Plum’s sister!

[HazeyJaney]

Help please! We chose a very unusual name for our first daughter (Plum Elizabeth) and now we’re stuck on what to name her sister. Our current list feels a bit pedestrian in comparison, does it matter?

We like:

Alice
Flora
Gaia
Cecily
Beatrix
Sylvie
Merryn
Iris (actually, I’ve always loved Isis, but it’s obviously unusable now)

Yes I’d love to know what you name her too @HazeyJaney

There’s some right pieces of work on this thread 🤣 hope it hasn’t got to you! You’ve handled it all really well, I’d have got into pointless arguments. I bet you’re a great mum with patience like that ❤️

Orange, you glad you weren’t called plum.

I spat my tea out lol this comment

All of your names are nice I think. I would go with what you like rather than what 'goes' . They are individuals so don't need to sound like they go together x

Heather
Esther
Lola
Saskia

Tatiana’s post is not racist. I live in a multicultural area and there are all sorts of names.

OK, I said I didn't want to elaborate, but I will, to explain why I find this ^^ sort of comment somewhat uncomfortable.

Most people live in multi-cultural areas these days - to a greater or lesser degree. It's rare that you'll find many communities that are completely homogeneous.

Saying 'Plum' doesn't stand out 'in multicultural areas' is basically saying, 'there's load of [weird / strange / unusual / offbeat] names where I live, so Plum doesn't sound unusual'.

Names from other nationalities are being deemed 'unusual'. They're being 'othered'. That's not OK.

Rashida? Mei Chen? Kyung-Wa? They're just names in places like India, China, etc.

Plum isn't 'just a name', otherwise why not lump it in with Olivia, Charlotte, Evie and Violet?

Hi OP, what about Prudence? I think it is such a beautiful name and goes nicely with Plum.

Nectarine

I think Sorrel would go reall well with Plum.

I know a Sorrel who has sisters called Gal and Honey. Would you consider Gala? Unusual but funky and again works with Plum.

I think you need a name that packs a wallop. I really like Beatrix and Sylvie from your list. Beatrix because it is quite dashing, imo, and Sylvie because it's a lovely name and also an oblique reference to nature so tying with Plum.

Plum and Daphne
Plum and Pernilla
Plum and Rowena
Plum and Xanthe
Plum and Vita
Plum and Isabeau
Plum and Mignon
Plum and Romy
Plum and Tamara

Petula
Inez
Oonagh
Odile

I know a Marmalade who has a brother Hector, so an unusual but regular babe with something more 'out there'. Parents are lovely people. I was delighted when I heard her name, not heard of anyone called Marmalade since Marmalade Atkins!

Saying 'Plum' doesn't stand out 'in multicultural areas' is basically saying, 'there's load of [weird / strange / unusual / offbeat] names where I live, so Plum doesn't sound unusual'.

Never said anything of the sort. ‘Weird, strange, offbeat’ are all your words and your interpretation. You betray the fact that that is essentially your problem with the name Plum.

The objection from posters on the thread is that Plum is ‘unusual’. Unusual in what sense? If you simply mean it’s not a conventional British name. So what?

In multicultural areas like London there are so many names that are not conventional British names that in that context Plum does not stand out.

Names from other nationalities are being deemed 'unusual'. They're being 'othered'. That's not OK.

No they haven’t been deemed ‘unusual’. Again that is your invention.
You and other posters have been ‘othering‘ Plum and bullying the OP on that basis. It’s simply intolerance. Plum is too ‘unusual’ or ‘odd’ for your taste and you’re trying cover up your insularity and conservatism by crying racism.

Nice try but it won’t wash.

Agree completely, Tatiana. The name that is being “othered” is Plum.

I agree with you @TatianaLarina and @daisypond xx

I know a 5yo Plum.
I would have no idea what to call her sister.

Inga

Prunella. Pru and Plum.

Sorrel sounds like sorry.

I wouldn't choose Plum myself but I actually quite like it.

I think suggestions like honey, rainbow, venus, apple would be more appropriate.
Having 1 child with a normal, everyday name and one with Plum seems unfair as chances are questions will be 'why has your sister got a normal name?' 'Why were you given a boring name and your sister is 'out there?'

I wouldn't choose another p initial but something just as different for a name but normal as an every day word like Star.

I never would have thought to use Plum (and probably wouldn't be brave enough either) but I actually think it's pretty cool!

Sylvie has been one of my favourites for years, as well as Beatrice (although I actually think your Beatrix spelling looks better next to Plum).

Generally though, I like the idea of using another naturey name, not starting with P and with more than one syllable. My suggestions would be e.g. Juniper, Aspen, Violet, Laurel or Iris. I think those sound good together, they wouldn't be too different but also not too matchy-matchy like they would be with a P name or fruit name.

Marnie

Primrose

Isn’t sorrel a type of really bitter salad leaf? Bit of an odd choice.

@HazeyJaney I love the name Plum, reminds me of those cute fairy stories

I’d go for a more traditional middle name and have something like one of these as the first name...they go well with Plum but don’t sound too similar:

Amber
Autumn
Blanche
Celeste
Clementine
Ivy
Jade
Lavender
Luna
Marigold
Olive
Rose
Rosemary
Scarlett
Sienna
Summer
Willow

Sorrel is awful. Iris is much better.
All of your other names sound good in comparison to Sorrel 🙄

I think we’ve decided to go with Sylvie. Husband’s great-grandma was a Sylvia, so that’s a nice link, and I feel like it’s just unusual enough not to sound too odd next to Plum. I really appreciate all the nice comments by the way, thank you for that, I was starting to feel really under attack!

I'm really sad for you that people have been mean about the name. Don't think there's any need for it either!