What do you think of my shortlist?

[bubblegumfloss]

We currently have a shortlist of names that are on the table and we are struggling to figure out which is our best option. Any advice would be lovely. Only one name (Elizabeth) has been taken off as DH doesn’t like the connection with the queen.

Madeleine,
Rose,
Eleanor,
Jade,
Victoria,
Roisin,
Valentina,
Louise.

I like them all except for Jade

My favourite is Eleanor

I love Madeleine, Roisin, Louise, and Valentina.

(Sorry, can't do the fadas on Roisin on my phone).

My favourites are Jade and Roisin. They seem more original and lively than the others.

The other names all seem safe choices but a bit boring and bland for me.

I like them all except Jade.

These are all really lovely! I'm not a big fan of one-syllable names and Eleanor is a bit dated to me (as well as at risk of being just another Ellie like so many others at the moment). My favourites are Madeleine (so elegant!), Roisin and Valentina, though with Valentina have you considered whether you like the likely nicknames?

Please not Jade

Eleanor Rose

Jade is one of DH’s ideas - i’m not totally keen on it so it’s unlikely we’ll use it, along with Valentina would most likely have Val as a nn. Not too keen on Valentina either. My favourite choices on the list are Rose or Madeleine, maybe Roisin.

Madeleine - it's ok. I just feel it's a bit dated
Rose - I love this as a first name
Eleanor - I really like this
Jade - don't like at all
Victoria - really don't like either
Roisin - not keen
Valentina - don't like this at all either. I know several who are Eastern European and all known as Valli
Louise - don't like. Like Louisa.

Love Madeleine and Valentina.
Dislike Victoria and Louise. Louise especially seems very dated. The similar Eloise would be better.

if you’re using Róisín, you need to use the síne fada on both the o and the final i. Otherwise that’s not a name. And would be pronounced Roy-sin.

Madeleine, - ok
Rose, - ok, also Rosemary, Rosamund, Rosalind
Eleanor, - nice
Jade, - not so keen, prefer Jasmine
Victoria, - my favourite
Roisin, - Irish name
Valentina, - sounds Italian
Louise. - prefer Louisa

If we use Róisín we will be adding fadas, I forgot to add them while typing my shortlist. We are from Ireland so pronunciation isn’t going to be an issue. It’s pronounced Row-sheen where we’re from.

Love Eleanor. My favourite name.

I also like Roisin, Rose, Madeliene , Victoria, Louise.

Not keen on the others.

I like Rose and Madeleine from your list. Eleanor feels overused and the others are a bit drab.

I like them all except Jade and prefer Louisa to Louise

Only like Valentina

Valentina! Also think Elizabeth is a great connection…..!

Madeleine - lovely, though people will pronounce it differently and she'll probably end up as Maddie, which I don't like. Imogen? Camille? Marguerite?
Rose - pretty, I know a couple of Rosas
Eleanor - lovely, but there are a lot of El- names around. I love Nora / Norah.
Jade - no, Jasmine? Fern?
Victoria - dull
Roisin - nice. Rowan? Ramona?
Valentina - not keen . Vera? Verity? Sienna?
Louise - dated. Eloise?

I like them all except Jade. A lot depends how they scan with the surname.

Jade is definitely the odd one out from your list, although I quite like it (and you're unlikely find that many other baby Jades!)

The other names that sprang to mind when I read your list were:

Margherita
Margot
Serena
Helena
Honor
Faith
Felicity
Isobel

...and my wild card is Amabel, which I've always loved but I appreciate will mean a lifetime of spelling it out 😁

Someone upthread mentioned Ramona - love this.

Madeleine - lovely, I prefer Madeline spelling

Rose - love this

Eleanor - v nice

Jade - no

Victoria - beautiful

Roisin - gorgeous

Valentina - nice

Louise - nice, I prefer Louisa

Madeleine - I think the Madeline McCann thing has wasted the name for me
Rose - nice but common
Eleanor - yes cute
Jade - maybe, not blown away by it though. Makes me think of the name Amber somehow, which I prefer I think
Victoria - not keen
Roisin - not keen
Valentina - love this, I think I love the nickname Valle (valley) even more than the name itself
Louise - a bit too ‘classic’ for me but is. A nice name

I forgot about the connection with Madeleine McCann, it’s very rare I hear something about the case nowadays. The connection doesn’t completely throw me off but I understand why for some people.