Opinions on these unusual names please

[toastofthetown]

I have finally managed to put together a shortlist of names with DP. We both grew up with very popular names, one of several in the class, so we want something more unusual for our children. Middle name will likely be Alexandra/Alexander, unless it clashes terribly. What do you think and do you have any other suggestions? Please be as honest as possible!

Cordelia
Electra
Elinor
Fern
Flora
Gretel
Harriet
Hebe
Hester
Isobel
Kitty
Miranda
Pepper
Petra
Polly
Xanthe

Ambrose
Angus
Barnaby
Bertram
Caspar
Cosmo
Duncan
Felix
Giles
Leon
Melchior
Miles
Monty
Oswald
Timothy
Vincent
Wilfred
Wulfric

I like Polly, Xanthe and Electra.

Of the boys names my favs are Caspar and Cosmo.

Cordelia - ok, Cordy as a nn?
Electra - No
Elinor - not keen but it's ok
Fern - yes
Flora - lovely
Gretel - no
Harriet - too popular, but fine
Hebe - yes
Hester - prefer Esther
Isobel - so many Isabel/Isabellas around
Kitty - yes
Miranda - ok
Pepper - no
Petra - ok
Polly - nice
Xanthe - ok

Ambrose - no
Angus - yes
Barnaby - yes
Bertram - no
Caspar - ok but probably popular
Cosmo - yes
Duncan - ok
Felix - ok, bit popular
Giles - no
Leon - not keen
Melchior - no
Miles - yes
Monty - ok
Oswald - no
Timothy - ok
Vincent - no
Wilfred - not keen
Wulfric - nnot keen

I like

Flora
Gretel
Harriet
Kitty
Miranda
Polly

Angus
Bertram
Caspar
Felix
Wilfred

Loads of those names are very popular at the moment. Especially Miles and Leon.

Please don’t call your child Pepper. Haven’t you seen Peppa Pig?

You have Caspar and Melchior, which raises two points...why not Balthazar, and is Baby due on 6 January?

Cordelia - pretty but very posh
Electra - not keen
Elinor - nice enough, love the french spelling Aliénor
Fern - nice
Flora - nice
Gretel - dislike
Harriet - really nice, not sure it fits your criteria of being unusual though. I'm in my 20s and had at least 6 or 8 in my year at school
Hebe - no
Hester - no
Isobel - dont like this, not sure why it's so popular
Kitty - really cute
Miranda - dislike
Pepper - no
Petra - no
Polly - ok
Xanthe - no not even sure how you pronounce it

Ambrose - no
Angus - ok
Barnaby - ok
Bertram - no
Caspar - nice
Cosmo - no
Duncan - no
Felix - ok but again v posh
Giles - no
Leon - nice but prefer leo
Melchior - no
Miles - nice
Monty - cute
Oswald - no
Timothy - ok
Vincent - no
Wilfred - not keen but the unmumsy mum has had a son called wilf and it has grown on my a lot since she announced it a couple of years ago
Wulfric - dislike it but I do like that it's one of Dumbledore's middle names!

If you are looking for unusual don't choose Isabelle as there will be about three in every class.

My dd is a teacher and of all the kids she teaches the most popular name is Casper.

Love: Elinor (but Eleanor is quite popular), Flora, Greta, Harriet (quite popular) Polly.
Like: Cordelia, Electra, Hester, Isobel (very popular), Kitty, Pepper, Petra, Xanthe

love: Angus (but very popular around me), Bertram, Caspar, Cosmo, Felix, Monty.
like: Duncan, Giles, Timothy, Wilfred.

If popularity is a big issue for you then you should study the annual popularity list and trends as some on your list are popular and/or growing in popularity.

Cordelia - y
Electra - like myself, but probably not great
Elinor - no, like Eleanor though but too popular
Fern - no, a dog
Flora - y
Gretel - no, oddbod
Harriet - good, personally find it harsh
Hebe - y
Hester - harsh, again
Isobel - best spelling, but too popular
Kitty - bit nicknamey
Miranda - yuk
Pepper - awful
Petra - y
Polly - y
Xanthe - y

I'd go for Xanthe Alexandra, lovely.

Ambrose - too monk
Angus - y
Barnaby - y
Bertram -hmmm not really
Caspar - dislike, also quite a few around
Cosmo - y, but marmite
Duncan - hmm you could do better
Felix - y
Giles - bit oddbod
Leon - ok, boring
Melchior - what? No.
Miles - dislike
Monty - naffola
Oswald - Mosely, so no.
Timothy - quite sweet, love Tim.
Vincent - y
Wilfred - overused now, and actually not very nice.
Wulfric - prob not, but Wulf is a great nn

Timothy Alexander
Felix Alexander
Vincent Alexander

would be my short list and I might go with Timothy - so unusual now but classic.

Oh girls shortlist would certainly be Hebe Alexandra and how about Polydora to get to Polly?

Hebe is the sound people make when they’re about to throw up.

Gives me the heebie jeebies.

As you have Caspar and Melchior what about Balthazar?

Your girls names aren't that unusual. Petra was the Blue Peter dog.

I had a name mire unusual than those on your list. I longed to have been called Susan or Helen.

Elinor (that spelling, albeit not as common as Eleanor), Fern, Harriet, Isobel, Kitty, Angus, Barnaby, Felix and Wilfred are really not that unusual.

Love: Miranda and Xanthe
Like: Hester and Petra

Love: Caspar and Felix
Like: Angus and Barnaby

I have a name more unusual than those on your list, and have always been very glad to be the only one of my name in any school/college/ workplace/etc.

Sorry op don't like any of those really we obviously have different taste but please don't call your child Pepper. Or Oswald- have you not watched peaky blinders ?

Elinor will be one of a million Ellie's.

Timothy is the wettest name ever.

The others are all okay.

Dexter and Brontë are my two. Also liked Pearl and Otis (now the dogs name)

I like:

Fern
Flora
Gretel
Harriet
Hebe
Kitty
Miranda
Polly

Ambrose
Angus
Timothy
Wulfric

Favourites are Flora and Ambrose.

In what world is Pepper a good girl’s name?

These are just my personal opinions, so please don't be offended.

Cordelia - I like this. Also love Cora and Delia, which are both shortened options.
Electra - It's OK, but does make me think electric.
Elinor - I love this but prefer the Eleanor spelling.
Fern - I quite like. Know a lovely girl named this.
Flora - Pretty. Less popular than Florence.
Gretel - I quite like, but prefer Greta.
Harriet - Quite like. Love Hattie.
Hebe - Not keen, sorry.
Hester - I prefer Esther.
Isobel - One of my favourites. Love Isabella.
Kitty - Love this. My favourite on your list.
Miranda - Not keen. Only met one and she didn't leave a pleasant impression.
Pepper - No.
Petra - Quite like this.
Polly - Love this! My favourite along with Kitty.
Xanthe - I like this, but some may struggle with pronunciation if they are not familiar with it.

Ambrose - I can't take to this one, sorry.
Barnaby - It's OK. I've never met one.
Bertram - It just makes me think of an old man, but could be shortened to Bertie which is cute for a little one.
Caspar - Quite like this. I've only ever known one. He'll be in his mid 40's now.
Cosmo - It sounds like a dog or cartoon character.
Duncan - Dislike, sorry. The only ones I know are middle aged/ old men.
Felix - I can only think of the cat.
Giles - Really like this. One of my favourites on your list.
Leon - I like this too.
Melchior - Wouldn't know how to pronounce.
Miles - Quite like this.
Monty - Dislike, sorry.
Oswald - Not keen.
Timothy - Middle aged.
Vincent - As above.
Wilfred - This is actually quite cute. I know of a little one called this and gets shortened to Freddie.
Wulfric - No, sorry.

Favourites are Kitty and Polly.
Giles from the boys list.

Xanthe and Felix are nice.

You do know that Elektra murdered her mother according to Greek mythology?
And that an Elektra complex refers to a female whose unresolved love for her father distorts her relationships with other men.

I love Angus and Cordelia

Sorry but Cosmo makes me think of the all-you-can-eat buffet chain of the same name which I obviously have frequented too many times to associate it with a child’s name

Melchior sounds like mulch, or a dastardly Harry Potter character

Wilfred is a no as we have a dog called Wilf

Hebe - how is this pronounced? Like heeby jeebies?

Sorry but Cosmo makes me think of the all-you-can-eat buffet chain of the same name which I obviously have frequented too many times to associate it with a child’s name

Never heard of it.

I like Melchior. But the dim would be Mel which is a bit pants.