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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Which classic girl name?

23 replies

Beccajf · 16/06/2025 15:48

Classic girl name

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MyKingdomForACat · 16/06/2025 15:49

Elizabeth

samlovesdilys · 16/06/2025 15:51

rosalind??

muddyford · 16/06/2025 15:59

Isobel is my preferred spelling.

BeautifulPeopleGo · 16/06/2025 16:02

I wouldn’t say half of them are classic girl names. Elsie and Margot are popular and will date.

MsGoodenough · 16/06/2025 16:08

The only one I'd describe as classic is Isabelle, but like the pp I think the Isobel spelling is much nicer.

Moreteaandchocolate · 16/06/2025 17:09

I was torn between Margot and Elsie. Audrey is nice too. I quite like the others, but Isabelle has been massively overused round us for a long time so I’ve gone off it. Genevieve and Georgiana are quite long so it depends if you like the shortenings?

Ddakji · 16/06/2025 17:15

I agree these aren’t really classic names, except Isabelle - some are old fashioned and some have become trendy again, neither of which is a bad thing, of course.

I don’t really like any of them to be honest.

Classic names would be things like Catherine, Emma, Elizabeth, Charlotte, Sophie.

DuchessOfNarcissex · 16/06/2025 17:46

Georgiana - too long and frilly. Georgina is better
Margot - not a classic,faddy
Genevieve - too long. Not keen
Isabelle - too frilly. Isabel is classic.
Audrey - shakespearean, not keen
Elsie- not classic

I don't really like any of them. If you'd asked Georgina, Margaret, Isabel or Elizabeth it would be different.

PatsFruitCake · 16/06/2025 17:55

MyKingdomForACat · 16/06/2025 15:49

Elizabeth

This

user2848502016 · 16/06/2025 18:00

I voted Elsie but also love Isabelle (but spelled Isobel)

makingthecut · 16/06/2025 18:29

muddyford · 16/06/2025 15:59

Isobel is my preferred spelling.

Yes same. Isabelle is too frilly and a bit Disney.

waltzingparrot · 16/06/2025 18:30

Mary
Margaret
Rose
Victoria

KarminaBurana · 16/06/2025 18:34

waltzingparrot · 16/06/2025 18:30

Mary
Margaret
Rose
Victoria

Yes, these are classics.
Add Helen, Anne, Catherine and Jane.

shoopshoopdedoo · 16/06/2025 18:38

Like others, I was surprised to see that list after reading the thread title! Isabel or Audrey would fit best, I think, and they are the nicest IMO. I don’t like the Isabelle spelling.

AnneMarieW · 16/06/2025 19:08

Generally a classic name tends to be one with a rich history but that has also had long periods of fairly popular or regular use.

So imo none of those is really classic apart from perhaps Isabel if using this original spelling (unless you are in France or Scotland where it is spelt Isabelle/Isobel respectively so those spellings may be classic there, I have no idea ).

Perhaps Georgina rather than the lovely but rarer Georgiana might also be considered classic. But if classic is definitely the parameter then of your options I’d vote for elegant Isabel.

However timeless Elizabeth (with the nn Elsie if wanted) would be as classic as you can get. And Margaret rather than very trendy Margot would be nearly as classic as Elizabeth (Margot could be a nickname too if wanted).

I do love the sound of pretty Genevieve (and its myriad of nicknames) but I’m not sure it’s really considered a classic as such, in the UK at least.

ETA: Audrey is retro cool now (in part thanks to Audrey Hepburn) but again, not really what I would call a classic. I realise I have said “classic” a lot but really it often tends to be very traditional names that have been popular historically- so Mary, Catherine, Elizabeth, Margaret, Sarah, Jane, Eleanor, Charlotte, Caroline, Emily, Anne etc

ShellieAnn · 16/06/2025 19:10

Genevieve. It's a beautiful name and not very common. There is a Genevieve in my 7 year old's class and I know a 40 year old Genevieve. I'm not a fan of Isabelle. It's nice but over used and boring in my opinion.

JillyGiraffe · 16/06/2025 20:55

I voted Isabelle, but would spell Isabel. Would have voted for Georgina though instead of Georgiana!

LadyKenya · 16/06/2025 20:57

Alice

BoleynMemories13 · 16/06/2025 21:20

I don't find many of them very classic to be honest. Elsie is perhaps, an a nickname for the ultimate classic Elizabeth.

Georgiana and Genevieve are both too much of of a mouthful for me. Audrey is dull and dated. Margot is very 'now'. It's a trend which I think will date.

Isabelle is my favourite, although I prefer the simplicity of Isobel.

theunbreakablecleopatrajones · 16/06/2025 21:21

Genevieve for sure

Isabel is lovely but way overdone.

Elsie only a classic if short for Elizabeth (and both are quite overdone).

Margot is charming, only a classic if short for Margaret, and currently being done to death.

Georgina is classic-ish, in that George is, but Georgianna very much a frilled up version.

Audrey has a similar mid century charm to Margot, I don’t mind it, but it is quite marmite

Sunholidays · 16/06/2025 21:22

Harriet, Georgia, Catherine

RosesAndHellebores · 16/06/2025 21:25

I don't think any of those are particularly classic:

Alice
Anna
Louisa
Elizabeth/Eliza
Helena
Martha
Caroline
Hannah
Anne
Joan/Jane
Isabel
Eleanor
Katherine
Mary

DuchessOfNarcissex · 16/06/2025 21:39

I don't like Isobel.

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