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.

I have a Sylvie and I'm common as muck.

Hth

Philippa
Bryony
Miranda
Virginia
Rosalind (although you risk the less nice Ros)
Matilda
Florence
Talitha
Tabitha
Charlotte
Beatrice
Lucy
Bethia

Arabella is fab (I remember the EB books!)
Edward and Arabella sound great.
Stick with it!!

I was at school with a girl called Ophelia.

Or Ophelia’re Arse, as she was known...

I would describe Ophelia and Arabella as being frilly names rather than more middle class than Edward.

My suggestions for less frilly names...
Anna
Felicity
Hannah
Harriet
Imogen
Madeleine
Sadie
Tess
Verity

Edward may be MC but it's not pretentious. Arabella and Ophelia are.

I love Arabella. It's getting popular again, there are 2 in my DD's class, as well as an Anabella.

Evelyn is lovely too, do you like the like nickname Evi or Ev or Lyn? As it is likely to get shortened.

I also like :
Madeleine (pronounced "len" at the end) Lauren
Carolyn
Rebecca

@HoppingHamster

I’d say Ophelia and Arabella are not typical middle class, they’re generally more people trying to assert themselves as middle / upper class (whether they are or not). We live in a very very middle class area and there aren’t any/many of either of them.

That’s worse surely..?!

@Kollamoolitumarellipawkyrollo

I liked Ophelia but then my husband put on an accent and made it sound like ‘I’ll feel ya’ and now I hate it. I too love Arietty and your suggestion, OP, of Alexandra.

That’s hilarious

I agree with a PP, I understand your DH’s view. Edward is middle class, but Arabella and Ophelia are pretentious sounding

Ophelia and Arabella are very pretty names.
How about:
Alice
Eliza
Grace nn Gracie
Heidi
Ottile
Luna
Wren
Annabel
Eloise
Rose nn Rosie

The fucking QUEEN has an Edward but Ophelia is too middle class?!

Someone needs his head removing from his arse!

I may be biased as I wanted Ophelia for DD1 and got a firm no, not ever from my ex. Should have gone for it anyway as he fucked off when she was three, never to be seen again and it would have suited her so well.

@Kollamoolitumarellipawkyrollo

I liked Ophelia but then my husband put on an accent and made it sound like ‘I’ll feel ya’ and now I hate it. I too love Arietty and your suggestion, OP, of Alexandra.

that's bound to happen with Ophelia, so it's a no from me.

Harriet
Alexandra
Penelope.
Roberta
Susanna
Patricia

Arianna makes me think of Grande

So, that name has an association for you that spoils it. That’s all he’s saying too.

We spent many an amusing hour trading associations that ruled out names...

“Nancy?”

“Leaves her knickers in cars. Meredith?”

“Sounds like a posh biscuit.”

Nice to see my DD's lost-classic name, Virginia, up there. Thanks @AtomHeartMotherOfGod! DD is the only Virginia in her middle-class Melbourne high school full of Sophies, Sophias, Siennas and Madeleines.

OP, if the currently fashionable names are annoying your DH, how about:

Susanna
Bethany
Priscilla
Nerida
Victoria
Lynne
Lisa
Gabrielle
Shaunagh
Callista
Rhodanthe
Valerie
Tara

Or hit him with some mid-century Australian fossils: Raylene, Gaylene, Kaylene, Noelene, Narelle, Cheryl and Beryl! Good onya!

What are his suggestions?

If he's not got any I don't think it's ok for him to shoot yours down!

Arabella sounds lovely with Edward. Did he also veto Alexandra? I was going to suggest Sophie, but then remember the royal family’s Edward is married to a Sophie

Could you possibly have Constance as a middle name or would that make the name too long?

Some other suggestions:
Alice
Amelia
Annabelle
Beatrice
Charlotte
Claudia
Delilah
Eloise
Emily
Francesca
Georgina
Imogen
Isabella (only if you can ignore the Edward and Isabella royal connection)
Isadora
Matilda
Penelope
Rose
Rosalind
Saskia
Seraphina
Sophia
Susanna
Theodora

Maybe you should suggest Lily-Mae and Kayleigh.

Oh Lily-Mae....

Started at school that the L-M's would have their initial surname letter said to identify them. Then even that didnt work so the poor girls are not Lily-Mae but LilyMae Smith....Lily Mae Jones...Lily Mae Farqhuart

Is Lily-Mae the new version of Emma--Jane? As a 70's born I grew up with three in my year at primary and heaven knows how many in Seniors!

Names don't really have a class any more as anyone can be called anything! You get stereotypically posh names in very working class areas now. If you're middle class then the name you give your child will be middle class wether it's Shane or it's tarquin!

Sofia
Harriet

I have to say I agree with him. Not that there's anything wrong with being middle class, but they are quite posh names.

I love that the OP’s opening line is ‘we have a son called Edward’, and then people go on to give their opinions on Edward. 🙄

It doesn't matter whether DH is right or wrong in his he labelled the names, or shouid have said pretentious rather than ascribing class. The bottom line is that he doesn't like them, and won't like names he thinks are similar.

Just as OP has vetoed his suggestions so far, because she doesn't like them, he's done the same. I hope he's coming up with more as well

How about trying out: Juliet, Anna, Emma, Bethany, Philipa/Pippa, Josephine, Sarah,