Classic or dull?

[Notrobusta]

Have started to come up with a short list for girls and boys names and could do with some unbiased thoughts. Would like a classic name but don’t something that is considered a bit dull.

Girls

Elizabeth
Jennifer
Sophie
Alexandra

Boys

Joseph
Evan
Alexander
Benjamin
Matthew

Any other suggestions along these lines would be fab.

Not fond of Evan but LOVE the rest

I really don't like Elizabeth or Matthew. They are both so frumpy. The others names are ok.

That's a lovely list. You can't go far wrong with any of them.

The only thing I'd say is that Evan isn't a classic. Nice name, though.

Sorry if you’ve already discounted some of these:-

Dorian
Alexander
Mark
James
Jonathon
Michael
Alister
George
Harry
Henry
John
William
Adam
Bert
Christian
Christopher
David
Daniel
Edward
Theodore
Fredrick
Francis
Gareth
Gethin
Geraint
Hector
Horacio
Ian
Iestyn
Ioan
Jeffery
Kenneth
Kristofer
Kristof
Liam
Lewis
Louis
Leighton
Clayton
Leon
Matthew
Nathan
Norbut
Oliver
Peter
Quinn
Robert
Rhys
Ryan
Richard
Steven
Stefan
Thomas
Trevor
Leigh
Glenn
Rupert
Evan
Lloyd
Howard
Jasper
Alfred
Arthur
Ivor
Craig
Charles
Gregg/ Gregory
Justin
Paul
Benjamin

Catherine/Katherine
Caroline
Alexandra
Alexis
Athena
Arabella
Annabelle
Beatrix
Beatrice
Christina
Celeste
Cleo
Clarabelle
Cadence
Donna
Danielle
Esme
Emmeline
Florence
Clover
Genevieve
Harriet
Henrietta
Harper
Honey
Hettie
Betsy
Imogen
Isobel
Isabella
Justine
Jezebel
Kathryn
Kate
Leanne
Lisa
Liza
Mary
Mavis
Masie
Mabel
Marnie
Molly
Millicent
Natasha
Anastasia
Saskia
Noelle
Nia
Nancy
Nora
Matilda
June
May
Otillie/Ottile
Ophelia
Olivia
Patricia
Poppy
Polly
Penelope
Quinn
Rachel
Rebecca
Renee
Romona
Samantha
Sally
Sarah
Sara
Savannah
Summer
Ava
Talulah
Tianna
Louise
Louisa
Trixie
Willow
Violet
Mair
Amy
Victoria
Via
Iris
Ivy
Gertrude
Daisy
Bella
Dulcie
Jasmine
Jacqueline
Doris
Sheena
Lesley
Megan

Your girls list:
Elizabeth
Jennifer
Sophie
Alexandra
Complementary names:
Jane
Katherine
Lydia
Alice
Charlotte
Anne
Margaret (Meg/Molly)
Mary
Penelope (Penny)
Your boys list:
Joseph
Evan
Alexander
Benjamin
Matthew
Complementary names:
Samuel
Jeremy
James
Edward
Alistair
Dominic
John/Jonathan
Robert
Peter (so underused at the moment)

I love your name style OP.

How about:-

Penelope
Caroline
Anna

and

Rowan (also for a girl)
Peter
Reuben
Isaac

Congratulations!

Well my son is Joseph and would have been Jennifer if a girl so I think their gorgeous names.

2 of my daughters have those names.DH vetoed one. Laura ?

My name is one of your girls names and I have a Matthew. Thinking of Dylan or Christopher for the one due shortly.

Alexandra is beautiful. I know a little Alessandra as well, which I also love and which is a bit more uncommon.

I love the name Joseph but I did once teach four of them in one class!

Elizabeth - beautiful
Jennifer - like
Sophie - a bit meh!
Alexandra - like
Joseph - like
Evan - don't like
Alexander - like
Benjamin - meh
Matthew - meh

They’re all good names. Although I prefer Alexander to Alexandra.

The thing about classic names though, is that by definition they’re going to be names that people are familiar with, which means that some people will consider them dull or safe. Regardless of how popular they actually are right now for babies.

But I don’t see it as a problem if the worst you can say about a name is that some people think it’s a bit dull. There’s far worse things that can be said about baby name choices.

The only one I really don't like is Evan - not mad on Jennifer, but it's OK. I love Sophie - which I actually consider pretty much the perfect name, even though I called my dd something else (we had been considering Sophia and I admit it was partly its popularity that put us off) - and Alexandra. I think Joseph is my favourite from your boys' list.

I think they are classic names that wont make anyone think "ohh dull/weird" they are just " oh ok" type names solid names as your op says.

I do have a weakness for Jennifer its so pretty

I like all those, OP. Classic but not dull.

My "classics" list also had
Imogen, Victoria, Naomi
Hugh/Hugo, Benedict, Alec

Didn't use any of them in the end but not for want of liking