Four names I need advice on: Vanessa, Miranda, Haley (Hayley), Hadley

[caitlinrose]

Maybe you'd like to comment on four names we are thinking about adding to our list:

Vanessa
Miranda
Haley (Hayley) - both said hay-lee
Hadley

All for girls.

Vanessa - husband suggested this. It fits my love for feminine, longer names (Isabella, Cassandra) but on the other hand I wonder if it might sound dated. Is the nickname Nessa too close to Ness/Nessie (as in Loch Ness?).

Miranda - I encountered this one. I like how feminine and classic it is (Shakespeare). The meaning is great too. But then it also feels a bit dated to me and I worry people might associate it with Sex and the City. How likely do you think this is?

Haley - husband likes Hayley (he also likes Kaylie). I think Hayley is a decent name but find it quite dated. Then I saw it as Haley and thought it looked more contemporary and classic that way. Somehow less dated even though it's pronounced the same.

Hadley - not sure about this but it does mean "heather field" which I find really pretty. It just came to mind when I thought about Haley. It's not my personal style at all but I do find it underused and not unattractive and DH loves it.

Love Miranda - an underused classic due a come back, I think a lot more people associate it with The Tempest than SATC so you are OK there, and of course her peers won’t know the series

Vanessa - it’s alright, but I don’t know how you avoid the fairly horrible Ness/ie. Vivi?

Hayley - oh it’s OK, but it’s fairly nothingy
Hadley - same, but also weirdly surname-y

Cassia
Serena
Saskia
Francesca
Adela
Claudia
Estella
Helena
Selina
Iona
Philippa

might be others

… Kayley - I really wouldn’t. It is downmarket with bells on.

I wouldn't pronounce haley and hayley the same I'd pronounce it ha-ley and hay-ley I also wouldn't use Hadley as most people would spell it Hadleigh and its so annoying having to correct spelling or pronunciation all the time

I love Miranda and Vanessa

I love Miranda. It's classy and I would only associate it with Shakespeare. Vanessa is OK and why not just use it without having a nickname?
Vivienne?
Hayley is a bit 80s. I know a boy called Hadley. I don't like it as a forename, same with Haley, but that's just my taste.

Miranda is excellent, Vanessa and Hayley are both OK, slightly dated but not badly since neither name was mega popular during irs last hayday, Hadley is a surname (makes me want to start singing Spandau Ballet hits, although I guess anyone who is having babies now will be too young to have that association).

Call her Miranda.

Miranda is lovely, Vanessa is fine. Hayley isn't good - dated & depressing imo - & Hadley is meh ... just another surname name.

The only one I really like is Miranda, which is lovely. Vanessa is OK. I don't like the other 2 at all!

Some of you guys are so rude 😂 one of these is my name, I've never had a problem with it until now you need to have a think before the rude opinions! I'd also like to know your names please so I can pass judgement on them!

Lovely names OP,it's what you like best not random people on here.

Of the names you've given I prefer Hayley spelled that way. She would have to correct people her whole life otherwise as most people will assume Hayley. Miranda and Vanessa are fine, nothing wrong with them. Nessie/Nessa is cute as a nickname too.

Kayley and Hadley I don't like, sorry. Hallie is nice, or Holly/Hollie. Hadley and Kayley are worlds away from Miranda and Vanessa.

I agree that Haley and Hayley aren't pronounced the same! I like Hayley but I'm not keen on Hallie (which is how I'd pronounce Haley).
Miranda and Vanessa are ok, they feel like very grown up names on a baby or toddler but I guess every adult was a baby once!
Hadley is awful, as is Kayley.

Complete ends of the scale imho
Miranda and Vanessa 👍

Clarissa (Lissy)
Ophelia
Sophia/Sofia
Cadence
Charlotte (Lottie)
Harriet (Hattie)
Roberta (Bobbie)

Vanessa and Miranda are lovely - pretty, feminine, elegant, classy.

Hayley is another lovely name to me - but with a different kind of vibe - fresh, spring-like, young, cute. I like it spelt this way.

i don’t personally like Hadley or surnames used as first names (especially on girls), but it does feel more contemporary if that’s what you’re after.

Vanessa Feltz.
Miranda Hobbs.
Hayley - is a name from 'my' generation so dated imo.
Hadley - bag.

So, Miranda for me. Vanessa a distant second. Sack off the other two.

Vanessa and Miranda are lovely, Hayley/Haley and Hadley are not good.

I like Hadley.

Not crazy about Vanessa, and Miranda is really pretty - plus Shakespearean.

Any spelling of Hayley feels to me really 80s-born - it's fine, but it strikes me as more belonging to the Hayley/Gemma/Lisa/Claire generation of girls I grew up with.

Miranda is nice but Future you may find that people shorten her name to Randy
Hayley is also really nice my sister-in-law’s name and it’s one of the only name is you can’t really shorten
For me Vanessa is quite dated but it’s not a bad name
Hadley is a nice name unisex and quite unusual so not many other children would have it

Miranda is lovely, it makes me think of Shakespeare, not the tv prog you refer to which I’ve never seen. Vanessa is quite nice.

I really like the first three. Not so keen on Hadley, it's a bit surnamey.

I love all of yours except Hadley. My favourite is Vanessa - very pretty! I also love Miranda.

Two other suggestions;
Mirabel
Marieanne

'Miranda for me. Vanessa a distant second. Sack off the other two.'

This PP has summed up my view. Miranda is one of my favourite names.

Vanessa is lovely. Not keen on the others

Vanessa - I've always thought this name had sinister vibes.

Miranda - gorgeous.

Haley (Hayley) - both said hay-lee - 1990s chav.

Hadley - I quite like Hadley.

I really don't think anyone would spell it "Hadleigh"...

Vanessa - nice
Miranda - ok but would it be shortened to Randy?
Hayley very 80s and awful
Haley - I would say it Hal-lee
Hadley - Tony's surname. Just no.

Hands down, Miranda