lots of honest opinions on my girls list please!

[puddingpie]

Hi - i would love lots of honest opinions no matter how harsh .
i would like to know what you think of them as well as the sort of reputation it might have (downmarket etc), and whether there are loads of kids around with the same name that i am missing as i am one of those saddos that wishes to avoid the next Ruby or Olivia.
Thanks all

Gwendolen (nn Winnie)
Winifred (nn Winnie)
Iris
Dorothy
Cordelia
Penelope
Pearl
Polly
Prudence (i ike P's !)
Audrey
Phyllis
Enid
Sally
Mary
Esmeralda (NOT nn Esme though)
Margaret (Maggie)
Juniper
Jean

Any nice sibsets in the bunch for family planning purposes?

Thanks for your time. I'll probably remember some more later!

I honestly like all of them-except Juniper-sounds too hippy for me...and Cordelia ..too posh but that's my chip on shoulder.
My dd2 has a so called old fashioned name, so bit biased - I get a few looks at first but so what? I did have some mild teasing about my name but I survived somehow. Think what great names these will be for a woman as well, not just in childhood. Do know of a couple of Pollys about .

I love Polly best from your list. So pretty. I haven't EVER met a Polly so maybe it's more used in some areas than others!

What about Emerald?

I am SO in love with the name Emerald at the moment.

I thought of it as Esmerelda is on your list but i think Emerald is prettier

Quite like Polly.

Love Iris, due to a rather charming mature lady that I know.

Noooooooo to Dorothea, but that's only because of someone I know who's MIL is so-called and he takes the mick mercilessly.

Sorry I don't like any of them.

That's a great list. I love Penelope with Polly for short. Cordelia with Coco or Didi for short. Margaret with Margot, Maggie or Greta for short.

Jean is OK but Jeannie is gorgeous. Not keen on Prudence. It's so Pious and sanctimonious. I want to slap her. Dorothy is OK but I prefer Thea, so Dorothea would lend itself better to that.

What else? Iris I like but don't love. Iris and Esme already sound a bit blah to me now. I know a couple of each. Phyllis reminds me of Syphillis. I'm sorry.

ps, I love Winifred/Winnie! Winifred Pearl. Aw...

How about Felicity? Flic for short?

Not really keen on any of them - most seem quite old-fashioned and harsh-sounding. If I had to choose one I would choose Polly or Sally. My dd1 (nearly 5) is very fond of the name Penelope and is always calling her cuddlies and dolls Penelope.

If you like P's, how about Poppy?

Out of those , the only ones I really like are Jean and Mary. My aunt is Jean and she is a fab person, so that maybe sways me a bit. Mary I have always liked - people say it is a bit plain, but there are not an awful lot of Marys around now, so could be a bit unusual, without being weird IYSWIM.

At a push, the only ones on your list I like are Audrey (but I'm not sure what it is I like about it) and Enid.

I quite like Edith and I love Margot (would have loved to call a DD that but DH said no way ).

I love Iris! Polly is nice too, but not so sure about the others. Two of the names listed are my middle names!

My favourites are Polly and Penelope (Penny for short).

I like Juniper and Iris. Not keen on any of the others TBH.

I like Mary,Polly,Margaret and possibly Sally,all the rest are awful I'm afraid.

I love Cordelia

Gwendolen (nn Winnie) - don't really like
Winifred (nn Winnie) - ditto
Iris - Lovely, lovely name (though I know 2 under 5 years old so maybe getting more popular. Hwvr, if my friend had not got there first I would have this top of my list)
Dorothy - Like others I prefer Dorothea. Infact I love Dorothea, nn Dora or Thea
Cordelia - OK but very Sloaney
Penelope - don't like
Pearl - not so keen
Polly - OK but a bit boring
Prudence (i ike P's !) - hate it
Audrey - Lovely name.
Phyllis - No.
Enid - OK
Sally - So dull. Dull, dull, dull
Mary - ditto
Esmeralda (NOT nn Esme though) - no
Margaret (Maggie)
Juniper
Jean

Sorry, not a fan of any of them. Iris is ok. Love Gretta which I think somebody else mentioned, think that's very pretty. What about.......

• Hermione
• Rose
• Audrina
• Aurora
• Emilia
• Alice
• Catherine
• Kate
• Poppy
• Elizabeth
• Jane
• Kitty
• Lydia
• Charlotte
• Sophia
• Issabella
• Lauren
• Fiona
• Lindsay
• Kimberly
• Jemima
• Beatrice
• Matilda
• Trudi
• Georgia
• Ethal
• Janette
• Julia
• Juliet
• Joanne

???

I always liked Seren too, but found it after I'd had dd flippin registered!

From your list I would only choose Iris or Polly.

IMO don't do Dora-anything, much too popular atm (ie the explorer)
I Gwendolyn but only cos i named my favourite doll that name

Still loving Polly (never met a bad one) and Mary (ditto)

Cordelia,phyllis, enid and Prudence-too stern!

Penelope and audrey-luuuuverly!

Pearl and iris- so over..

Jean-middle name

Sally,not really up to much..

esmerelda-reminds me of a cow..

Juniper-reminds me of gin..

Ooo i enjoyed that

There was a girl at dd playgroup called Esmerelda, it was shortened to Merry. She was a lovely girl always merry and smiling

Gwendolen (nn Winnie) - I surprised myself by thinking hmm, that's lovely, actually.
Winifred (nn Winnie) - sorry, think of St Winifred's choir. Obviously I am just showing my age though
Iris - increasing in popularity very quickly, may therefore date.
Dorothy - as others have said, prefer Dorothea
Cordelia - love
Penelope - only if you don't mind Penny. My ex was called Alexander and it was a source of enduring distress to his parents that everyone called him Alex. I thought really, what did you think would happen?
Pearl - cute, but very of the moment and again may date.
Polly - love. A Polly takes charge.
Prudence (i ike P's !) - love
Audrey - beautiful but increasingly popular - I know a few little ones.
Phyllis - I adore this, possibly because of warm & fuzzy associations with elderly family friend. Love Phyllida even more.
Enid - sorry, too harsh. Prefer Edith if you want an E name.
Sally - pretty and under-used
Mary - a bit blah in comparison to your other choices
Esmeralda (NOT nn Esme though) - sorry, too witchy
Margaret (Maggie) - classic
Juniper - possibly my favourite
Jean - again, a little bit blah. Might work if you had a very frilly or exotic surname.

sorry, they are all awful .