Marian?

[BessSedgwick]

Thoughts? It's the least popular of the names we're considering, but it's got stuck in my head ... I associate it with the wonderful Marian Halcombe, but DH rightly pointed out that Maid Marian is probably a more common association!

Marianne is much nicer I think

I love it but also prefer the second spelling

I personally prefer Marianne?

I know Marianne is more popular ... It just feels a bit more frilly to me, and I prefer the stress on the first syllable rather than the last.

Oh wow, crossed posts-see, OP, Marianne is meant to be!

I would have thought Marian was a boy's name? I was just going to post that I loved it! But not for a girl!

How about Marion?

LOVE Marian/Marion. It was my second choice for DD2.

Much nicer than Marianne IMO.

My husband actually suggested Marian/Marion for our imminent little one, it’s not a name that had occurred to me before but it is very pretty, and uncommon without being ‘out there’.

@luciasanta

I would have thought Marian was a boy's name? I was just going to post that I loved it! But not for a girl!

You scared me there - I looked it up in case I was losing my mind (quite likely) and it looks like Marian is a male name in Eastern Europe, but female in the UK and the States.

Ohhh nice! Unusual - I haven’t heard it recently. A classic though.

It’s a lovely name, but I definitely prefer the Marion setting (or Marianne).

@Usernamenotavailabletryanother

LOVE Marian/Marion. It was my second choice for DD2.

Much nicer than Marianne IMO.

What name did you choose instead, @Usernamenotavailabletryanother?! Perhaps we have the same taste!

@Rosiiiiie

How about Marion?

I don't think I like this spelling. (I do, however, love Rosie, which is another possible!!)

Ah fair enough! In that case I also prefer it over Marianne

Love it.
But prefer Maryann

It’s a boys name in Germany too. First association is definitely maid Marian.

I prefer Marianne. Marion is used a male name in US too - John Wayne -was actually a Marion himself.

I like Marian and prefer it to Marianne. The Maid Marian association is there, but it's not overwhelming or a negative thing.

This feels like a tentative yes! Definitely more successful than most of my name suggestions 😃

Don't like it. Love Marianne.

As above: Marian is male name is Germany and Eastern Europe. Don’t like it. Marianne for me.

Marian/Marion is lovely. Don’t like Marianne much. I also like Miriam.

@Turefu

As above: Marian is male name is Germany and Eastern Europe. Don’t like it. Marianne for me.

That's true, but I wouldn't advise the OP not to choose it because it's a man's name in country where she doesn't reside, in the same way I wouldn't advise an Italian living in Italy not to name their son Andrea or Nicola because in the UK they are girls names.

Its my mum's name and I think its lovely.