Active discussions

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

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

Original poster

Imogen

51 replies

Silverman · 31/08/2019 12:19

My partner and I only agree on some names.
We both agree Imogen is a 'nice name' but I don't love it (no sure my partner feels that strongly either).
So my question is.... What are your thoughts on the name imogen?
And can names grow on you?

I could potentially fall in love with it! Or not! Hmm but I appreciate it is a pretty name.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
Shadow1234 · 31/08/2019 15:59

Love it

TheYeaSayer · 31/08/2019 16:09

I agree with the PP who thinks it sounds unpleasant. It's a harsh, clunky word to me. Sorry 🤷

MamaFlintstone · 31/08/2019 16:11

I don’t love it but I do like it. It’s nice. DD has a lovely friend called Imogen though.

kenandbarbie · 31/08/2019 16:20

I love it! It was on my shortlist for dd. In the end I went for another name because it was more of a family name to us and I wanted the nickname that went with it.

Original poster
Silverman · 31/08/2019 16:30

Thanks for your feedback!

For mumsnet think I've come off quite lightly Grin
I think there is a lot of love for the name and this is helping make me decide. I certainly think I could love it.
I used to teach a lovely girl called imogen and she's the only one I've come across in my 8 years of being a teacher.

I don't get the clunky /umfeminine from ppl but of course everyone sees names differently.

I like isla too.
Any other similar names to imogen?

OP posts:
Cbeebiesrehab · 31/08/2019 16:55

Not a massive fan of Imogen but love the nn Ginny. It’s a pleasant name but I wouldn’t hear it and swoon (yes-I swoon over names) I would swoon over Ginny thoughGrin
If you don’t love it and feel you need to keep looking I suspect it isn’t the one.

kenandbarbie · 31/08/2019 17:36

Others on our shortlist were:

Iseult
Isolde
Elinor
Emmeline
Beatrice
Violet
Elsie
Evelyn
Iris
Leonora
Leonore
Cordelia

And some Irish names probably not relevant to you:
Ailis
Eilis
Caitlín
Catriona
Cliodhna
Eibhlin

Carpetburns · 31/08/2019 17:48

My favourite. Just love it!

Original poster
Silverman · 31/08/2019 17:52

Thanks kenandbarbie :)

I do feel a bit guilty as we're both Welsh living in South of England and feel we should show our heritage with a Welsh name but I'm not a fan of any Welsh girls names maybe I need to keep looking or be more open minded

OP posts:
EmmaGrundyForPM · 31/08/2019 17:53

ds2 would have been Imogen if he'd been a girl. it's my favourite girl's name and so pretty.

As I never got to use it myself I persuaded on of my closest friends to use it for her ds2. She is a lovely girl and the name really suits her.

Original poster
Silverman · 31/08/2019 18:00

EmmaGrundyForPM can I be nosey and ask what you've called your ds?
I'm trying to get context to names similar to imogen.
Maybe I'm over thinking this Grin

OP posts:
DreamMeOffMyFeet · 31/08/2019 18:03

I love it, it's in my top 3 girl names and I love Immy even more which I think it what drew it to me in the first place.
The only thing that would put me off using it is that it has grown quite steadily in popularity over the last few years.

Hmmmbop · 31/08/2019 18:04

Love it. Wanted to use it for DD. Prefer it what we actually called her!

sluj · 31/08/2019 18:07

It's a lovely name but has been very popular for at least 18 years and is perhaps a little millennium dated now.

SallyOMalley · 31/08/2019 18:54

There are only two in our year group of 60 - and I know if only one other round our way.

Roselilly36 · 31/08/2019 18:56

I love it.

BethanyGilbert · 01/09/2019 08:07

I love Imo as a nickname. A girl had it on a CBBC programme about 20 years ago and I thought she was the coolest person ever!

finallychangedmyusername · 01/09/2019 08:49

Fabulous Shakesperean name!

I'd use a Welsh name in the middle in your circumstances:

Imogen Carys
Imogen Nia
Imogen Ceri

Else, other similar names to Imogen: Miranda, Rosalind, Cordelia.

I think Rosalind was really low down on the ONS list for 2018 which is astonishing as, like Imogen, it's an excellent Shakesperean name and has loads of great potential nicknames.

Sparklypurpleunicornsaremyfav · 02/09/2019 18:32

I love this name, I wanted to call one of our girls it but husband said no 🙁 you could call her gen for short but I love immy. If you want to incorporate your Welsh side into you could go for imogen sian (my middle name!) or imogen cerys(one of my daughters middle name)

csla · 02/09/2019 21:44

We have an Imogen, I’ve always loved the name. She is nicknamed immy in school or mimi at home sometimes although often is called Imogen

tedladybird · 02/09/2019 22:26

I think it's a lovely name. Quite unusual sounding when you compare it to all the other popular girls names at the moment.

Jellycat00 · 09/09/2019 10:41

I think it's gorgeous! And i love Immy as a nn! Also love Ginny.

AverageMummy · 09/09/2019 10:58

I don’t understand the harsh sounding views because it’s a vowel heavy soft sounding name to me - but we all hear these things differently I guess

Iona is a beautiful alternative if you like Isla

Lavenderblues · 09/09/2019 14:11

I find Imogen very unfeminine and hard sounding.

Iona, on the other hand, is beautiful and feminine imo.

Pemba · 09/09/2019 16:14

A lovely name, and quite classy and Shakespearean sounding!

If you don't like Immy or Imo for short forms, you could have Jenny or Ginny?