Claudia vs Margaret?

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Hello - first post! Our daughter is due any day now and we are finding names difficult, but feel it's between Margaret and Claudia, with the set middle name of Rose. All have family connections are we are not concerned about meanings. We think that both go with our son's name, are good with Claude as a nn as she gets older, and flitting around the various Margaret nn's. Any thoughts? Thank-you!

Both seem a bit old fashioned IMO. I don't know many young people with this names.

Margaret can be Maggie, Margot, Mary, Peggy, Daisy, Etta. There are so many nn choices. We’ve a little Maggie in the family named after a Margaret.

I have a 5 year old Claudia - I obviously love it but I really like Margaret with Maggie as a nickname too - don't think you can go wrong!!

Margaret!

Love Claudia …. Know 3 little Margarets , so nice name too .

Claudia is gorgeous but I really can't get past its meaning. I know that doesn't bother you, OP.

Margaret is just too, I don't know... stern and spiky maybe. I don't like the diminutives either.

I love Rose, it's popular for a reason.

Both lovely.

Margaret is my favourite. It sounds a little 'warmer', a little less formal than Claudia.

Margaret. Funny how so many posters say that Rose is a family name with a special meaning to them.

I like Claudia but just a warning the one I knew went by Claudie. Which I didn't mind either.

Not a fan of Margaret/Maggie/Peggy/Peg/Meg

I love Margaret.

Margaret is great. I had an aunt with that na,e who was always known as Peggy

I like Claudia. It reminds me of Claudia Cardinale. Margaret has a much nicer meaning, yes, but it's always sounded harsh to me and I can't get behind it.

Definitely Claudia.

My DM is a Margaret and hates her name. It’s very harsh sounding with no nice nicknames.

I like Margaret but I love Claudia.

I love them both. If go for Margaret because I think it is beautiful, classic and elegant.

Claudia

"Funny how so many posters say that Rose is a family name with a special meaning to them."

What do you mean?

Claudia for me.

Both are lovely and uncommon choices now but for me personally the most important thing in choosing a name is that is feels quite classic (ie. is well known and has a long history of regular use - so you can’t really guess a persons background from the name).

Secondly that it’s pretty timeless too (so is either perennially popular or alternately rarely makes the popular name charts - so in both scenarios it’s more difficult to place the bearers age). It’s a shame that it happens but imo it's such a big bonus when a name is unlikely to confer any assumptions about a child.

Both Claudia and Margaret are classic but only Claudia is timeless so she wins it in my scenario.

Oh, and like some pp I don’t think “meaning” really matters much - commonplace names like James/Jacob, Emily, Maria etc wouldn’t be so popular if most people cared about that (and Claudia’s etymology is debatable anyway).

Equally I think potential nn’s should have minor weight as you can only control them to a limited extent (for example I love retro Kit/Kitty for “Claw-dia" but recognise Claude is more likely; equally I love sweet Mae for Margaret but accept Maggie is probably the most commonplace). But obviously don’t choose either Claudia or Margaret if you do hate the most common nn!

Thank-you so much to everyone. I really appreciate the time taken to contribute. I haven't used this forum before and realise how valuable could be as a community in whole - not just for name discussion. I'm sure this will not be my last question! We're now definitely veering towards Claudia, and adding Margaret Rose as two middle names (which will honour her g.grandfather Claude, g.grandmother, and at least 2 centuries worth of other Roses (or derivations of) in order. Also, I've always loved the nickname Claude, but had not considered Kit or Kitty as an alternate @IamnotwhouthinkIam, so that's a fun addition to the list! Thanks again to all xx

Claudia

Wow good choices. I love them both. I have always liked Claudia since about 1988 when my friend's german exchange was called Claudia, thought it was beautiful and unlike all the other names ending in 'ia' it never got so so popular.

margaret is a name I've grown to love in the last decade. First i loved Margot, then Maggie and Now I'm just ready for margaret! it's an amazing name.

I think that Margaret will become more fashionable over the next decade but it'll never be as popular as it was the first time round.

I quite like both BUT IRose is incredibly common as a middle name atm, May is another one. That would put me right off.

If you like the name Rose I’d call her Rose as a first name. Relatively unusual.

Margot? Slightly softer version Margaret. I’m complemented all the time for my name, so I’m biased.

They are both lovely names.
I edge towards Margaret because it has so many diminutives and I love the idea of a little Meg, but I don't think you'll ever regret your choice as either way round they are both charming.

I love Claudia, but pronounced the Italian way. I find the Claw-dia pronunciation dreary.

Margaret is just dreadful. But Meg, Meggie or Maggie are nice derivatives.