Help with baby names for a girl!

[upsidedown1987]

Morning, thoughts on my shortlist for a baby girl. I'd like something not too common and not too pretty pretty.

Vera
Alma
Thalia
Esme pr Ez-me
Carys
Beth
Fern

Thanks!

‘Uncommon, strong and not too frilly’ were our criteria too OP. Personally I see Vera and Alma taking this beyond ‘not pretty’ into ‘downright ugly’ territory - but then we went with Greta, which plenty of people see as being harsh, so it’s all subjective!

Thalia is nice enough but does feel quite frilly to me and may have pronunciation issues (I’ve heard ‘Tallia’, ‘Taylia’ and ‘Tahlia’) Esme is sweet but also quite girly and it’s super popular in its various forms at the moment - lots at DD’s nursery.

Beth on its own just feels too plain and dowdy for me. But I really like Carys and Fern, which both feel fresh and unfussy - those two would definitely be my picks!

Hazel
Frida
Iris
Vita
Maeve
Astrid
Anya
Cleo
Rowan
Marin
Merryn
Tallis (bit left field but similar to Thalia and I quite like it as a first name!)

Love Vera
Or
Kate
Faye
Ursula
Sarah

Greta
Margaret Maggie

I like Vera

Vera - Duckworth
Alma - Sedgwick
Thalia - Too complicated
Esme pr Ez-me - not keen
Carys - frumpy
Beth - fine
Fern - fine

Xanthe
Clara
Hebe

I like Beth (prefer Bethan)
I like Carys too, or Cerys.

Greta
Carla
Nicole
Flora
Scarlett
Lois
Rowan
Eden
Anya

I like: Matilda. Ada. Elsie. Mable. Ruby. Florence. Talulha. X. .

If you go for Beth, are you in part of the country where it'll be pronounced Beff? I know someone who didn't think about that and is constantly annoyed by people where she lives not saying the TH properly.

From your list, I like Alma. Every Alma I've met has been lovely and terribly practical.

Natalie
Jennifer
Tina

Gosh I love Maggie, my DD would actually really suit that name had I thought of it a couple of years ago! Could be short for Magdalena?

I love Vera and Alma.

I like Thalia , its on my shortlist.

I also have Alaina and Layanna. Dp has said no to all of them but he picked the last name so screw him

Thalia is great but might have some issue about how it's pronounced.
Also do you think we would have an issue with the pronunciation of Esme?

Maggie is a nice choice.

Not sure about the Tina, Natalie and Jennifer, not sure they're ready for a comeback yet?

Seems to be very mixed responses for Vera and Alma. Without the corrie connotations they sound phonetically lovely don't you think?

I also love Lois, great suggestions
Would love to hear some more opinions on my shortlist too : )

Cerys all the way.

Elizabeth is another good one. Never loads of them and not too girly.

Fern and Esme are the best. Carys is ok. Not keen on the others. How about Tamsin?

Great list, very similar to our current thoughts.

Love Carys, Beth(an) and Fern but we had to rule out for various reasons.

Currently thinking Iris.

Also really like Hazel, Faye, Clara, Flora...

Esme

I like Alma and Fern.

I've always loved the name Alba (Byron called his daughter this).

Some other suggestions from my list: Lydia or Mallory

I like Thalia, but spelled Talia. DP Says she thinks Esme is nice.

Carys & Esme are really nice. I’m not as keen on Vera and Alma, Beth and Fern are okay. I know a couple of Esmes, one is Ez-mee and the others are Ez-may. I think people tend to pronounce it the way you introduce yourself.

What about:
Nola
Nova

Carys, Fern and Beth are lovely names. The others feel slightly frilly to me

Love Esme x

Byron called his daughter Ada Augusta, not Alba (she is better known today as Ada Lovelace, the maths/computer pioneer).
He called one of his out-of-wedlock daughters 'Allegra'.

Thank you
Esme getting lots of good feedback. How popular do you think it is now? I think it was around 50 when I last checked, so it's not too popular?
Also love the suggestion of Hazel and Iris is beautiful too.