Margaret, Morag or Jean?

[soundsystem]

Margaret would get shorted to Margot, Greta or Peggy, depending on which best suited her.

Morag would just be Morag. (Though DD1 has suggested she might call her Morag the Toerag)

Jean might become Jeannie.

Give me your thoughts, please!

Morag is horrible, it's really harsh. Peggy is also pretty terrible, it makes me think of a certain type of American woman, like Peggy Bundy from Married With Children. I hate cutesy girly-girl names but those are too far in the other direction imo.

When I grew up in the 80s in Scotland, Jean was an old name , even then! I knew a few Morags and they all hated their name. Knew a few Maggies , which was the normal way to shorten Margaret then. I think Mrs T may have reduced the popularity of that!

They are very Scottish names and I don't think they would be said very lyrically south of the Border.

Jeannie is lovely.

They’re all awful. I’d pluck for Jean if someone had a gun to my head. They just all sound like mean old ladies.

They’re not lovely names.
Not even old lady chic. More like someone’s miserable old Aunty.

I’d rethink. Or use one of the slightly nicer diminutives - Margot is better and a name in its own right. Maggie or Meg have a much nicer sound.

Morag is horrible. But if you live in Scotland you might get away with it.

Jean... isn’t nice. Jeannie better. Jennie? Jeanine? Jeanette? Jane? Janie?

I can't believe someone has just ripped in to all the op's (great) choices and then suggested fucking Jeanette and Jeannine as alternatives 😂😂😂.

No offence to anyone called Jeanette or Jeannine. Personal taste and all that.

I agree with the pp who said it's refreshing to hear strong names for girls instead of all the frilly ones I hear so often. It seems as if only boys get to have cool, strong names, whiles girls have to be the equivalent of a Mr Kipling fondant fancy - sickly sweet and covered in frilly icing. Just my PoV.

Greta for me. I really like that.

The PPs saying they're old lady names - apart from a few classics, names are cyclical. In a few years Lily, Ellie, Mia, et al will be dated and unfashionable.

FWIW, the most hipster couple I know in East London have a Jean 😁

I’m sorry but I really don’t like any, although it isn’t my decision but if I had to choose out of all of them, jean, they just seem very dated to me but it’s personal preference

YoungBritishPissArtist we are in East London... So we may find there are a few Jeans by the time she goes to school!

Haven't heard of any Morags around these parts yet...

I really dislike Morag. Hard sounding and too near Hag.
I dont like Jean either but do like Jane.
Margaret is nice.

Jean I love, I want it as a future DDs middle name.

I went to school with Morag. Teased as Morag the Bore Hag

I’m in east London and have a jean!
I thought we were the only ones

Morag....the cow from Fully Booked
Morag....the witch from The Ewoks

My sister is Morag and my Granny used to call her Molly for short.

The other two names were my Granny's and my aunt's.

I do see the association with older generation names but I think that this also used to be the case with names like Olivia and Alice and they are very popular now.

In order I would pick Morag first, then Margaret, then Jean.

I do agree that Morag would be more unusual in England.

can't believe someone has just ripped in to all the op's (great) choices and then suggested fucking Jeanette and Jeannine as alternatives confused😂😂😂.

I agree, they’re not lovely names either! They certainly weren’t on my list! I was just trying to work with the names the op has given, and imo they’re an improvement 😂

There was a Morag in my home town and not only was she one of the 'cool' kids, she was always called the prettiest girl in town. She was really pretty. I'd far rather that way round than being a great hulking tomboy, like I was, called Amelia-lily-bella-rose-mae or something.

This was Ireland in the 90s fwiw.

Jean. Love it. One of my picks

I've never liked Morag - it just sounds a bit harsh to me.

My nan was Margaret. She was called Mags. Again. Harsh. But I like Peggy, Maggie, Meg, Meggie.

I don't mind Jean but I find it a bit blunt. Jeanie/Jeannie or Jeanne are ok (I don't know how you pronounce Jeanne (Jan? Jayanne?) - I like the way it looks on paper though LOL)

I am named one of the three options.

Shortenings for Margaret include Mags, Maggie, Megan, Margie, Marge too - unfortunately their friends may decide which one they are called. Just something to consider.

OP, you do you! I love all your choices - they sound smart and chic. Love Peggy or Greta for Margaret, Morag is a lovely choice, but Jean totally has my heart. I've met two baby Joans but not a Jean yet.

When I was a kid in the 90s I knew sisters called Mary and Margaret nn Molly and Peggy, so perhaps that's why Peggy sounds like a sweet fun kid's name to me. And then there's Peggy Olson, who I think is a brilliant character.

Surprised Morag isn't more popular given Katie Morag's been on tv for years? I really like it but (disclaimer) I am Scottish and live in Scotland.

Probably Jeannie for me personally rather than Jean but only because it seems instinctively a bit too 'old' for me for a baby, but they will of course grow up! You could name her Jean but have Jeannie as a nickname? Fabulous Maggie Smith associations with Jean though!

Margaret, etc. great though not Peggy! Puts me in mind of Hi-de-hi...

Some posters have stated that these are 'old lady' names- and whilst both myself snd DH have aunts Jean and Margaret who are now in their 80's, some of the other names mentioned by posters such as Grace, Lily, and Rose are names which to me are a generation older than the Jeans and Margaret's as they were the names of elderly ladies when I was growing up.

It's true names are on a cycle.