No idea what to name my first baby

[EsmerD]

I’ve got a beautiful baby girl due next month and I’m completely torn. DH doesn’t seem to like anything I like and I hate all his suggestions.

DH likes classic names because his name is unusual and he insists that our daughter have an easy to spell name (Amy, Elizabeth, Emma, Mary, Amelia etc) whereas I’m more focused on liking the sound of the name.

My top ten are:

Sylvie/Sylvia
Wendy
Clara
Cecily/Cecilia
Ophelia
Meredith
Mirin
Valerie
Anja
Rosalie

DH thinks these names are “trying to hard” despite my having made sure to only look for names that are easily spelt (except arguably Anja pronounced ann-ya as it is a family name)
DH insists that DD is going to be bullied for having a posh or “try hard” name at school but I just think all of these names are so beautiful. Any ideas on an “easy” name that might still appeal to my taste?

Love Sylvie, it’s my favourite name and wished I’d thought of it before DD was born. Also love Ingrid.

I like Ingrid too

Grace
Tessa
Mary
Jane
Edith
Elizabeth

I think you have to point out to him that kids these days have a wider variety of names, so nothing stands out the way it did - also Clara, Sylvie, Cecilia, Meredith and Rosalie are all pretty common - popular names aren’t going to be the same when he was a kid

But maybe

Marianne
Claudia
Francesca
Louisa
Zoe
Verity
Imogen
Caitlin
Emmeline
Caroline
Victoria nn Vita
Vivienne
Esther

I think you are thinking of Mirren or Merryn (never heard of Mirin), the Anja spelling would be a bit of a PITA, and Wendy and Valerie are awful, so I see where he’s coming from for those. I don’t mind Ophelia and it’s quite popular but it does have rather dark associations..

I have a 12 year old Sylvie. She has never been bullied for her name. She loves it and I still love it too. There are far more unusual names at her school.
I think that’s the case generally, and perhaps the range of names out there these days would be something that is different to when your husband was younger.

Your H is being silly.

The problem of bullying originates with bullies, and there is absolutely no way to inoculate your child from bullying.

He's also weirdly 'stay in your lane' class conscious. How boring.

Fwiw, I'd drop Valerie and Wendy from your list, and also Ophelia. The rest are fine.

I'd go with Sylvie rather than Sylvia.

From his list, I only like Emma.

Not so keen on Meredith either, or Mirin, though Merryn is nice.

Your H must not be aware that Mary is a term used for one's private parts in some regions.

Also Amy is incredibly dated.

I have an Ophelia and Cecily was also on my list so I think we have quite similar taste!

How about:

Astrid
Clementine
Jemima
Tabitha
Pandora
Penelope
Persephone
Sienna
Aurelia

Hmm reading those back I'm not sure they'll pass your husband's try hard criteria!

But anyway you're the one pushing the baby out of your vag so I reckon you should get final say! 😃

i love Clara! Maybe…

lara
cara
cora
eva
eliza
rosa
harriet
josephine
juliet
martha
edith
louisa
abigail
chloe
felicity
nora
ada

Emily
Helen
Lucy
Julia
Eliza
Rachel
Jennifer
Gemma

Choose Anja then?

I feel for you OP - currently having a very similar dilemma with my husband!

I really like your list, apart from Mirin, Ophelia and Rosalie. I love Anja and Wendy. I don’t think any of them are too “out there”. I hope you can find something you both love!

Not Pandora or Persephone! He wants easy to spell and not pretentious?
Margaret
Helen
Eleanor
Jane
Louise
Catherine
Sarah
Elizabeth
Patricia

Adore elisabeth. Endless nick names .. Betsy, Beth, Bess, Liz, Eliza, Elle, Liz, Lizzy

Rose is also beautiful

I would have thought Anna was the obvious compromise between Anja and your husband's classic style.

I think my style is probably between yours and your husband's and we had Anna, Clara and Rosa on our list (but eventually went with Rose).

How about ..

Catherine
Sarah
Jane
Mary
Victoria
Louisa

Why would it be easier?

Emmaline
Adeline
Louisa
Leona
Elena

Rosalie
Clara
Sylvia

All lovely names.

Maybe....

Lucy
Violet
Kitty
Emma
Josie
Frances
Faith
Catherine
Elsa
Jess
Melody

Or

Tell him you fancy Florinda Guilietta Gwynedd Ingeborg the II and see if you can't bargain from there. First rule of negotiation.

Our son would have been called Thor if my DH had made the choice.

Son could not look less like a Thor if he tried.

Lucy Joanna
Gretal Miranda
Ellen Josephine
Hayley Miranda

Gretel is a better spelling