Slightly 1970s, slightly upper crust suggestions

[rosiechristmas]

Hello

I am due in October, we don't know what we're having. We have a 4 year old Penelope and what I like about Penelope is the sort of 1970s Penelope Keith, Penelope Pitstop, Thelwell's Penelope, Penelope Mortimer vibe. (not the Kardashian connection which I was completely oblivious to until the midwife let me know at delivery!!)

I'm looking for a fairly classic name that has just a hint of upper crust, but not a Fenella or Araminta that would sound incongruous in most settings.

I like grown up names with cute nicknames.

Below are my current lists - a couple of these I can't get past DH so they are on the list more to show the style we are after.

We are planning not to name the babe until they are here and see what fits so looking for some more suggestions to add to the field from you clever ladies please!!!

On my list for girls is:

Susanna nn Suzie, Annie
Caroline nn Carrie
Jemima nn Mima
Josephine nn Josie

Boys:

Robin nn Bobby
Frances nn Fran
Jesse nn Jess (a bit of a wildcard this one I guess)

Thanks so much!

How about Naomi? It sounds nice alongside Penelope. Not sure about nick names though.

Corin
Daphne
June
Jocelyn
Margot

Jocelyn? Seriously? I am far from posh and the only other I've met was a sir! 😅

Marianne/a
Jemima
Veronica
Erica
Jacqueline
Diana
Camilla
Jocasta
Valerie
Stephanie/a

Barbara

Adenine
Adele
Lucinda
Natalya
Arabella
Andrea
Adrianna

Poppy
Michelle
Fiona
Collette

Susanna was the name that instantly sprang to mind when I read your title. Secondly, Caroline, so it’s interesting both are on your list! Or Elizabeth (nn Beth or Liza). And Robert (nn Robin OR Bobby - Bobby as a nn for Robin is odd imo as they are both traditional nn’s) or David for boys. Maybe Nicholas.

Abigail (very 70s)
Joanna

Susannah is lovely btw.

Jacqueline? Why? It was a really ordinary name in the 70s. Every other girl was called Jacky. If you want examples of very class based names for that period go to the documentary series 7Up. Jacky in that programme was a lovely girl, but definitely not posh.

Just came to say my 13 week old baby is Jemima and we’ve had nothing but positive comments about her name. I appreciate it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but I’ve been surprised at how much people seem to like it. She is drowning in Puddleduck attire from well meaning family members though which I should have seen coming 🥴 Her sister is Matilda (Tilda).

@JawJaw I think Jaqueline was a bit posher in the US - so Jackie Bouvier and her sister Lee.

I love this theme!

We have a Penelope and she was going to be Juliet. Felicity screams 70’s as everyone’s mentioned. Maybe Farrah, Nancy, Arabella?
Maybe too much but Petronella? Very 70’s Barbarella vibes

Melissa became hot in the 70s

Felicity

Sandra / Sondra

Bridget

Valerie

Daphne
Anouska
Portia
Dorothea
Angelica/ Angelina
Harriet
Lucinda
Juliet
Venetia
Cosima
Natasha
Pandora
Valentina

Forgot Corrine/ Corrina

Boys:
Jonathan
Richard
Giles
Hugh
Gregor/ Gregory
Matthew
Bruno
Benjamin
Tristan
Rufus
Ptolemy
James
Alastair
Darius
Crispin
Gideon
Duncan
Fergus
Sebastian
Lawrence

I love Susanna with Susie as a nn!

Joanna
Caroline
Marianne
Esther
Helena
Louisa
Miriam
Rosamund

Timothy
Laurence
Peter
Alistair
Dominic
Malcolm
Gregory
Hugh
Jonathan
Nicholas
Julian

Belinda!

St.John

I like Caroline, but Callie is a nicer nn I think
Also like Jemima and Susannah, though I would stick to the full forms. Camilla will inevitably be Milly, Cami does bring knickers to mind.

If you are going to call him Bobby might as well call him Robert, which is what Robin and Bobby are traditionally short for. I like it.

Francis is spelt with an i for boys. Fran is a male nn in Scotland and Ireland but it’s usually Frank in England. Jess is very much a female diminutive although I like Jesse. Neither of these names are very 70s

Other ideas

Joanna (Jojo)
Natasha
Sasha
Alexandra (Alix, Sasha)
Francesca
Miranda
Melissa (Lissa)
Antonia
Georgina (Georgie)
Jennifer
Katrina (Kate)
Philippa (Pippa)
Annabel
Belinda

Patrick
Alistair
Michael
Alexander
Jonathan
Dominic (Nico)
Nicholas
Mark / Marcus
Adrian
Justin
Julian
Simon
Daniel
Zachary (Zach)
Adam
Damien

I was born in the early 70s. Some of my posher peers:

Arabella
Phillipa
Camilla
Victoria
Jennifer
Virginia
Antonia

Fergus
Francis
Rupert
Jonathan (Jonty)
Edward
Benedict
Alexander

Oh and Helena, pronounced Hell-eeee-na, to rhyme with cleaner.

Camilla
Josephine

Quentin
Christopher

lol I vaguely know someone from old uni days who has one. I don’t like it tbh.

Susannah & Caroline both under rated classics in my book! Love them both.

Penelope and ...
Rachel
Monica
Deborah
Verity
Natasha
Fiona

Francesca
Connie
Josephine
Georgina
Susannah
Mabel
Martha
Wren