Thoughts on baby name shortlists

[Carlos18]

Hello Mumsnet,

I’m due this week and we have kept the sex of the child a surprise and as before, my husband and I are struggling a bit agreeing on names. We have a shortlist for boys and girls but I expect some of my favourites have either been knocked off because we don’t both like it, or it doesn’t go well with our slightly awkward last name. The new baby will be a sibling to our oldest child Maeve (who’s name I still love but has now become super popular it would seem but I guess that’s just one of this things). So here are some that me and my husband both think are ok at least…but wouldn’t say I’m totally sold on

Boys:

• Alden
• Arlen (front runner)
• Beck
• Flynn
• Logan
• Orson (front runner)
• Raymond
• Sebastian
• Vincent

Girls

• Ada
• Aisling
• Anwen
• Ava
• Bridget
• Cora (my second favourite after Nora but my husband doesn’t like Nora)
• Eleanor
• Elva

Sebastian and Bridget would be my top runners from your lists. I think they go well with Maeve too.

Love Flynn and Eleanor (my daughter's called Eleanor so I'm biased!)

Alden - not keen
Arlen - not keen. I just don't like surname type names
Beck - not keen. I know a lot of Rebeccas known as Beck
Flynn - love this
Logan - not keen at all
Orson - not keen but probably my favourite of that sn style
Raymond - don't like
Sebastian - love
Vincent - ok

Ada - gorgeous
Aisling - gorgeous
Anwen - gorgeous
Ava - sounds too similar to Maeve in my accent
Bridget - don't like
Cora (my second favourite after Nora but my husband doesn’t like Nora) - lovely. I think it's nicer than Nora
Eleanor - lovely
Elva - not keen but I don't know why

I like
Flynn and Sebastian
Eleanor and Cora

My favourites are:
Maeve and Elva
And
Maeve and Orson.

Have you considered the name Nancy (same sort of vibe to me as Nora has- so thought it worth suggesting)

Boys:

• Alden - ok
• Arlen (front runner) - nothingy
• Beck - no
• Flynn - ok
• Logan - not sure
• Orson (front runner) - Arson
• Raymond - like
• Sebastian - dislike
• Vincent - don't like Vince and Vinnie so no

Girls

• Ada - no
• Aisling - ok
• Anwen - not keen
• Ava - b dislike
• Bridget - ok
• Cora (my second favourite after Nora but my husband doesn’t like Nora)- ok
• Eleanor - not keen
• Elva - baby eel

Thank you for your responses @lemoncrisp @elliesmummy19 @Fivebeanchilli @JeremyVinesEgo @PollysPockets @FayCarew , really appreciate your responses

thank you for your responses @Luckyelephant1 @Velveteen16 @boysmuminherts @sherbetmelon @FixItUpChappie @TracyMosby @FantasticFebruary @TeddyPlaygroup90 @Kitkat151 @SE13Mummy @AnnaSW1

@PollysPockets I hadn’t really thought about Nancy, I’ll mull that one over

Logan for a boy

Ada or Cora for a girl

Good luck!

I like Eleanor or Cora

Raymond or Sebastian
I googled Arlen and as meaning pledge or oath I like it. However the name berry website says it means “hare land”, definitely not keen. That’s the first thing that came up on my Google search Arlen boy name. Searching meaning makes the others top.

Boys:

• Alden - sorry I don’t like it
• Arlen (front runner) - it’s okay
• Beck - beckham?!
• Flynn - nice
• Logan - naughty kid at school
• Orson (front runner) - nice!
• Raymond - seriously?! 70yo
• Sebastian - nice but a bit fussy
• Vincent - nice

Girls

• Ada - lovely
• Aisling - not for me
• Anwen - not for me
• Ava - nice
• Bridget - love it
• Cora (my second favourite after Nora but my husband doesn’t like Nora) - don’t like it
• Eleanor - nice
• Elva - no.

Thank you @Caramelcap

Thanks @Difficultcustomer. Yeah I like the meaning as described on other websites and books but not the Nameberry one.

It’s funny how a meaning can really put me off something. I know it doesn’t bother lots of people. Perhaps I overthink these things.

Thanks for the input @DogsAndGin . That’s a no to Raymond then yes!?

Only like Sebastian from your boys list. Not keen on your front runner, but I've never heard of it.
Girls I like Ava
X

Sebastian and Eleanor

The name Orson to me comes out as Whoreson which isn't a nice term to associate with.

Boys:

• Alden - it sounds like a village ?
• Arlen (front runner) - Ok, quite lord of the rings
• Beck - Nope, naughty boy name
• Flynn- Fine, loads of them though
• Logan - nope, suddenly loads, will date
• Orson (front runner) - ok, bit faddy
• Raymond - no, too early to revive IMO
• Sebastian - my favourite
• Vincent - no, thuggish, especially Vinnie

Other thoughts - Owen, Gawain, Guy, Jerome, Joel, Aaron, Joss, Levi, Caleb, Laurence, Arnold, Jude, Blaise, Patrick, Ronan, Reuben

Girls

• Ada - I find it harsh, but it’s v popular
• Aisling - love it, slightly prefer Aislinn spelling
• Anwen - like it
• Ava - far far too many Ava/Eva/Eve/Evie/Evelyns
• Bridget - I like it
• Cora (my second favourite after Nora but my husband doesn’t like Nora) - Cora is OK, Norah makes me think 1950s spinster, a sad lonely one in a moth eaten bed jacket, not a cool one.
• Eleanor - lovely, lots of Ellies though.
• Elva - cute but I it’s VERY lord of the rings-y

Other thoughts - Lois, Thora, Oona, Catrin, Ffion, Adela, Ines, Astra, Kinvara, Finola, Stella, Estella, Olwen, Seren, Mirren, Iona

Boys

In order of preference
=Logan
=Sebastian
Flynn
Orson
Vincent
Alden
Raymond
Beck
Arlen
Raymond

Girls
In order of preference
Cora
Elva
Bridget
Eleanor
Ava
Ada
Aisling
Anwen

Thank you for the input @ilovemyboys3 @BellaTheDarkOverlord @Luredbyapomegranate @MinglingFlamingo

I’ll let people know what we chose!

Cora is lovely. What about Ari for a boy? It’s my favourite name of all time and sounds nice with Maeve. Vincent was on out list too but mainly because I liked Vinnie and wasn’t sure what people would actually end up calling him

I've met a Bridget who goes by Birdie, and a Bridget that goes by Beanie... both of which I thought were pretty cool nicknames. 😃

@Carlos18

Thank you for the input *@ilovemyboys3* *@BellaTheDarkOverlord* *@Luredbyapomegranate* *@MinglingFlamingo*

I’ll let people know what we chose!

No worries! you're very welcome

I'm sure whatever you pick will be lovely and suit your new baby perfectly

I love Vincent and Anwen or Eleanor.

Yes @Sarah13xx I like Vinnie too.

I’ve not heard Ari before, I wonder if I’m Yorkshire it’s just going to sound like “Harry”