Feedback on my list, if you please. Suggestions also welcome

[ARoseByAnyUsername]

Boys:

William
Anthony
Thomas
Robin
Peter
Laurence

Girls:

Eleanor (I don't like Ellie as a shortening though, so not sure about this one)
Elspeth (as above)
Louisa
Rachel
Catherine
Alexandra
Rosanna

I love classic sort of names, with nn potential. I don't really like nicknamey names, but there are some exceptions.

Names we would rather avoid, due to close friends / family etc; Alexander, Clara, Annabel, James, Elizabeth.

Middle name would probably be Ruth, (for a girl obviously). No idea about boys.

Boys:

William
Anthony
Thomas
Robin
Peter
Laurence
Samuel

Girls:

Louisa
Rachel
Catherine
Alexandra
Esther
Francesca

New shortlist^^. Really just so I have a record of it tbh

Such lovely choices OP 😍 I love your list.

Personally I don't think Thomas and Peter are as nice as the others on the boy's list, and with Robin I'd worry it would only ever get Rob. Adore the other names.

With girls I do think Eleanor and Elspeth would become Ellie and wouldn't like that. Also not too keen on Rachel, it sounds a bit outdated to me in a bad way rather than a 'classic' way. Love all the other names though, especially Rosanna, and also Esther.

I see Anthony and Laurence as so much more unique and interesting than eg. Samuel. Likewise Louisa and Esther on the girls list. x

I like all your names. I would probably go for either Peter or Anthony - classic but more uncommon these days. For girls, I would go for Louisa. Have you considered Marianne?

Peter and Laurence are two of my favourites @ARoseByAnyUsername

You wanted honest feedback so for me your list of names are dull, straight, ordinary, heard 1000s of times.
Middle of the road and will be so many other young children and adults with them.

The only exception; of your boys for me is Laurence which is lovely and Louisa for girl.

Ok see you’ve added Francesca- that is beautiful too.

I know you've taken Eleanor off the list, but Eleanor definitely doesn't have to be shortened as Ellie. It can be Nell, Nellie/Nelly, Nora, Elle or Elea. It's even sometimes the long name behind the nickname Billie. (It also doesn't sound the same as an Em- name to me).

Having said that you have plenty of other nice names on your lists. Francesca is beautiful and I love Laurence for a boy.

@DollyParton2, you and I probably just have very different taste in names. Popularity doesn't bother me one jot and I always think parents who aim to have rare names, rather than names they simply like and which will work are pricks. Thanks for your comment though.

That was meant to be lighthearted btw rather than aggressive^. Hard to tell in text, so have to clarify!

@ARoseByAnyUsername I love eleanor and I love the nickname Nellie for it

Eleanor Ruth
Nellie Ruth sounds lovely

@DollyParton2

You wanted honest feedback so for me your list of names are dull, straight, ordinary, heard 1000s of times. Middle of the road and will be so many other young children and adults with them.

The only exception; of your boys for me is Laurence which is lovely and Louisa for girl.

But many of them in fact aren’t heard 1000s of times these days. Rachel is 331 on the list, Peter is 210. They are uncommon.

Lovely names, OP. Although I like all of the girls in their full versions but not shortened - Cath, Alex, Lou, Fran etc.
I know you've discounted El names now but wanted to suggest Eloise, as it's similar to Louisa and my DD is 10 and has never had it shortened.

Also throwing in Tobias/Toby for a boy.

Eloise has a very different feel to Louisa to me. I wouldn’t put them in the same category.

@TeddyDidIt, Eloise is a beautiful name! I'd definitely put it on the maybe list. My only small hesitation is that sometimes, when I say it quickly, it sounds just like Louise, whereas, I don't get that with Louisa. I love Tobias, but DH hates it!

@ShipOfTheseus, thanks. I wouldn't call any of my name list common tbh. I know a lot of young children and babies. I do actually know one each of Rachel, Alexandra, Esther, Catherine, but just one. I don't think these are common names. I must know five Florences for example. Sophias, Ellas, Emilys too. Popularity doesn't especially bother me though. I'd rather avoid anything having a 'moment' though, like Amelia did a few years ago or Noah. Lovely names, but I'd rather not choose THE name iyswim, as I wonder if those names will date a bit.

@ARoseByAnyUsername yes, I do get slightly annoyed when people don't say it properly but it doesn't happen often. Louisa is lovely too - I'm a fan of three-syllable names generally.
I didn't get to use Tobias/Toby because my DH didn't like it either!

Best of luck with your pregnancy.

Boys:

William - nice but sooooooooo popular
Anthony - not keen
Thomas - ok if tommy is nickname but Tom very popular too
Robin - not keen
Peter - like this different but classic
Laurence - love

Girls:

Eleanor (I don't like Ellie as a shortening though, so not sure about this one) I prefer the spelling Elinor but not keen on Elle or Ellie either
Elspeth (as above) nice
Louisa - meh
Rachel - meh
Catherine - like esp kitty as non
Alexandra - ok
Rosanna - meh