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Baby names

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Original poster

Botanical girls names - please vote!

109 replies

sunshineandmango · 05/05/2023 15:21

Hello all

DH and I have finally narrowed down our list to our two favourite names, which we both love. We’ve considered lots of names but botanical names do hold a personal significance for us so we’ve decided this is the way to go!

Lily
Flora

Which is your favourite and why? And how popular is Lily in your experience? It’s in the top 10 but I personally don’t know any!

Thank you 💐

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Holidaywwyd · 05/05/2023 18:59

GoldenFarfalle · 05/05/2023 15:52

When I see the name Flora I always think of vaginal flora.. I prefer Lily.

Gut flora for me 😂

Sorry OP.

ElmTree22 · 05/05/2023 19:03

Flora is our choice for our next child, if it's a girl.

Burpcloth · 05/05/2023 19:10

Both lovely names. Lily is clearly statistically v popular, but I'm also another person who hasn't actually come across one.

Pocketfullofdogtreats · 05/05/2023 19:12

Flora is the goddess of flowers for me. I wouldn't have thought of any negative associations. I knew a really cool hippy Flora back in the day so I'd go for that. But Lily is gorgeous too. Sorry, no help!

cheercaptain · 05/05/2023 19:20

Another vote for Lily

BowiesJumper · 05/05/2023 19:21

Flora definitely.

Original poster
sunshineandmango · 05/05/2023 19:23

@Pocketfullofdogtreats same association for us, thank you for the reassurance! I have a scientific background so the gut flora etc terminology I am familiar with but definitely not what I think of when I hear flora as a name - it’s flowers, literary figures and springtime for me. I wouldn’t want to subject her to bullying though if this is what easily springs to other peoples minds 😬

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PickledScrump · 05/05/2023 19:28

@FayCarew im aware of that but certainly not popular where I am. Same with Olivia. The only one I know of is in her 30s. No children Olivia, but that’s been number 1 for years. Just because it’s in the top whatever doesn’t mean there’s an overrun

WhisperingAutistic · 05/05/2023 19:35

Lily
Flora is margarine

ArbitraryHaddock · 05/05/2023 19:35

Definitely gut flora for me, though I’m not a fan of Lily, really either.

AccidentallyFabulous · 05/05/2023 19:40

Flora. It's much nicer, and my first thought is of Flora Poste, heroine of a brilliant book.

almostwarm · 05/05/2023 20:04

I think of Flora MacDonald first.

MotherofPearl · 05/05/2023 20:10

Flora is lovely and has no adverse associations for me.

For botanical names I also like:

Marigold
Violet
Iris

Londonlady1423 · 05/05/2023 21:26

Lily is a beautiful name hence why it's popular. I don't get parents choosing names based on popularity, if you like the name use it. Choosing an unusual name doesn't guarantee they'll be the only one with that name in a class.

Flora seems a bit more trendy at the moment while Lily is more classic. I know 2 flora's under the age of 5 and also a Florence. I know no lily's

notsurewherenotsurewhy · 05/05/2023 21:41

Of the two, I prefer Lily (I agree with a pp, it's popular because it's pretty!) BUT I also think it's been so well used for so long that it feels kind of disconnected from its meaning, if that makes sense. (I feel similarly about Grace, which I really wanted to use as DD's middle name - the Christian meaning of that was important and beautiful to me, but as a name and esp a middle name I think it's become kind of mindless filler, and that put me off hugely.)

I know you've narrowed it down to these two for your own good reasons, but personally there are botanical girls' names I'd choose far ahead of these - Ivy, Hazel, Rowan...

Original poster
sunshineandmango · 05/05/2023 21:47

@Londonlady1423 you make a good point about popularity, and we certainly wouldn’t let this dissuade is from using Lily (I was more curious as it seems very popular in the tables but I’m yet to meet one.) We just genuinely can’t decide which of these names we prefer!

@notsurewherenotsurewhy yes I think we have considered every botanical name out there (plus many many others!) Poppy was a close third but these are definitely are favourites. I don’t feel Lily is disconnected from its meaning to us, but thanks for sharing yours views :)

OP posts:
MsMcGonagall · 05/05/2023 21:50

what about Florence? gets away from the gut flora issue

EatTheDamnCake · 05/05/2023 21:55

I prefer Flora. I meet a lot of secondary aged children due to work and there are a lot of girls named Lily/Lilly/Lillie. That's before you add all the Lily-May, Lily-Rose, Lily-Grace type names.

I also prefer Flora as it has better connotations. It sounds classier to me

Original poster
sunshineandmango · 05/05/2023 22:00

@MsMcGonagall not a fan of Florence, find it quite frumpy for some reason. Thanks for the suggestion though

OP posts:
Mrsstart · 05/05/2023 22:23

@sunshineandmango Lily is very popular in my area and I agree I feel like it's a name that is so done.
I do like Flora, we've actually considered but I ruled out because of cheap butter connotations
What about Lillia?
There's so many beautiful floral names out there x

Enko · 05/05/2023 22:47

I love Flora its so pretty

Lily is overdone for me.

Original poster
sunshineandmango · 06/05/2023 08:26

Thanks all.
@Mrsstart Lillia is a gorgeous suggestion, thank you

OP posts:
MagpieSong · 06/05/2023 08:27

Flora, less hugely popular and a beautiful name.

UptobedNOW · 06/05/2023 08:39

My 11 year old is a Flora. We love her name and there have never been any derogatory comments about it - only compliments.

Original poster
sunshineandmango · 06/05/2023 08:54

@UptobedNOW thanks so much for sharing your experience. I’m so glad that she hasn’t been subjected to any problems at school. It’s a beautiful name choice.

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