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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Clara or Mary?

47 replies

kate1296 · 30/07/2019 11:34

Just found out we are having a little girl due Dec..was wondering your thoughts on the names Mary and Clara..do you like them? Have a favourite between the two? Thanks

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drumandthebass · 30/07/2019 17:57

Clara, definitely

LadyMonicaBaddingham · 30/07/2019 18:03

Mary is beautiful and I would choose that, personally. Clara is, ime, getting very popular, although it is still a lovely name.

Timmytoo · 30/07/2019 18:07

I like Mary as it's different.

Sunshineys · 30/07/2019 18:11

Clara has been popular for a while and feels a little dull and overused.

Mary is gorgeous and interesting!

PodgeBod · 30/07/2019 18:22

Clara

daisypond · 30/07/2019 18:36

Mary definitely. Much fresher. Clara is nice but it’s a Victorian name and they’re on the way out.

Heartofglass12345 · 30/07/2019 18:39

Clara Mary sounds nice 😊

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 30/07/2019 18:47

Mary is pretty and classic - a royal name, too - and there won't be 4 other Marys in her class at school.

I don't understand people saying Mary is 'old' - not when names like Mabel, Edie and Ada are popular now - they really are old - to me anyway - they belonged to whiskery old great-aunts!

I don't think Mary will ever really date.

averythinline · 30/07/2019 18:50

Clara, much nicer...
Mary is awful (its my real name - never use it hated it as a child have always used my middle name) so boring....

averythinline · 30/07/2019 18:57

I also liked Clara from Heidi - and also the girl in the Nutcracker so a lovely festive connection as well...... although other classic December names
are surely Holly (know a lovely teen Holly not many others)
and Ivy - real old lady name but fashionable again ...

Pineapplefish · 30/07/2019 18:58

Clara

soundsystem · 30/07/2019 19:10

I love Clara but I know a few baby Clara's so it does feel very "now". Mary is classic and under-used. It depends what's important to you I guess in terms of potentially being one of a few in a class with the same name.

Longdistance · 30/07/2019 19:11

Clara Wink

snowone · 30/07/2019 19:31

Clara.....but it's becoming increasingly popular!

RoseMartha · 30/07/2019 19:31

Clara

Also like them together Clara Mary

MikeUniformMike · 30/07/2019 21:11

Mary. There is a gentleness to it and it's a classic. Clara isn't a name I like. Cara is nice.

nothingtowearever · 30/07/2019 21:34

Please don't call your baby Mary!!!! Clara is lovely

Elmo303 · 30/07/2019 21:52

Mary is an underused (currently) beautiful classic so I would definitely go for that over Clara. Clara is pretty but it’s very in at the moment which would put me off.

Doyoureallyneedtoask · 30/07/2019 23:55

Mary is a classic name, it is simple and beautiful.

I also love Clara.

both are elegant names. You have great taste OP. :)

Sophronia · 31/07/2019 01:22

Definitely Mary. Mary Clara would be nice.

Astronica · 31/07/2019 01:53

Both beautiful names so I see your dilemma. (They would make great sisters!) Right now I would choose Mary, as it's the under-used classic, but tomorrow I could go the other way.

I'm interested to know whether in UK does Clara have one pronunciation? I'm in Australia and I hear both Clair-ah and Clar- (like car)-ah. In the US it seems to be mostly the former pronuciation and I'm assuming in Europe the latter.

Doyoureallyneedtoask · 31/07/2019 02:00

I say it the latter.

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