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?

I love the name Ottilie, I think it's very pretty and classically English.

It's originally German, the feminine version of Otto. Pronounced O-TEE-lee-eh

@kirstenblest personally I don't think that's usually true. If someone asks about Charlotte or Alexander or Edward, they are usually mostly loved. You will get the odd person saying "that's dull" but the vast majority will like it and say things like "timeless, classic, strong" etc.

The names that get called "boring and dull" are usually the ones that are currently trendy and popular (Amelia, Eva, Sophia etc) because people get bored of hearing them I imagine (no disrespect to those names).

My childrens names got slated by some people on MN! Haha but some people were really nice about them and liked them as much as I did.

Names like Sophia, Alice, Anna, Olivia.. I see them doing well all the time.
MN tends to not like more out there names imo

[quote Drunkenmonkey]@kirstenblest personally I don't think that's usually true. If someone asks about Charlotte or Alexander or Edward, they are usually mostly loved. You will get the odd person saying "that's dull" but the vast majority will like it and say things like "timeless, classic, strong" etc.

The names that get called "boring and dull" are usually the ones that are currently trendy and popular (Amelia, Eva, Sophia etc) because people get bored of hearing them I imagine (no disrespect to those names).[/quote]
Yes because MN attracts a certain type of poster - it is mainly aspirational white mums, who then soak in others opinions on what will happen if they give their child a non-classic name.

Timeless and classic aren’t really compliments on the name as such, they’re more objective observations that the name is one that has stuck around throughout history.

I’m not against traditional names at all (although I like them more for boys than girls), but I feel a lot of mumsnetters limit themselves in naming their child as the names they like are dismissed as something that will ‘date badly’ or is ‘naff’. It’s a shame as the name they float is often gorgeous but they end up settling for something plain.

I think Wren an Quentin names may be inspired by fictional characters, so would have started fairly recently. They might not be ones you've heard in your area yet.

You also get the regional effect where a really unusual name gets used, then someone else uses it and it becomes more mainstream in that area, but not in other parts of the country.

Isn't Kobe swahili?

Bloody Margot, Rory, Elizabeth. The lovely Hazel is occurring more though.

I think names which are classics but not overused as best-liked here. Names disliked the most are American ones (like surnames as first names), nicknames used as the official name and unusual spellings of names.

Juliet is always mentioned on here. Always, always, Juliet pops up. Personally I thing it sounds a bit wimpy.

*think

olivia and Rosie always seem popular

Elliott
Quentin
Tarquin

Maud
Olive/Olivia

Most “old lady” names TBH.

There are lots of baby Willows here. Most new baby boys seem to have names like Arthur, Henry, Edward etc but there are also plenty of the Arlo, Milo & Oscar type names too.

I think names which are classics but not overused as best-liked here

Yes I agree. Old but known names outside the top 100. Underused classics!

@KirstenBlest

I think Wren an Quentin names may be inspired by fictional characters, so would have started fairly recently. They might not be ones you've heard in your area yet.

You also get the regional effect where a really unusual name gets used, then someone else uses it and it becomes more mainstream in that area, but not in other parts of the country.

Isn't Kobe swahili?

I just think the city. Or beef.

Alice, Maeve, Grace, Emily are all popular on here and dull, dull, dull.

@Drunkenmonkey I disagree, I think with names like Charlotte or Alex, the point is that you wouldn’t be able to guess much about he person from their name - age, background etc I know tons of Charlotte and alex’s that aren’t remotely ‘middle class’ The more unique names say so much more about the parents. I agree it would be nice for people to use a bit more imagination with names and the ‘brave’ choices are often way nicer but Im not sure how people of ethnic minorities would feel about ‘white middle class’ parents using names traditionally used in their culture either. I think people are just not very nice on online forums. Not sure most people in every day life care much about baby names one way or the other! I have a boring beige name myself and it hasn’t traumatised me too much

I still don't understand where TF Ottilie-pronounced-Ottuhly came from. PPs have pointed out its provenance (a principal character in a Goethe novel has the name) and correct pronunciation. Strangely, it's not 'come back' here in Germany at all, though you can't move for kids called Franz and Johann and Lotte and Frieda.

I have a Welsh name in England. People can be very rude about it IRL. Majority of people aren't but some ask if they can call me something else, or can't be bothered learning to say or spell it and it isn't a difficult name to either say or spell.

Some people have told me quite firmly that it would be 'child abuse' to give my own DC a 'ghastly' Welsh name like mine.

I have seen negative comments on here and similar sites when people post Welsh and Irish names. Lots of 'spell it properly' comments for names like Tomos, Harri, Mari and Alys, for example.

I do like having an unusual name and I like that my name reflects my heritage, I also think it's a nice name which suits me, it certainly isn't 'ghastly'. I will happily use Welsh names for my own DC. In fairness many of the Welsh names I like are traditional - in Wales at least.

IRL I think people are more likely to judge a name they perceive as 'unusual' compared to a more familiar name like Hannah or Oliver. Name boards attract people who are more interested than your average person so you'll get more unusual names suggested as a result.

There is definitely a lot of love for underused but familiar names on here like Marianne, Juliet, Susannah, Laurence and Nicholas.

Spudulike. A classic

@CaffiSaliMali

I have a Welsh name in England. People can be very rude about it IRL. Majority of people aren't but some ask if they can call me something else, or can't be bothered learning to say or spell it and it isn't a difficult name to either say or spell.

Some people have told me quite firmly that it would be 'child abuse' to give my own DC a 'ghastly' Welsh name like mine.

I have seen negative comments on here and similar sites when people post Welsh and Irish names. Lots of 'spell it properly' comments for names like Tomos, Harri, Mari and Alys, for example.

I do like having an unusual name and I like that my name reflects my heritage, I also think it's a nice name which suits me, it certainly isn't 'ghastly'. I will happily use Welsh names for my own DC. In fairness many of the Welsh names I like are traditional - in Wales at least.

IRL I think people are more likely to judge a name they perceive as 'unusual' compared to a more familiar name like Hannah or Oliver. Name boards attract people who are more interested than your average person so you'll get more unusual names suggested as a result.

There is definitely a lot of love for underused but familiar names on here like Marianne, Juliet, Susannah, Laurence and Nicholas.

I’ve never come across a thread with people saying ‘spell it properly’, more ‘They will probably have to spell it out for everyone, if you’re happy with that then great, if not maybe use the conventional spelling’.

There are also many threads with posters like yourself, who aren’t actually Welsh/Irish/Scottish but maybe have some heritage, asking whether it is acceptable to use a Welsh/Irish/Scottish name.

I have an unusual surname - it is English but very old and specific to a particular area. It is both easy to say and spell, but people don’t ‘get’ it. It’s no biggie I just use the phonetic alphabet.

I think you’re looking for a reason to feel annoyed if I’m honest.

I have a 5 year old Christopher . He is a Chris though and not a Kit .

@mightykerfuffle

Spudulike. A classic

Don’t forget Balonz.

My white British DD was born in Spain and has Spanish/Latin American heritage on her father's side.

I'm glad I gave her an English name now as I don't want people thinking I'm having an Hilaria Baldwin style breakdown.

@raskolnikova

My white British DD was born in Spain and has Spanish/Latin American heritage on her father's side.

I'm glad I gave her an English name now as I don't want people thinking I'm having an Hilaria Baldwin style breakdown.

😂😂

Yeah I do find someone can be 99% English and 1% Irish and they’re desperate to give their child an Irish name citing ‘heritage’

I have a DC with one of the hated/MN names. Luckily they are frightfully posh so pull it off.

Eliza
Lilian
Olivia
Alice
Violet

Seriously,could they be any more old lady like(as some like to say,classic🙄)

They are so dull and because they are so old and stable ,mumsnetters think if they revive these names that means they most be timeless and classics but everyone knows they are the most boring and dull names and there is good reason why many years passed without many of these violets or lilians running about.

As time moves on, and people are not restricted to such bland names with family ties,why do many mumsnetters stick with the old and boring and somewhat ugly names(sorry Lilian )

There are so many beautiful names out there for both boys and girls, can we please leave the dull and boring Thomas's, Brian's, Anna's and Mary's behind.

And then there is the ridiculously over used names such as
Ellie
Ella
Bella
Lucy
Elle
Eve
Evie
Lily
Rose
Willow
Hannah

And every name has a may or rose or Kate on the end
Lily may
Lily rose
Ella Kate
Rosie Kate
Evie may
Evie rose 🙄🙄🙄🙄

Am sorry but it's a real pet peeve of mine, these stupid overused names(sorry)