Lucy or Marianne?

[Liana2021]

All right dear MN, I now believe after maaany hours debating that we have our winning duo for DD due in February:
Marianne
Or
Lucy

Which one do you prefer and why? What kind of little girl do you imagine for both?

Our surname is one syllable, both go well with it.

Thank you !!! ❤️

@painbrain that’s funny because I love the story but actually don’t particularly like Marianne in the novel and now tv show, a little bit too neurotic for me. But it hasn’t put me off the name! I expect it to become more popular but in the same way, might put off some people from it as she’s not universally likeable (not like Lucy from the Narnia novels that it would be difficult to dislike)

@partyatthepalace also I’m French so it certainly sells Marianne to me :D

Lucy. Fresh, pretty, ageless.

Marianne. Love it. Lucy is a bit dull.

I like both very much. Win win.

I did wonder about the Normal People association too but wouldnt let that stop me!

Wait til she's born as she'll probably suit one more than the other.

I only know of one child called Lucy. I think the name was slightly more popular when I was at school in the 80s.

Both lovely, but I’d pick Marianne. Very pretty name, not too frilly, sounds particularly nice with a French accent

Marianne is so beautiful, gives me folksy sixties vibes probably from Marianne Faithfull.

Find Lucy a bit 'meh'

If you also like Anna, have you considered Marianna?

Marianne, definitely.

Lucy has no appeal to me. Bit boring and overdone.

Haha.

Also I think a 3 syllable name is generally going to go better with a single syllable surname - eg Emily Smith is better than Emma Smith, it’s just more balanced.

@Enidblyton1 I was not familiar with that name before you mentioned it :) I usually prefer the version of names without the add-on, just personal preference really (prefer Alice to Alicia for instance or Louise to Louisa). Thanks for the suggestion!

Marianne. Its a really beautiful name, and not as commonly used as Lucy.

Urgh there’s a really creepy show apparently on Netflix (French horror show) called Marianne. Just googled ‘Marianne’ and a horrible witch face appeared. Well I guess each name has to have at least one bad reference (don’t we all remember this terrible Lucy Scarlett Johansson movie )

I much prefer Lucy. Marianne is unnecessarily frilly to me.

Also for any saying Lucy is commonly heard, it is for older generations but in 2019 only 882 babies were called Lucy vs 4082 for Olivia, 1713 for Sienna, 351 for Ottilie just to give some context

I like them both. Would probably go for Marianne, if pushed, because it is more substantial. Lucy is a little name. Little and pretty, whereas Marianne is more serious, more sensible.

@Flippy87 I don’t know where all Lucys hide! I’ve never met any which is quite surprising given its said to be popular

@Changethetoner it’s both my feeling and slight concern. Is Marianne too serious and adult of a name? I just have completely different images of the little girl in my mind for both.
Lucy is a happy blond little girl while Marianne (Normal People here) goes to the library, has dark hair, is romantic and passionate.
Overthinking this massively!! :D
Might need to wait until she’s born.
Appreciate all the comments!

I really like the name Marianne. I wanted it on the list but my partner wasn't keen on it. I think it's classic, not commonly in use and just generally a nice name. It doesn't feel dated like some other names. Plus, I'm not French but I like that Marianne is a symbol of republicanism - maybe that's why it's not so popular in the UK lol.

Lucy for sure. I knew a girl at College named Marianne , but she said it was pronounced Mary Anne , put me off it .

With a simple, one-syllable name, I think Marianne goes better. I also think of Sense and Sensibility!

Lucy is fine, but Lucy Jones or Lucy Smith sounds rather plain and forgettable. I think you can get away with longer first names when you have a one-syllable surname.

However, there's always the option of spelling Lucy as Lucie, which I quite like.

Go for Marianne, it's beautiful. Lucy is fine, but most people will know at least a couple of Lucys, and I do think it borders on cutesy as well.

To me, Lucy is a girl’s name.

Marianne is a woman of substance.

Marianne is lovely, and a much better balance with a short surname.

I had a brilliant Aunt Mari-Ann (Welsh), known to all as Auntie Yan!

I have a Lucy! She will be 10 in February and I’ve loved the name since I was a little girl. She has the curliest hair I’ve ever seen and suits her name so much.

In her primary school she is the only one in the juniors and there is one other Lucy in the infants.

If she’s born on 14th February like mine was ( 2 weeks early ) then you may even have her middle name sorted too like we did