Girls’ names - unpopular list!

[Indecision2020]

Hello
I’ve name changed because I’ve discussed these options at length IRL and would like my other posts to be anonymous!

No one likes any of my options for my baby girl due this autumn. Let me know your favourite or any other suggestions!

I’m Irish, DH is English. We live in London and DS has a classic Irish first name.

Mary
Marie (pronounced marry)
Maud
Eliza
Ailbhe
Caroline
Anne

Mary
Caroline
Do you all pronounce the latter as "carolynn" or caroline as in "Sweet Caroline" (Neil Diamond). I prefer the second pronunciation.

Congrats! Girls are wonderful!

Carolyn and Caroline are spelled and pronounced differently. Woe betide anyone who pronounces Caroline with a short I.

I like Maud and Anne also. Not keen on names with ‘a’ or ‘ie’ endings. I prefer a strong, less typically feminised ending.

Mary

I like Caroline, but you won't be able to be precious about shortenings.

I like Mary and Anne

I think Marie would be very tiresome in England, having to correct the way it is said all the time.

I think Ailbhe would also be a pain. The 4 people I know with Irish spellings in England find it a real pain having to spell their names every time they give them, and having to help people know how to say them - and two of them are relatively common (Niamh and Siobhan) . All have said they are naming their dc something very different.

Maud and Eliza - nothing 'wrong' with them, but just not my taste.

Mari is Welsh for Mary and is pronounced Marry. So it's not made up and I think it's more obvious than Marie for the marry pronunciation.

Mair is also Welsh for Mary, pronounced like Myra without the a.

I like all the names on your list except Maud, makes me think of Maude Flanders and then the Anarchy with Stephen and Maud/Matilda.

Ailbhe is lovely and I knew how to say it. As your DS has an Irish name, I would aim for another Irish name, or Celtic name - lots of gaelic and Welsh, Cornish, Breton and Manx names are lovely.

Love Caroline

I love Marie and I've heard it a couple of times recently in England so I don't think pronouncing it is a problem but people sometimes use the spelling Marrie which I think makes it clearer.

Ah @CaffiSaliMali apologies - had no idea Mari was a welsh name! I assumed it was a (clearer) phonetic spelling of the Marie pronunciation I want.

I’m really not keen though on going with a Scottish or Welsh name/spelling when I have no connections there. The Irish equivalent is Maire (anglicised Myra, Moyra and Maura) and not keen on any of those.

Mary, Anne and Caroline are great!

I second the suggestion of Marianne which could be shortened to the pronunciation of Marie that you want.

Surely Mary is due a comeback. Such a lovely, classic name.

Ah I really like Maud

Love Anne and Eliza

I like Marianne (combines Marie and Anne - two names on my list!) but it would blatantly look like a cringeworthy Normal People reference so I just can’t do it!

Marianne. People have been watching too much Netflix in lockdown. Would you really want to name your child after a character who spends twelve episodes of a tv series having sex?

My late Mum was Irish (1930s born) and everybody (including the boys) had Mary in their name - religious thing. I have it . Sister has it. Dad (not Irish; not Catholic) put his foot down with my brother. Mum even tried to convince me to add it to DD's. Funniest moment was when, at a male cousin's wedding, the Anglican priest read out his name - which included "Mary" in the list of other of his names- and I'm not sure which side of the church chuckled most.
So, as much as I love the name, I can't help thinking of it as a religious instruction.

@DamnYankee Caroline to rhyme with wine for sure!

It’s funny isn’t it given that Catherine and Josephine also have the same ending but all three pronounced differently.

I love Maud

@bellinisurge that’s one of the reasons I like it! It’s my middle name and everyone in the family’s. I have an aunt Mary on each side of the family too. So whilst it’s not an Irish name it’s very much a nod to my Irish heritage, without the spelling issues!

Oh I love Maud - strong Irish connections. Also keen on Eliza and Ailbhe from your list.

Great names! Especially like Ailbhe, Maud, Marie (I would pronounce it ‘marry’ too) and Caroline! They are all classic yet refreshing. I think Ailbhe would maybe go best with your wee son’s name.

Wouldn’t worry too much about pronunciations as I’m assuming you would introduce the child face to face before a friend or relative saw the spelling written down.

Mary❔ not sure
Marie (pronounced marry) ✔️ as long as you pronounced it MAH-REE which is the correct way
Maud - always reminded me of the word mud
Eliza - ❌as common as Elizabeth and overused now sadly
Ailbhe-✔️love
Caroline-❔indifferent don't love or hate
Anne❌ no

I like Maud from your list.

Not Mary or Anne - just dull. Eliza or Caroline are nice with Caroline my fave.

I LOVE Maud. Please pick that!

I also like Mary and Eliza. But Maud is way better than both.

it would blatantly look like a cringeworthy Normal People reference so I just can’t do it!

Nonsense! Tell everyone it's from Sense and Sensibility. People will still be reading Austen in 10 years, long after they've forgotten Normal People.