Judge my shortlist? :-S

[astridx]

I've had very mixed responses on the following names so just looking for more general opinions be completely honest, I can accept criticism on them!!!

Boys
Clay
Elvis
Laurence
Monty
Stefan

Girls
Blair
Cheska
Darby
Elva
Koa

I love Lawrence but only in its entirety.
Also love Darby.
The others Monty especially are dire.
Hope I've not upset you, but You did encourage us to be hones.

Oh and Elvis I'm sorry but Theres only one. I think that would be very very hard to live up to abs I do honestly believe people would be singing Elvis songs to him constantly.

I like Monty out of all your boys names.
Then Cheska and Darby..

I like Clay, I had Clayne on my shortlist for a boy.

All of the boys names sound pretentious except for Laurence which is nice and Elvis but I just think of Elvis the singer or a chihuahua.
Blair is ok, Cheska is pretentious, Darby makes me think of the place Derby, Elva and Koa seem made up. Sorry OP. I’m a fan of more traditional and top 100 names though. Use what you love I’m sure it’ll suit your baby.

Clay and Lawrence on your boys list. Dont like any of the others.
Not keen on any of the girls names tbh.

Elvis would be a definite no-no from me.

Your girls' names are not my style at all.

I don't mind Lawrence but am not keen on the rest on the boys' list.

Elvis you just can't do.

Boys
Clay: dislike this, American porn star.
Elvis : please don’t!!!
Laurence: not my favourite but it’s ok.
Monty: cute for a baby/toddler does it work for an adult?
Stefan: love this, clear favourite for me.

Girls
Blair: no, no, no!!
Cheska: it’s a nickname for Francesca surely? Which is nice.
Darby.....and Joan??? Nope!
Elva: despite it being an Elvis rip off I actually like it. She’d and up being another Ellie though, can you handle that?
Koa: not a name just a collection of letters!!

So Stefan and Elva.

Elva is not made up or an Elvis ripoff ffs. It's Irish. Gorgeous name OP.

My fave girls name from the list would be Blair or Elva, but I do like Cheska. Top boys choice is Laurence, possibly Stefan.

Elvis is too King of Rock n Roll, Monty is a dog name, Clay I just don't like (can't separate it from...well...soil). Darby sounds like one of those names people with notions put on their houses.

Laurence - lovely
Stefan - OK
Elva - nice
Cheska - assuming that is not the authentic spelling

The rest - dreadful, sorry.

Boys
Clay - no
Elvis - No. It's too much to live up to.
Laurence - really lovely. Laurie is a nice nn.
Monty - posh drunk old man
Stefan -nice

Blair - Tony
Cheska - Call her Francesca (lovely name) and shorten it
Darby - Just think Derby, which isn't the most glamourous association
Elva - No
Koa - No.

I only like Laurence and Stefan

Laurence and Stefan are nice. I don't like any of the rest at all I'm afraid.

Boys
Clay - don't like this. Just think of the material when I hear it.
Elvis - don't like it at all. It's tied to Elvis Presley and nobody else imo
Laurence - Quite like it.
Monty - Love it. Especially as a short for Montgomery
Stefan - Not keen.

Girls
Blair - Like it. Makes me think Gossip Girl though. Very American.
Cheska - As a standalone, I'm unconvinced. Nice nn for Francesca.
Darby - Like it though it seems American again.
Elva - Never heard this but quite like it.
Koa - Never heard this and not keen.

I only like Laurence from your list, which is a lovely classic that you so rarely hear! Cheska if short for Francesca isn’t terrible although I don’t especially like it. As for the rest of your names I can’t think of anything polite to say about them so I’ll leave it there.

Girls - Elva

Boys - Monty/Montague and Laurie/Laurence

I like Stefan and know a lovely one, but wouldn't use it personally. Absolutely none of the others, sorry.

ok just giving you my honest feedback

Boys
Clay - its ok
Elvis - nope, he'll be teased his entire life
Laurence - love this
Monty - nope, unless you want endless Life of Brian taunts
Stefan - this is nice

Girls
Blair - personally I don't like it, too trendy
Cheska - as long as it is Francesca, then lovely - but alone, no as it sounds too much like a nickname
Darby - no, if you are going to do Derby, as least get the right spelling, but again, its just too much like a nickname
Elva - sorry, sounds like "vulva" - maybe Eva, or Elna, or Irma, or Cora
Koa - nope, sounds like a type of fish

Boys - Laurence and Stefan

Girls - agree with the poster who said Cheeks as a nn for Francesca. Blair is nice. Also never heard of Koa and this is the one I strongly dislike... Not sure why. Where is the name from?

That was meant to say Cheska not Cheeks.

Oh yes, almost forgot, Monty isn't a bad name but it's best suited to cats and other pets.

Laurence is OK but none of the others for boys. Hate all the girls' names you've chosen. Why not choose an ordinary name which your child will not object to in later life? Don't try to be trendy.

Clay Ergh, no, clay is stuff you dig out of the ground, or a middle aged American blue collar worker.
Elvis - Lol There are only two Elvises, Presley and Costello
Laurence This is OK
Monty Lol again. Cartoon mouse, cuddly toy, fat Uncle Monty from 'Withnail and I'
Stefan Yes! Quite like this

Blair Yuck, Tony Blair, etc. It's a surname and sounds like 'blurgh'
Cheska This would be fine, as short for Francesca which is lovely
Darby ? Really ? Darby and Joan is an old song or something about a devoted pair of pensioners, Darby being the male of course. Or how about Nottingham, or maybe Scunthorpe?
Elva Unsure how I feel about this, OK I suppose, never heard of it. Hope you didn't just choose is as a female form of Elvis.
Koa - sounds like an exotic bird native to Polynesia or something.

I feel you should have another think, OP.

Boys
Clay - quite American but alright
Elvis - half of me thinks definitely no but the other half thinks a super cool kid could pull it off. But imagine your child grows up to be quite quiet, shy, etc. A name like Elvis would probably be a curse.
Laurence - I really don't like this
Monty - cute!
Stefan - a little boring but nice enough

Girls
Blair - I think this is really cool!
Cheska - don't like it
Darby - I dont think I like this but I quite like Darcy
Elva - sounds like vulva
Koa - this is quite cool

Love Monty, not keen on the other boys names. Haven’t heard of Elva before but really like it - has a lovely soft feel to it.

Laurence and Elva are nice. Not keen on the others sorry.

Koa? Is that made up?

Boys
Clay- not my style
Elvis- knew one when I was younger. It took a bit of getting used to, as it isn't common outside of the Elvis, but he suited it.
Laurence- I love Laurence, and also Laurie for a nn.
Monty- not so keen on this one
Stefan- like this, and much prefer the sound to Steven

Girls
Blair- not my style
Cheska- would assume spelt Cesca and short for Francesca if I heard it out and about.
Darby- makes me think of Derby, which might cause spelling problems?
Elva- not too keen, but reminds me of Elke which I really like
Koa- I'd think a Koa would be a boy before I met her, and maybe Hawaian.