Down to two names!

[ClaraBean]

We both love both of the names but dh strongly favours one, and I strongly favour the other 😁
Which do you prefer, and why? (I won't say which is my favourite!)
Shirley or Susan
Middle name will be Jean

Other names that we seriously considered, but we're discarded are Barbara, Gwen, Maureen, Moira and Roberta.
Opinions please (so I can report back to dh 😁)

Susan, of the two. I think it is due a comeback, Susie is nice but I know lots of not very nice Sues (and one or two nice ones but definitely a minority)
I like Gwen and Maureen a lot, Barbara is ok, Shirley is ok but I don't like Roberta

Love Susan

My lovely sweet sister in law is Susan. Such a shame as it’s such a dull, unimaginative name and doesn’t suit her.
Shirley is middle aged and frumpy. Not cute enough to be old, in my opinion. Both equally hideous names.

I think the popularity of Sanditon will mean less known Jane Austen names like Alison and Susan will become more popular. Susan is Lady Susan in that - it’s rather glamorous aristocratic name then.

Susan

Susan.

Blimey, you’re 15 years ahead on the old mid century revival there OP

Susan Is OK

Shirley is appalling
Maureen and Moira are equally appalling

Barbara is not appalling, not great either, but no worse than Joanie

Roberta is nice, Robin and Bobbie are very nice nicknames

Gwen is very nice, but I think you need Gwendoline as a full name

Gwendoline Jean would be my choice
or failing that Roberta Jean
Susan Jean no. 3

None the less, I think you are really naming a goldfish, either that or you’re a time traveller from Skegness in 1948

I had 2 aunts called Susan, no no no I know hate is a strong word but neither are/were woman I’d ever choose to name a child after. Horrible horrible nasty women.

Moira I just can’t get past the Hindly association. Although, I think it could do a come back with Moira from The Handmaids Tale.

The youngest Shirley I know would be late 40s but could see it doing a comeback. Though I immediately thought of the Airplane reference as mentioned up thread.

Barbara, ok, could see a bit of a come back with Stranger Things.

Roberta, also ok, I do know 2 20 ish Roberta’s neither from the UK though.

Absolutely nothing wrong with Gwen, I thought it was a steady name used for years especially in Wales.

Unless any of the names had a strong family meaning (and only Susan dose) I wouldn’t choose any though.

Yeah but I think/hope that Moira and Maureen are like Edna and Gladys from the earlier generation, mercifully not revived.

Of the mid century names I think Jean, Jane, Anne, Margaret, Patricia, Diana, Daphne, Stella, Amanda,,Elizabeth, Jennifer, Penelope, Helen, Caroline, Rosemary, Julia, Samantha, Audrey, Judith, Frances, Margot, Vivienne , Sylvia, Marian, are all perfectly nice and many on their way back, and Susan, Pamela and Barbara alright, it’s not like they are all regarded as horrible

Shirley or Susan??

Susanna is more timeless but Susan's okay - it's dated now but at least is sort of a classic with some nice nn options if she wants, Annie and Suki in particular have a sort of cool, retro rock chic vibe so sound good with similar style Pearl to me. Jean is very retro cool now - ala Jean Harlow, Jean Shrimpton etc.

Shirley is horrible, sorry! I suppose some people will think of Shirley Manson but for most people I think it's many elderly ladies or perhaps cutesy Shirley Temple type imagery with no obvious nice nn to make it better. Sylvia (Sylvie) instead? Sylvia has more of a retro cool feel like Pearl to me rather than just dated - thanks to Sylvia Plath, Sylvia Pankhurst etc and the currently trendy "v" sound.

Of your rejects, Gwen is lovely - just a perfectly "normal" Welsh name used by various age groups. Roberta isn't my cup of tea really but at least Bobbi and Robin are cute, more "modern" sounding nn's. Not Barbara, Moira or Maureen - sorry but if I was your DD, just like with Shirley I'd feel like Pearl got the more retro/vintage cool name and I got plain retro.

Shirley is so old fashioned. Susan is OK but, as others have said I also prefer Susanna.

Shirley

You seriously had no idea that Shirley was out of style?? 🤔You might not know any babies, but you must know some people... Do you not work with people who have babies? Hear adults call their children on the street/in the supermarket? Read the odd thread on here? Nobody is calling out or talking about Shirley

Pearl and Shirl...

Susan, at least then she can be Suzie. I know a 30 y

Sorry posted before I was done
I know a 30 year old Yvonne and she has always hated having a "middle aged mum's name". Shirley is a name for a 60 year old, sorry

I'd say older than 60. Shirley Temple was popular in the 1930s.
Names come round again, and the sound of it is pretty. Makes me think of Garbage, and it seemed a dated name for a pop star

Susan

Susan is nice. You can't use Shirley if your other daughter is Pearl - you'd have Pearl and Shirl.

Gwen is lovely.

Agree with pp - Pamela and Linda both lovely mid-century names due a comeback.

If you meet a Shirley , Pamela or Susan who agree their name is ready for a come back then maybe. Old names come back but they are just not nice or old

My sister is Susan Jean, she's 50.