Final 13 - opinions

[windingstaircase]

I'm looking for feedback on my final list please and thank you:

Marina, Victoria, Sabine, Tallulah, Bettina, Samantha, Faye, Sara, Emma, Rosalind, Helen, Antonia, Joan.

From your list I like Sara, Faye, Antonia, Emma and Joan. All not currently popular but not odd sounding like Bettina or Tallulah.

Faye

Victoria

Thanks all. Tallulah and Bettina are lowest on the list and wild cards, I think I am drawn to the Tina nickname (don't like Christina) and for tallulah perhaps I watched too much Bugsy as a kid.

Victoria, Sara or Faye

Marina No
Victoria No
Sabine No
Tallulah No
Bettina No
Samantha No
Faye Ok as a middle name
Sara No boring
Emma No boring
Rosalind Best one!
Helen No - Helene /a as a middle name
Antonia No
Joan No

This is a v varied list - 80s classics / Germanic inspired!

I really like Samantha.

Joan is pretty good too.

I think a lot depends on the surname. Some names just seem to sound better than others.
I like Joan as a first name, but it wouldn't "go" with all surnames. If the surname is also one syllable, it wouldn't quite do it justice, if you see what I mean mean.
Examples:
Joan Smith (boring)
Joan Deveraux {not bad)
Joan Dalton (ok)
Joan Fotheringhay (great)

If your surname is a little dull, I would pick Rosalind, Tallulah, Marina or Victoria (and pick whichever has the best sound and rhythm when paired with the surname).

Faye, Sara or Helen. Helen my fave out of the three.

I really like Tallulah (also watched too much Bugsy). I had it on my list but wasn't brave enough. I also had Antonia so keen on that one too.

I also liked Marlena and Alicia.

Faves are Tallulah (love Bugsy Malone) and Emma.
Not so keen on Bettina and Sabine

Like:
Victoria - but will be Vic or Vicky.
Sabine - Sab-een or Zabinuh?
Sara - Sah-ra or Sarah?
Emma - love, but might get Emm, Emmy, Emmeline etc
Rosalind - like a lot
Helen - like a lot

Not sure:
Tallulah - too frilly, too many Lila/Lula/Lola/Lily/Layla type names around
Bettina, Samantha - ok
Faye - much prefer Fay, a bit too current
Marina - prefer Maria
Joan - like Joanie/Joni as a nn
Antonia - too long. not keen on Toni/Tonia/Ant.

Marina - don’t like it
Victoria - lovely
Sabine - dated
Tallulah - twee and I can never remember which way round the Ls go
Bettina - ugly and dated
Samantha - boring and dated
Faye - bit of a nothing name
Sara - ok but it will get mixed up with Sarah all the time
Emma - overly popular
Rosalind - lovely
Helen - ugly and dated
Antonia - really like this but I don’t like the nn Toni
Joan - boring

What about Rosemary, Natasha, Martha, Sophia?

I love Tallulah but she'd need the middle name Scarlett.

I reckon she'd always be the last one standing on a big night out....

Most of these aren’t my style, but I do like Marina and Emma (the latter’s a bit bland for me though I think).

Antonia and Rosalind are also quite nice, but really not keen on Toni or Ros (and all of the Antonias/Rosalinds I’ve met have ended up being shortened to these).

Like Marina and Tallulah.

Don't really like the others.

Marina - like it
Victoria - like it, but will get Vicky or possibly Tori / Tors, so think about whether you are happy with nicknames
Sabine - possible pronunciation issues?
Tallulah - like it, will get Tally, may need a less frilly middle name
Bettina - like it, though not the nicknames Betty or Tina
Samantha - like it, another one with a clear nickname though
Faye - find this a bit too short, slightly dull
Sara - ok, but dull
Emma - also a bit dull
Rosalind - like it
Helen - like it
Antonia - find the four syllables a bit heavy
Joan - like it

So many gorgeous names - I especially like classical, elegant Antonia, sophisticated, international Marina and Shakespearean, classy Rosalind. I'd possibly pick based on potential nn options - do you prefer Annie/Anya/Toni/Nina/Nia for Antonia, Marnie/Mina for Marina or Roz/Lindy for Rosalind best?

Emma, Victoria, Sara, Sabine and Faye are nice - they just don't feel quite as exciting to me as my favourites.

Tallulah I find a bit too celeb/frivolous sounding. Samantha, Helen, Joan and Bettina dated/slightly old-fashioned (although I like Samara, Helena, Jane and Elizabeth/Elisabetta.)

Rosalind is best then Helen in second

I like Marina and Victoria.

Antonia is nice because it reminds me of the book My Antonia by Willa Cather, although the pronunciation in that book is different to the usual British one.

Marina - popular on Mumsnet but I don't like it. I just think of boats and harbours.
Victoria - is ok. A bit 70s for me. I don't like Vicky or Tori but the full name is ok
Sabine - I can only think of the rape of the Sabine women whenever I hear that name. It would very much put me off.
Tallulah - don't like this at all
Bettina - unusual but sweet
Samantha - again very 70s - OK though
Faye - is ok
Sara - I really like this. And Lara, Zara, Cara and Clara! It's a good sound.
Emma - lovely
Rosalind - gorgeous
Helen - this could grow on me. I think it's the best of your 70s names. I do prefer Helena
Antonia - I've loved this since I was a child and considered it for my child. As long as no one uses Toni I really like it,
Joan - is ok. It's a bit boring I think

Rosalind, Emma and Antonia would be my picks.

I think Faye is the best

Sara
Emma.

It depends a bit on the last name but here you go:
Marina, Emma, Helen(a?) and Samantha are my favourites.

I don't like Bettina or Tallulah, Rosalind or Joan.

Marina
Victoria
Faye,
Sara,
Emma,
Rosalind,
Helen, prefer Helena
Antonia,
Bettina
Sabine
Tallulah
Samantha
Joan