Completely torn between two 'boring' names!

[intheshallows]

I'm beginning to panic a bit as we still haven't settled on a name for our baby girl- and I'm desperate not to wait until she's here to decide (so please don't suggest that as an option!)

We love both Emily and Alice. I've always loved Emily and that's the name we settled on at first and started using it to refer to bump. But I felt that we hadn't tried hard enough to explore all options and after reading the whole baby name book I thought Alice was nice. My husband prefers Alice too (although he does like Emily).

So we settled on Alice thinking it was slightly more underused and I got very excited about it. But we keep on accidentally referring to her as Emily still and I can't help but feel in my gut I prefer the name Emily?

So which do you think? Emily or Alice?

I had the same dilemma back in 2019, abs we went with Emily (Emily Kate), and I’m pregnant again with 2nd and considering Alice if it’s another girl. My partner always says “Alice, who the F is Alice”, so this makes me question the choice 🙄

Alice, definitely. Emily is very bland.

Alice. I think Emily is twee

Alice gets my vote!

Of the two, Alice. It's much more timeless (has generally stayed well used/popular since the 1300's) and stands out more. Although still a classic name, Emily is more subject to the whims of fashion, as well as suffering from the popularity of all the soundalike names also in the top 100 (Emma, Emilia/Amelia, Millie, Lily) .

Either fine

Sorry to be boring

Emily

Alice. No offence meant but I find Emily very dull.

OP, there was another thread recently where lots of posters said Alice was boring and wet. If you search you’ll probably find it. So, it’s amusing that Emily is the boring name according to this thread!

I’d pick Emily - but only because the name goes better with my surname. Presumably you’ve done the surname check?

Both lovely names. Trust your instinct and pick which one you prefer.

Emily is my favourite

I think they are both very nice but prefer Alice - possibly biased.

Alice nn's

Lal
Lally
La la
As well as Al and Ali

Interesting re popularity because I'd say Emily's are now about 30 to 40.
Alice's about 17 to 23 but so.ehow Alice has endured more.

There may have been 3 in the reception class of an Alice I know who is no longer so little.

Emily

OP, you love Emily. Go with that.

I prefer Alice, but it's not my child.

My nan would 100 and she was Alice. My rescue cat coincidentally is Alice and she gets called Al, Ali, Alicia, depending on mood.

Emily is twee but 100x preferable to Emma.

Your responses keep on coming in- I'm so grateful- thank you!!

Woke up this morning thinking definitely Alice. Wish my brain would stop changing it's mind! A few of you have said Emily is twee- I cant stand twee names and haven't thought of it like that before- I suppose it does end in that 'ee' sound like so many twee names do.

Just looked at the darker greener names website. Interestingly both names look like they're on a downward trend at the moment- Emily has been steadily sliding down for a while whereas Alice remain steadfastly poplar but first through peaks and troughs. Alice is 25th and Emily is 11th.

Which is reassuring to me- I absolutely do NOT want one of those names that has risen sharply very recently as think those ones are likely to date badly- like the Noahs of this world, or the 'granny' names like Ivy, Edith/Edie etc

Honestly though you can't really go wrong. They are really, really similar 'bracketed' names - both trad, both fairly dull really (sorry!) So really you could use either.

Now I honestly can't choose between them as I have an irrational hatred of Alice - I think it's because I really dislike the shortening Al or Ali on a girl (or a boy, actually...) But Emily has got to be the most boring twee name there is.

So if you have a horror of twee, go for Alice.

Why choose now? Wait until you meet the baby.

If you're worried about "boring" and overuse you could consider some variants: Emmeline, Emilia, Alicia, Alyssa, Alison. However, i don't think your DD will hate you for Emily or Alice; they're classics.

Why don’t you keep both and decide when you meet her? Both lovely traditional names.

To those saying why don't we wait- I said I didn't want to do that in the first post as I'm very much not that kind of person and even the thought of doing that massively stresses me out!

The last few days DH and I have been calling bump Alice and it's very much sticking now. Also found out a much loved relation of my grandad was an Alice!

Alice all the way! Just lovely 😊

@intheshallows

To those saying why don't we wait- I said I didn't want to do that in the first post as I'm very much not that kind of person and even the thought of doing that massively stresses me out!

The last few days DH and I have been calling bump Alice and it's very much sticking now. Also found out a much loved relation of my grandad was an Alice!

Ah fate then!

I think you've made the right decision! Nothing wrong with Emily, but it is a little bland, while Alice is a little bite more interesting.

How about Alix? Bit unusual.

Of the two I prefer Alice. It's quite elegant, as less twee than Emily.

I'd go Emily Alice. Make sure you don't use a name starting with A if your surname is a noun.

Alice