Mumsnet's most loved baby names

[SmeleanorSmellstrop]

I feel like there are a bunch of names that Mumsnet posters unanimously adore. I have never seen Josephine or Rosa get a negative comment, for example. As for boy names, I think Edward seems really well-loved. What do you think?

@JeanClaudeVanDammit

Seren is really popular in Wales so no, it doesn’t just exist on mumsnet, that’s a crap example.

Margot is the one I see on here a lot that I’ve never encountered on a child in real life.

That would make sense if this was a largely Welsh board or if the posters saying it were Welsh but often they make a point of saying they aren't.

Where I'm from there are a lot of babies called Sennen and Jago but it would be weird if MN started recommending them on every thread as they're not commonly used across the UK.

I have a Tristan. I just liked the story.

@JemimaTiggywinkle

Tristan, Quentin, Rupert, “Reuben (nn Roo)”

Quentin seems to come up on every single boys names thread. I've never met a real life Quentin of any age!

Clementine
Aurora nn Rory
Aurelia
Ottilie
Tabitha

Sebastian
Kit (often short for Christopher)
Nathaniel
Gabriel
Raphael

Any name that has a long version to provide plenty of options for nn and that can be used for when the DC is a high court judge

Juliet, Susanna and Nina get suggested a lot. I have never met anyone under 30 with the first two names and under 50 with Nina. That said, Juliet is high on my list and Nina is towards the end of the top 100 in E&W so people must be using it.

I've never met a Seren but it is reasonably popular in Wales. A Welsh colleague says half the children in her home town are named Seren and the other half Osian.

Seren does seem to be used in the rest of the UK as well although I think it peaked about 10 years ago. It's my DH's favourite Welsh girls name option.

I admit to an internal eye-roll when I see names lauded on MN such as Margot and Otillie. IRL they're ridiculous.

It’s silly because names really do not hold as much sway as they did over jobs/social standing. Granted the name ‘Chardonnay’ might raise an eyebrow, but being ‘Ivy’ or ‘Ella’ on a CV won’t hold you back any more than being MN’s beloved Charlotte or Catherine. It’s only in their own minds that that level of snobbery exists.

All that happens is your child ends up with a beige name that doesn’t sound very pretty.

I know at least 4 baby (or preschool anyway) Christopher nn Kits. I feel like there were a couple of a years of Teddy and then it was Kit in my circles anyway.

I've taught 3 Serens and know one other, not in Wales. It's not as common as Isabella etc but I certainly don't think of it as an 'only on mumsnet' name. We strongly considered it for dd but I'm glad we didn't use it now as it wouldn't have suited her.

I taught an Ophelia last year. I thought that only existed on mumsnet.

I clearly quite like mumsnetty names as my dd has a name that is suggested fairly often but not super common in my real life (not unheard of either). Sylvie is another one that's often suggested and I do quite like that too.

Oh yes, Reuben is suggested a lot. I have an irrational hatred of that name (sorry)

Olive
Ottilie
Persephone
Clementine
Wren

Never heard any of these 'in the wild', as it were - and I've worked in primary schools for 12+ years

Ptolemy was in vogue here for a while......

Do know 1 Persephone. NN Persi - v confusing for Thomas the Tank adoring ds!

Names do make a difference but only if they stand out.

Seren is a new name and has become popular very quickly. I don't like it. It's just the word for star. I think it's a bit downmarket.

Laurence seems popular on here. I have only met 2 in real life. Both nice but I still think the name sounds wet.

I don't understand the need to reflect the child's heritage in the first name or the need for multiple or filler middle names.

I don't hate the name Reuben but I think it sounds wet.

I know of 3 Ottilies (one of which is Ottilie Margot), 2 Clementines, 1 Wren, 2 Olives, 1 Aurelia and 1 Penelope all in real life.

At my daughters nursery, we also have a Dionysus and an Etienne

Astrid.
Absolutely awful name, have never heard any little girl called it in real life, yet it is always suggested on here.

I know 3 Astrids, all different places of the uk.

At my daughters nursery, we also have a Dionysus and an Etienne

Yikes those are quite bold choices where on earth do you live.

@MadamMiddle

Astrid. Absolutely awful name, have never heard any little girl called it in real life, yet it is always suggested on here.

It sounds like a cleaning product.

Ottlie is downright hideous - just makes me think of otters and murky ponds. It’s incredibly twee.

I know a toddler Etienne in real life, if you’re not French I find it so pretentious, and quite wet for a boy.

Kit is a name for a little boy with glasses and knee high socks.

There was an Etienne at our old nursery too (few years ago). I do love the name but decided I couldn't use it myself as I'm not French.

Harriet
Alice
Josephine

Oscar
Edward
Alexander

I think many posters like Ava, Eva, Isla etc, but they will dislike their popularity

Stalin and Adolf always get hyped on here

Harriet. I see it on so may threads. I think its an awful name. Makes me think of a big hairy lumbering yeti for some reason.

Alice. I'm planning on using it for my as yet unborn daughter and have noticed it appearing on threads a lot recently and getting almost universal love!

Alice is absolutely beautiful. I don't hear it enough.

I was just thinking that royal names would get MN approval.

E.g. Queen Victoria's children:

Victoria
Edward
Alice
Alfred
Helena
Louise
Arthur
Leopold
Beatrice

All beautiful, and all have stood the test of time. Although I haven't ever met a Leopold !

Good point- Queen Victoria clearly had good taste!