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

Emily or Jane?

98 replies

Noodles544 · 15/06/2020 02:22

My friend is going to be having a girl soon. She wants to name her either Emily or Jane.

She’s going to name her after Emily Brontë or Jane Austen.

I’ve told her I prefer Emily.

What do you think?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
mylittleavalon · 15/06/2020 11:25

Jane- it's lovely. I prefer Jayne but that's just me. As others have said sooo many names similar to Emily out there, Jane will be refreshing change

midsomermurderess · 15/06/2020 11:57

Jane. I like it, it's unusual and Emily is both highly overused and sounds so feeble.

midsomermurderess · 15/06/2020 12:00

I think Jayne with a 'y' is awful. Why add it, to make it sound more interesting? It just makes you look as if you have naff and semi-literate parents.

captainraymondholt · 15/06/2020 12:27

I prefer Emily.
Jane is a far more unusual name nowadays though and could be very sweet. I think "plain Jane" is a risk though.
Hyphenating them looks awful.

daisypond · 15/06/2020 12:32

Jane. I find Emily dull and dreary. Jane is fresh and unusual these day.

Alexandernevermind · 15/06/2020 12:38

@midsomermurderess thanks, I'll pass it on to my parents Grin

Grufallosfriends · 15/06/2020 13:35

For all the claims of Emily being super popular and overused, my Emily is 3 and I've only encountered one other little Emily since she was born.

That's because your Emily was born at the tail end of Emily's popularity surge. It was high up the charts for years, possibly even nr 1?

So yes, there are loads of Emilys aged 18 and under!

Puppulangstrumpfi · 15/06/2020 13:39

Emily (and Amelie, Amelia etc) has become so dull from overuse unfortunately. We know so many..!

Jane is much more memorable, if a little plain.

schnubbins · 15/06/2020 13:44

Jane is lovely

MikeUniformMike · 15/06/2020 14:17

Jane.

MikeUniformMike · 15/06/2020 14:18

Please not Jayne, it's awful. Jane is lovely.

Nettleweed · 15/06/2020 15:18

They’re both lovely, classic names, One being one syllable and the other being three, I’ d go for the one that sounds best with the surname, and any middle name they might have in mind.

BigRedBoat · 15/06/2020 18:15

I think they're both lovely and classic, I think Jane is due a surge in popularity soon but I'd probably go for Emily if it was me.

bridgetreilly · 15/06/2020 18:22

Well, I can't bear Emile Bronte (are you sure you couldn't persuade her to pick Anne? The Tenant of Wildfell Hall is amazing.) so I vote for Jane.

bridgetreilly · 15/06/2020 18:23

*Emily!

Angelonia · 15/06/2020 18:27

Emily

RoseMartha · 15/06/2020 18:31

Jane as Emily is very popular

Theforest · 15/06/2020 18:33

I like Jane a lot.

17caterpillars1mouse · 15/06/2020 18:34

Jane

I like both but I don't know any little Jane's whereas Emily's and similar names are everywhere

godyouareahhhhh · 15/06/2020 18:39

I'm a Jayne and I hate it. Emily is a lot prettier.

FairfaxAikman · 15/06/2020 18:40

I love Jane as I love Jane Eyre. Wanted to use it for a DC but unfortunately DF batshit ex is Jane and that puts me off

Lavenderpurple · 15/06/2020 18:40

Jane is so boring. Plain Jane.

SoftBlocks · 15/06/2020 18:41

Jane. Way cooler than Emily.

Joolsin · 15/06/2020 18:43

Jane

Pemba · 15/06/2020 18:47

Emily Jane works nicely and would commemorate both authors. Actually I have a feeling that Emily Bronte actually had Jane as a middle name . *

But no hyphens please! (A bit tacky)

  • Checked Wikepedia. Yes it was.