DH has vetoed my girls names because they’re “too middle class”

[MonicaFaloolaGeller]

I’m gutted!

We have a son called Edward, I’m currently pregnant with no. 2. Pretty much got a boy’s name locked in but still shortlisting girls.

Two girls names I said I loved are Ophelia and Arabella. Both go fine with our surname.

He said no to both on account of them being too posh/middle class. Nothing wrong with the names themselves, just the association (in his mind).

He has a thing about anything he thinks is too middle class (even though he is, by definition, middle class himself.)

Can anyone think of names in the same vein that I would like that won’t offend DH’s ridiculous class sensibilities?

Other names I like are

Alexandra
Evelyn (with a short “ev” like in never)

DH so far has said he likes Orla and Georgia. I’m not into Orla, and don’t like Georgia.

Middle names Mary, Rose.

Ophelia is a bit much but arabella is lovely. I wouldn’t have dreamt of even asking my partner and he didn’t care less.

I think the names are fine. Ophelia is quite middle class.

I like Alexandra - you can't go wrong with it.

Orla is quite middle class.

Must admit I'm not keen on those names, far from being posh they sound too try hard to me, people trying to be posh (buy aren't) a classic name like Emily perhaps as a compromise, goes well with Edward

@MonicaFaloolaGeller

I’ve loved the names Arabella and Ophelia for years. There’s a character called Arabella in one of Enid Blyton’s boarding school books (I forget which) and when I read it when I was little I thought it was beautiful and have wanted it ever since. Same with Ophelia when I was studying Hamlet in secondary school (even though Hamlet’s Ophelia is a bit nuts). I just thought they were both beautiful sounding names, there was no class link for me at all.

Sorry OP but I have to laugh at the idea you could read a book about a girl at boarding school and still say “there was no class link for me at all”.

I’m afraid I agree with your husband. Both names sound very pretentious and try-hard posh. Ophelia sounds like you want to boast about having read Shakespeare, but haven’t actually read Hamlet because why would anyone want to name their child after a woman with mental health problems? I know you have read it, but this is what people will think.

I had a fiend named Cordelia at University, she went by Cordy. That has a similar delicate feel and is Shakespearean too, but not quite as floaty flimsy as Ophelia. My friend was VERY posh and rich and went to boarding school.

My middle name is Aveline and on the odd occasions when I have to give my full name, without exception I have to spell it. It can also be pronounced two ways just to add to the confusion.

@threatmatrix

Ophelia is a bit much but arabella is lovely. I wouldn’t have dreamt of even asking my partner and he didn’t care less.

What now? You would not have given your baby’s father any say in the name and he would not have cared?!

@friendlycat

My middle name is Aveline and on the odd occasions when I have to give my full name, without exception I have to spell it. It can also be pronounced two ways just to add to the confusion.

Reminds me of “Our Aveline” in Bread!

@Roodicus21

Well Edward is pretty middle class imo so I don't see his point. I personally don't like the names you do and do prefer his though.

This totally agree...arabella/ophelia IMO are awful names and like someone else said middle-class trying to sound posh....

If you have an Edward I wouldnt choose Arabella, as nice a name as it is, it will end being shortened to Bella, another lovely name, but automatically makes me think of Twilight, names of the 2 main characters x

Great names! And they are not middle class names. Tell him that you were thinking of changing Edward's name to Gary and you were going to try Lilibet and Meghan.

Ophelia and Arabella are not middle class, they are pretentious and I’m with DH all the way.
Saskia is nice.

I have an Evelyn, I think it's a beautiful name but then I'm biased

I like both names, both very pretty.

I second Cordelia. You could call her Cora for short which has similar sounds to Orla and Georgia. And it shares the -elia with Ophelia.

Other suggestions - apologies for repeats:

Heidi
Freya
Eliza
Zara
Adelaide
Beatrix
Octavia
Eliana
Clara
Lydia
Penelope
Tessa
Imogen
Willow
Astrid
Juliet/te
Giselle
Ameline
Nora
Violet
Tabitha
Matilda
Annalise
Liliana
Maeve

I have an Evelia (pronounced ev - eh- lee - ya). I also liked Evelyn but it was a bit too popular for my liking and I didn't like any of the shortenings and my other daughter has a longer name but goes by a shortening. So, we used Evelia and she is known as Lia.

Being a tad superstitious..The story of Ophelia is tragic so could never understand why anyone would shortlist it in case real life imitates art?!

Pretentious rather than middle class I would say... how about: Araminta
a cross between Aminta and Arabella meaning prayer and protection?

Good luck 😘

He seems to like names which trip off the tongue.

Fiona
Lynsey
Laura
Imogen

Gabriella. Far nicer than Arabella.

@calvados

Being a tad superstitious..The story of Ophelia is tragic so could never understand why anyone would shortlist it in case real life imitates art?! Pretentious rather than middle class I would say... how about: Araminta a cross between Aminta and Arabella meaning prayer and protection?

Good luck 😘

?

why the superstition about that one particular name?
based on your idea we should never choose any name that ever existed previously in any fiction.
I don't have the time but it would be a massive list

Also I came across an Effelia once nicknamed Effie.

How about Bella, Natalya, Hazel, Fiona, Louise,?

Fiona Debbie Carol Marilyn- really don't like Orla and other two sound too posh.

Iris
Ivy
Lilian

I like names of my daughter’s friends: Allegra and Stella. Also Antonia, wanted to name my daughter but DH was against, still regret not insisting!

What about the Irish name Aoife (pronounced EE-FA) ??

The names don't sound too MC to me, tbh Arabella feels like a Disney character name. (And I don't mean that to be a bad thing, just, if we're going on knee-jerk reactions, that's mine to that name )

Hopefully you can find something that works. I like the sound of Evelyn, who cares if it's popular?