Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Opinions on Irene?

71 replies

babynameratings · 05/09/2022 11:57

I have received a lot of mixed opinions on the name Irene and was wondering what the general consensus would be on the name. Nice or too old lady?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
abovedecknotbelow · 05/09/2022 11:58

I really don't like it, sorry.

Marcipex · 05/09/2022 11:59

Too old lady, sorry.

TheLightSideOfTheMoon · 05/09/2022 11:59

It’s really pretty, but it’s still considered an ‘old lady name’.

WoodlandMummy · 05/09/2022 11:59

oh no 🙈 it’s sooo ‘bingo hall cleaner’ 😬

LaundryBin · 05/09/2022 11:59

Eye-reen- not keen
Eye-reen-ee- lovely but you'll be forever correcting people

Comedycook · 05/09/2022 11:59

Horrendous sorry

SlowingDownAndDown · 05/09/2022 12:00

I’m not keen. I don’t like names ending with the sound ‘een’ generally.

PolkaDotShoes · 05/09/2022 12:00

It's very old lady, but very cool. I really like it.

Ruby sounded very old lady 25 years ago and now look how common it has become. Just takes ears to become accustomed.

I also know a few little Margots now which would have been unthinkable a decade ago.

KirstenBlest · 05/09/2022 12:02

I like it, but with the Eye-reeny pronunciation.
Renee is nice too, with the Ren-nay pronunciation.

BestCatMumEver · 05/09/2022 12:03

Awful.

DreadingWinter · 05/09/2022 12:07

Still lots of old ladies around with this name. It's on a par with Maureen, Doreen etc. PP suggested Renee, but it needs an accent to be pronounced right. Renée. So it's Ren nay not Ree knee. It makes me think of Allo Allo though.

Windbeneathmybingowings · 05/09/2022 12:08

It’s the eeen sounds. They haven’t aged well and it’s not even like it’s two generations up which is usually the fashion for older names. I actually have friends mums called Irene. Pauline. Eileen. It’s all a bit caravan in clacton.

Whataretheodds · 05/09/2022 12:08

LaundryBin · 05/09/2022 11:59

Eye-reen- not keen
Eye-reen-ee- lovely but you'll be forever correcting people

This

Lilacsunflowers · 05/09/2022 12:09

I know an Irene pronounced Ir-Eh-ne. The first syllable is pronounced Ir as in iritated, not eye.

Luredbyapomegranate · 05/09/2022 12:09

LaundryBin · 05/09/2022 11:59

Eye-reen- not keen
Eye-reen-ee- lovely but you'll be forever correcting people

Yes exactly

however it feels like it’s part of the generation of names about to be revived, and it probably will get pronounced properly as Eye-ree-nee as part of that revival, because it’s so much nicer.. so you could be in the vanguard, I knew a couple of elderly ladies with the 3 syllables a decade or two ago, so I think Eye-reen (which is a US import) came later

Windbeneathmybingowings · 05/09/2022 12:11

That’s what I mean tho, it’s too soon to revive. Ruby and Margot are beloved deceased great grandmothers. Maureen still serves you 20 benson and hedges in the corner shop.

Lunabun · 05/09/2022 12:12

I absolutely love Irene. It would be topping my list if I didn't already have an Irene in the family!

TooMuchToDoTooLittleInclination · 05/09/2022 12:14

Unless you're giving birth to a 65 yaar old, I wouldn't.

FourChimneys · 05/09/2022 12:16

I love it but I'm a bit biased as I used to have a wonderful Auntie Irene. I used to know a little Irene, she would be about 10 now, a feisty little girl who suited her name.

SlowingDownAndDown · 05/09/2022 12:16

Lilacsunflowers · 05/09/2022 12:09

I know an Irene pronounced Ir-Eh-ne. The first syllable is pronounced Ir as in iritated, not eye.

That’s the only pronunciation of it I like.

RinklyRomaine · 05/09/2022 12:16

I'm going to dissent and say it's a much nicer sound than the Esther / Edith / ivy brigade. I'm biased as a well loved Aunt Irene died last year and I'd like to see it come back, but it's a pretty name.

KosherDill · 05/09/2022 12:18

Love it. It's elegant and timeless.

RockingMyFiftiesNot · 05/09/2022 12:20

I quite often see names called 'old lady' or 'old man' on MN and it makes me laugh because names like Daisy, Poppy, Jack, William, Harry, Joseph, Elsie, Ruby, Betty to name but a few were considered 'old people' names not that long ago.

And you wouldn't have dreamt of calling your children anything that was considered 'wacky' at the time like Portia, Freya, Hermione.

Someone has to go first with making names popular/normal again.

MatterOfThyme · 05/09/2022 12:21

Don't like Irene, but Irenie is v cool

numberthirtytwowindsorgardens · 05/09/2022 12:24

I adore it. If you do too, use it. You'll never find one which everyone likes, so you might as well use one which you think is beautiful!

(I especially like the Eye-ree-nee pronunciation, but both are beautiful.)

Swipe left for the next trending thread