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Original poster

Please help! Phoebe or Elsie (or Freya)? Baby is several weeks old

121 replies

NeedToName · 08/12/2023 10:02

Really want to name daughter by end of this weekend. She’s several weeks old.

Looking for thoughts/preferences on Phoebe, Elsie (or perhaps Freya)?

Or any similar suggestions we may have missed?

I seem to be in quite an anxious spin about it. Want to continue to enjoy baby girl knowing and sharing her name. And move on from the naming dilemma!

Likely last child. Perhaps why I’m finding confirming her name so hard. Partner less so.

Elsie is current favourite. A new name in the mix for partner and I. I originally wrote off as “too cutesy” for want of a better phrase. It seems to suit daughter and be nice-ish to say frequently when trying out.

Phoebe is a long-term like for partner and I. Love the meaning and just found out it’s also the name of a type of bird which enhances it’s meaning for me more so. But I’m sadly not a fan of nickname Pheebs. I seem to feel inclined to shorten/adjust the name slightly when trying out, despite knowing this! A local friend of friend went with this name for their new daughter a few weeks before our baby arrived. She wouldn’t mind if we still went with it -turns out we have very similar taste. Worry we may regret not using this name in some way. Also aware we may hear it quite a bit due to the above so need to be prepared for that either way.

Freya is a name I’ve always liked/been intrigued by. I have a close friend with this name. She was the first Freya I met (approximately 20 years ago). She wouldn’t mind if we had a baby Freya. My partner isn’t so keen on this one.

I’m based in the UK, a little outside London in case helpful context.

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theduchessofspork · 09/12/2023 08:43

Elsie is hugely popular so not an old lady name

It’s sweet but it IS very cutesy, so I would put Elizabeth (which it’s traditionally short for) on the birth cert - or some other less cute form like Elisa / Elsbeth / Eliza / Elsa

This gives her a more sophisticated version which she’ll appreciate having when she’s older.

Phoebe and Freya both nice also.

MissHavershamReturns · 09/12/2023 08:47

Elsie

personally would do Elizabeth on bc and Elsie as nn

DMJEJ · 10/12/2023 07:38

I have an Elsie - it’s a great name! I say if it feels like her name go for it.

It’s definitely not ‘old lady’ anymore, mine is 5 and there are a few of them of various ages in the primary school my children go to.

Maybe you could name her Elsie Pheobe and then you use both names?

WillowTit · 10/12/2023 07:40

i like Elsie
i like Freya

WillowTit · 10/12/2023 07:40

oh, yes you could have Elspeth, with a nn Elsie, in case she wants it herself

LilySLE · 10/12/2023 07:42

Hi, I have two thoughts on this, to the extent that anyone else’s thoughts are remotely useful in this situation!

The first is that my daughter has a Phoebe in her class and people are constantly misspelling her name. They seem to find it really hard for some reason. Particularly the “o” and the “e” in the middle.

My second thought is that we were in exactly your situation; struggling to name our second (and last) daughter. In our case we had a name we both loved, but both sets of grandparents, and the older sibling, hated it. In the end we felt we couldn’t use the name (we put it in as a middle name instead). I have always regretted it and wished that we’d stuck to our guns. (The name was Agatha by the way)

fourelementary · 10/12/2023 07:42

Elsie. It’s my dds middle name and she’s often said she’d have loved it to be her name.
I don’t like Phoebe as it looks weird and I can’t help but say “fo-ee-bee” in my head first. And yes every Phoebe I’ve known has been called Pheebs by some people… never Bea.

NameChange30 · 10/12/2023 07:43

I think this thread might confuse you even more, OP! Name choices are so personal.

I don't think Freya should even be on the table as a first name, as your partner isn't keen. Why not use it as a middle name?

It sounds as if you both love Elsie so why not stick with that? I really think you should put something longer on the birth certificate though; Elsbeth is nice and not overused.

I do also love Phoebe and agree with PPs about the different nickname options - plenty to choose from and she doesn't have to be "Pheebs".

Have you tried calling her Phoebe or one of the nicknames for a few days?

You do have until she's 6 weeks old to decide and even then you can easily change her first name before her first birthday.

What are her siblings called?

DustyLee123 · 10/12/2023 07:44

I like Elsie, but I think I prefer Elise.
You need to thing about the name on a teen, and an adult woman. What’s cute now may not suit in her 30’s.

Sportbilly79 · 10/12/2023 07:47

What about Iris?

soupmaker · 10/12/2023 07:49

I have an Elsie! She's 10. It wasn't so popular a decade ago but we've met a few more recently. It's a great name. I love old lady names.

soupmaker · 10/12/2023 07:50

Sportbilly79 · 10/12/2023 07:47

What about Iris?

My Elsie has a best friend called Iris!

AdaColeman · 10/12/2023 07:54

Freya is the most beautiful of you list of names, sweet and charming for a little girl and cool and elegant for a woman.

Sportbilly79 · 10/12/2023 07:55

@soupmaker I love the name and wanted to use it for my daughter but my other half wasn’t keen unfortunately!

Thefaceofboe · 10/12/2023 07:57

Phoebe would be my first choice, followed by Freya. I personally don’t like Elsie but the problem with posting on here is, not everyone’s like the same names so it won’t help your decision.

Farr85 · 10/12/2023 08:05

Elsie is a beautiful name.

NameChange30 · 10/12/2023 08:05

whyamiawakestill · 08/12/2023 13:01

Elise as in lotus Elsie.. it's a pretty great name in car circles and the Elise that the lotus was named after is lovely.

I know a Freya as she's lovely as well.

I'd go great first, Elise second.

The car is Lotus Elise and not the name OP is considering which is Elsie.

Swap two letters and it's a very different name!

MonikerBing · 10/12/2023 08:06

I have a Phoebe who was also named at the very end of the period as my partner and I couldn't agree. I know how stressful it becomes!

fwiw (and I like Elsie too by the way), my dd who is now 18 has never been called Pheebs. I mostly call her Phoebe but have been known call her Phee or Bee as a shortening but all her friends call her Phoebe. Unsurprisingly I love the name as it's so part of my dd who is the funniest, feistiest girl I know.

marshmallowfinder · 10/12/2023 08:08

I love Freya but Elsie is not great. I think Hebe or Heidi are much nicer than Phoebe which will get misspelt frequently.

wizzler · 10/12/2023 08:10

I think Freya is very popular so that would put me off a bit

I love Elsie, and also Elsa

Phoebe is a lovely name but I think will inevitably get shortened to Phoebs which is a problem if you don't like it

Which name goes best with your surname?

Sugarfree23 · 10/12/2023 08:20

Elsie is your and DH favourite go with it.

If your really not sure after a couple of weeks then its none on your short list are right for your baby. Go back to the baby name books and completely rethink

PEARLJAM123 · 10/12/2023 08:21

Pick a name. Parenting is rife with decisions you might get wrong. Sometimes all you can do is go with your instincts.

Watchingstick · 10/12/2023 08:21

I like Elsie

WillowTit · 10/12/2023 08:28

i think Elise is more grown up

ThereSnowLimit · 10/12/2023 08:33

Phoebe is a beautiful name. I know an adult one and a little one and neither are ever Feebs. The little one is sometimes Fifi within the family.