/2018 12:43

Expecting a baby girl due early November. I'm a writer so unfortunately picking baby names isn't as wonderful as it used to be. I've gone through almost every name in my years of writing so they've all become bland and I've taken an interest to unusual and sort of "fantasy" names. Older siblings are called:

DD, aged 9: Callisto - no teasing has happened yet and while I've received raised eyebrows from other parents, I've also received compliments. Sometimes goes by Callie, though and she has a lovely modern middle name if she wishes to go by that in the future.

DD, aged 6: Posy - no teasing happened, mostly goes by Po at home and by family members. Also has a modern middle name if she wishes to choose a more "mature" route.

DS, aged 2: Benaiah - more "normal" than his sister's names but he mostly goes by his full name rather than Ben or Benny. Has a classic middle name from a family member but also Ben is suitable if he dislikes his full name in the future.

All names were made up once - Wendy was made up by J.M. Barrie! I'm sure Olivia was also created by Shakespeare. I'm not asking for made up names but all names were made up at some point and they've gradually become accepted so I'm not looking for any backlash.

I went to school with a Jack, Eve, Peter and Ellie. They all got teased relentlessly.

The names I've taken a like to are:

Emerald - not too unusual and I love it. Could definitely go by Em or even Emma by friends (I'll stick to the full name Smile )

Canary - believe it or not my great aunt's name was Canary. I'm sure I'll definitely receive quite some hate for this but I realise I am naming an adult so it'll either be middle name or a name for a story character.

Arrietta - just love it. I love the nn Etta too but Ari is also a popular option.

Mary - surprisingly in the midst of those unusual names I like Mary. Inspired by The Secret Garden. When I hear it it doesn't sound dated to me but I realise it may to you all. Love it nonetheless.

Which ones do you like best and why? Also open to suggestions for similar names.

No outright rudeness, please!

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YeOldeTrout · 30/09/2018 17:22

Does Benaiah get called Banana?

RibbonAurora · 30/09/2018 17:36

Arietta and Mary are both lovely. Emerald I wouldn't choose myself but it's pretty and probably wouldn't raise eyebrows as she goes through life.

Canary - yeah, unless you're a Karjenner, that'd probably earn you a spot on some internet shitlist of parents in the category of 'painfully pretentious and cruel baby names'. Also, if you were my mum, I'd nc and go nc with you as soon as I were old enough.

TatianaLarina · 30/09/2018 18:03

Romilly and Aurora sound nice with your other children’s names.

Love Callisto and Posy, not keen on any of your current suggestions.

GreatDuckCookery6211 · 30/09/2018 18:12

Arrietta is nice although I agree it sounds like the aitch has been dropped.

Canary is absolutely ridiculous.

Quite like Emerald.

Mary is boring.

Original poster
Woollymammothz · 30/09/2018 18:20

crunchtime I guess that would sound like that with Marietta, Henrietta, Harrietta, Julietta and any name ending in etta. I never noticed that at first so hopefully no one else does - it's not such a big deal if they do anyway.

yeolde Haha, no he doesn't Smile

"Tatiana" I love Romilly but I've always seen it as a boy's name but unfortunately we're not having anymore children. I knew a little girl called Aurora once, went by Rory, and she was a cheeky thing so she put me off the name.

OP posts:
Haffdonga · 30/09/2018 18:41

I really like Arietta Etta and it fits with your other dcs names much better the other name.

Mary is lovely and classic but you've gone for unusual with your other dcs. It would sound like you'd run out of ideas next to their names.

Emerald sounds a bit Z list celebrity. Along the lines of Diamond, Star, Princess, Heavenly Hiraani Tiger Lily et al. Again, it doesn't fit the other names.

Canary. What would she be in the playground? Canny? Nary? You're right to leave that for a book character.

Sugarpiehoneyeye · 30/09/2018 18:41

Callisto, Posy, Benaiah and Mary.

TatianaLarina · 30/09/2018 18:45

Never heard of a male Romilly. Know a couple of female.

Yellowsunredroses · 30/09/2018 18:45

Esmeralda Mary (Essie or Emmie as nn)
Emelda Mary

Dear god I hope you are joking about canary

crunchtime · 30/09/2018 19:11

uess that would sound like that with Marietta, Henrietta, Harrietta, Julietta and any name ending in etta.

well no-because they all begin with a consonant

Sungura · 30/09/2018 19:18

Arrietta is so nice. Lovely name.

LydiaLunch7 · 30/09/2018 19:21

I've never ever heard of Castillo or Benaiah, and Posy is extremely uncommon. So putting "Mary", one of the most bland and overused names in existence, with those three would be strange, to say the least!!

I like Arietta and Emerald. Etta is an awesome nickname so I'd go with that. Actually I'd just call her Etta.

AvoidingMarking · 30/09/2018 19:56

A girl I know has just had an Etta-May. I wasn't sure at first but I think it's really pretty actually

Original poster
Woollymammothz · 30/09/2018 20:13

crunchtime

Sorry, I don't see how that sounds any different to Arietta.

Marietta - "mary ate her"
Julietta - "julie ate her" and so on.

OP posts:
PunkrockerGirl59 · 30/09/2018 20:33

I'm struggling here. Benaiah is more 'normal' than his sister's (sic) names? Confused
Nah, I'm calling this a wind up.

Helpmemyhairisterrible · 30/09/2018 20:36

Have Alba from me.

Pemba · 30/09/2018 20:40

I like them all except Canary. Mary is a good classic name, and overdue a revival. I like it.

tamzinro · 30/09/2018 20:57

I love Emerald !! I think Mary has also got the potential to be a classical name that turns popular like so many classical names have become .

Original poster
Woollymammothz · 30/09/2018 21:28

punk

May just be where I am as I have met a lovely little boy named Benaiah in the early 2000s and then a elderly neighbour with the same name. Never met a Callisto or Posy before so I assumed Benaiah was a known full name to Ben. Please don't call this a wind up because my pregnancy is very real and so are my children and their names.

OP posts:
PawneeParksDept · 30/09/2018 21:31

I'd draw the line at Canary but Emerald and Arrietta work for me for a quirky name family.

Emmy and Etta perfectly acceptable diminutives of both

PawneeParksDept · 30/09/2018 21:33

Arietta Mary 👍

RavenWings · 30/09/2018 21:36

Arietta or Mary, hands down. I prefer Mary to Arietta but it'll probably sound odd next to the other choices.
I want to like Emerald, but I don't think I'd like to actually be named that so it's a no.
Canary is mad.

motortroll · 30/09/2018 21:42

I like emerald actually it's quirky but not ridiculous, I've known a Crystal and a Sapphire in the past and there's plenty of Rubys so why not?

Having said that I prefer Arietta I also like Ariella and arianna but I would prob go for Ariadne like in the borrowers because I love those books lol

DaniC18 · 30/09/2018 22:02

I really like Arrietta. It's cool and unusual while still sounding pretty x

PunkrockerGirl59 · 30/09/2018 22:05

Your pregnancy is real and of course I wish you well.
Your choice of names for your dc however are a completely and utterly batshit and lay them wide open to being teased at best, bullied at worst. Wouldn't wish that on a child of mine just because I wanted an out there ridiculous name.
Your choice, I still call bullshit.