Abby or Emma

[Hanssoe]

Hi all, posted before looking for some help with baby girl names.
We decided to drop Katie, Anna and Natalie from the list. We won’t be using these (please don’t try and change our mind on this it’s been hard to get this far 🤣).
Now we are stuck between Abby (this spelling not Abbie and not short for Abigail) and Emma. We both slightly prefer Abby but worry about the spelling issues. We love Emma too especially as it’s a timeless classic.

Which would you pick?

Emma. Beautiful classic name.
Abby will lead to a lifetime of her having to spell it explain etc.

I vote Abby! I love the name (and you say it’s your favourite too!) Emma is lovely but every other mum in the playground is called Emma, so although it’s not so commonly used now, when she grows up there are likely to be multiple Emma’s wherever she works etc.

Emma is such a beautiful classic. Abby isn't in the same league for me, especially this spelling.

However, it's totally your choice. If you both prefer Abby, you should use it. Just be prepared that she will inevitably go through life having to constantly correct people on the spelling or assuming it's short for Abigail (with Abbie and Abi both being more popular alternatives, in my experience).

Would you consider Abbey? This is my DD (it is short for Abigail in our case) and we have no issue with spelling.

Emma 100%. Beautiful, classic name.

Really not keen on shortened names as given names and Abby looks wrong anyway, like there is a letter missing somewhere.

If you both prefer Abby I’d go with that. Anecdotally that’s the spelling I see most often anyway.

Emma

Emma. It's a beautiful classic

Not keen on Abby

Emma and you will be able to watch that hilarious 2020 film with beautiful music called Emma every birthday.
Emma is lovely.
Abby is great too, though it seems a bit more nick namey to me.

I can't see how she wouldn't be called Scabby sooner or later, so I vote Emma.

FWIW as someone called Abby I've never been called Scabby haha.

Emma - nothing really rhymes with it so minimal name related bullying andits timeless it's not going to come in and out of fashion.

Abby - I'd go for Abigail and use Abby as a nickname but I wouldn't use it as a full name.

Abby is far too easy to rhyme unfortunate words with Flabby if she's larger, Scabby if she has eczema, psoriasis or acne etc, Chavvy if she has a penchant for fake tan, large hooped earrings or whatever the fashion is of the day when shes older.

I don't see Abby as a name but a cutesy nickname. Emma is a real name.

Emma, Abby doesn't really feel like a proper name imo.

Emma.

They are both lovely names.

I voted for Abby, since you write that you prefer that name.

I prefer Abby as I find Emma a bit bland but they're both nice names!

Emma feels like more of a complete name.

I think you should go with Abby. It's clearly your favourite and it's really lovely! Emma is pretty dull tbh.

If you think like this, there's not a name in the world that works. Besides if kids want to bully they will - she can be Emma poohead, Scabby-Emma, etc

Half my year at school seemed to be called Abbie and none of them got called Scabby or Flabby.

That said, I think it's a bit nicknamey for a given name. Either go for Abigail or choose Emma.

I can't picture an 80 year old Abby, personally would go with Abigail to future proof a professional name if they become a Consultant Surgeon or Prime Minister etc.

Emma would be my choice of the 2 though.

Emma. Abby is more of a nickname for Abigail

I can't picture an 80 year old Abby, personally would go with Abigail to future proof a professional name if they become a Consultant Surgeon or Prime Minister etc.
Consultant Surgeons and Prime Ministers have all sorts of differerent names. They don't all have classic, traditional, English names. (Keir, Rishi ...)

Many surgeons are from families with non-UK heritage.
The last two surgeons I have had contact with had non-English first names.
My last three dental surgeons had non-English names.
My MP has a non-English name.

My DPets go to a vet, and the vets have names that you would probably find unsuitable, but they are British names.

I love the name Emma

Abby, I would use only as a nn for Abigail