Massively struggling to pick a girl's name!

[goldenlabby]

My husband and I have very different taste in names, and are really butting heads over what to name our daughter. We also have a long and unusual surname to consider.

Here is the full list, some are his favourites and some are mine so I'm keen to get some unbiased responses to them.

Daphne
Octavia
Tamara
Celine
Helena (Hel-ee-nuh)
Dorothy
Vera
Beatrix (Bea or Trixie)
Catherine (Kitty)
Clara
Tabitha
Margaret (Maggie)
Penelope
Maud

We are really struggling and as such have gone a bit off-piste in a desperate attempt to find something we can agree on.

Thanks in advance.

Quite like Tabitha.

Octavia out of those

Maud - absolutely not.

The only one I love is Clara. Maggie, Bea, Daphne, and Celine also nice.

Daphne - love
octavia - like the scoda?
tamara - not keen
celine - love, really classic and timeless
helena - like it but you will get a lot of miss pronunciation
Dorothy - not keen
vera - not keen
beatrix - like with nn Bea, really don't like Trixie)
Catherine - classic but boring
Clara - love
tabitha - no
margaret - also no
penelope - don't hate it but it's v common where I am
maud - not keen

I think that's a great list. My personal favourites are Daphne and Maud. I met a young french woman called Maud once (people called her Maudie) and it really reframed that name for me and made me think it was really nice on a young person.

Oh I really love Maudie as a nickname, thank you!

Daphne - Not a fan. I think this is due a revival though.
Octavia - Not to my taste. Prefer Ophelia.
Tamara - Not to my taste.
Celine - It’s a nice name but I strongly associate it with the singer.
Helena (Hel-ee-nuh) - I think this is a lovely name but only if it’s pronounced Helen-a which I believe is typical.
Dorothy - Due a revival but sounds too ‘old lady’ IMO. Prefer Dorothea.
Vera - As above.
Beatrix (Bea or Trixie) - Beatrice is nicer. Trixie sounds a bit Only Fans.
Catherine (Kitty) - Catherine yes, but don’t like Kitty at all.
Clara - It’s okay.
Tabitha - Cats name.
Margaret (Maggie) - Okay, a bit dowdy.
Penelope - Nice.
Maud - Just sounds old fashioned and ugly to me.

From your list my favourites are Helena (with correct pronunciation), Catherine and Penelope.

It seems like one of you likes old fashioned granny chic names, while the other likes more modern names - hopefully you find something you both like!

Love Tabitha! 😍 that’s by far top choice

also like Penelope, Clara, Celine but prefer spelt like Selene (or Selena), strongly dislike Margaret, and don’t really like Maggie, but do like Margie as a nickname?

Do you like Penny? I love that name and seems in keeping with your list

Catherine (but not Kitty)
Margaret (but not Maggie)

Also, to add, I mean Margie pronounced like Margee rather than Marjee

Tabitha is gorgeous and under used I think

All good:
Helena (Hel-ee-nuh)
Dorothy if shortened to Dot or Dotty
Beatrix (Bea or Trixie)
Catherine (Kitty) but prefer Katherine spelling to shorten to Kitty
Clara
Tabitha
Margaret (but dont like Maggie. How about Meg?)
Penelope - will you be happy when it's shortened to Penny?
Maud

Swap
Daphne to Delphine
Celine to Selina
Tamara to Thomasin
Vera to Verity or Vashti

Clara or Celine for me.

Celine and Tamara are my favourites from your list.... absolutely gorgeous, elegant and glam.

Maud is the worst on your list.. So frumpy

I agree with a pp that Delphine is nicer than Daphne, and is a good swap.

Yes this is a good list OP. I'm not a fan of every name, but the ones that jump out as a bit special are:

Daphne - I've always liked this, it's elegant and unusual
Clara - a beautiful, simple name
Tabitha - ignore the witchy connotations, it's actually a biblical name
Margaret (Maggie) - or how about Meg?

Clara
Catherine
Beatrix
Margaret
are my favourites:

Daphne - not my taste
Octavia -not my taste
Tamara - no ( sounds a bit 'chavy' to me)
Celine - ok
Helena (Hel-ee-nuh) - I like classic and feels strong
Dorothy - due a come back definitely
Vera - ol
Beatrix (Bea or Trixie) - not my taste
Catherine (Kitty) - ok .
Clara - like
Tabitha - in too minds! My favourite dolly was called tabitha
Margaret (Maggie) - too old lady for me
Penelope - just not my taste
Maud - I cans see why people don't like it but I actually think it's my favourite on the list!

What about fleur? Rebecca, Martha

My favourites are Tamara, Celine and Tabitha.

Also maybe just have a top 3 ( 2 outside choices) and see what she looks like when she arrives! We did this and DH actually went for my favourite name ( but not his) as soon a he cuddled baby.

My view:
Daphne - no
Octavia - no
Tamara - ok
Celine - hard no (singer)
Helena (Hel-ee-nuh) - no, pronunciation issues
Dorothy - no, yes to Dorothea
Vera - hard no. Yes to Verity
Beatrix (Bea or Trixie) - yes, like it
Catherine (Kitty) - rather dull
Clara - yes
Tabitha - yes
Margaret (Maggie) - no
Penelope - no
Maud - big no

How about:
Delilah
Tasmin
Alberta (Bertie)
Elizabeth (any shortening you like, Betty rather cute)
Clementine
Audrey

Daphne - know a couple, if that bothers you. Not hugely keen.

Octavia - no

Tamara - dated

Celine - nice

Helena (Hel-ee-nuh) - cba with pronunciation variations

Dorothy - mm
Vera - nice

Beatrix (Bea or Trixie) - nice

Catherine (Kitty) - boring

Clara - boring

Tabitha - can’t decide. Know a couple of Tabbys. Don’t really have an opinion either way.

Margaret (Maggie) - there was one at soft play today and I thought, yeah! Maggie. Nice.

Penelope - favourite of the bunch

Maud - love but only if it would suit you yourself OP. Given daughter is likely to look similar to you and have the same vibe. I for example would make a terrible Maud, nowhere near cool enough.

I love Vera, Dorothy, Octavia & like Helena

Daphne - not keen
Octavia - too comically posh
Tamara - possible. Not my taste but not awful
Celine - prefer Celeste
Helena (Hel-ee-nuh) - don't like that pronunciation. Prefer Hel-en-a
Dorothy - like this and Dotty is cute for a child
Vera - like this. Quite stylish
Beatrix (Bea or Trixie) - ok
Catherine (Kitty) - solid name
Clara - popular
Tabitha - love this
Margaret (Maggie) - really dislike. A cold name, to me
Penelope - Penny is great
Maud - not for a child

I would swap Maud for Maeve.