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Baby names

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

Help with short list

51 replies

Pistachiocreme · 06/12/2025 11:01

Looking for some help and opinions on the following, surname similar to McClement

Freya
Darcy
Layla
Penelope

OP posts:
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youalright · 06/12/2025 11:10

Order from most liked yo least
Darcy
Freya
Layla
Penelope (This is the only one I don't like)

Forgottenmyphone · 06/12/2025 11:16

Penelope McClement (or similar) is a bit of a mouthful, but I like the name. Would she be known as Penny?

timoteigirl · 06/12/2025 11:18

Freya - past the main trend - goddess of fertility and agriculture
Darcy - very trendy
Layla - to me this is a granny name, I don't like
Penelope - would you use a nick name?

Do you want any further suggestions or it is one of these four?

LolaBumble · 06/12/2025 11:27

Penelope 🫶🫶🫶 all lovely names though

Emanwenym · 06/12/2025 11:35

Freya - overused so sounds meh but ok
Darcy - 2010s version of Tracey. Dated already.
Layla - ok, Lily/Lyla type name and a bit samey
Penelope - ok but will be Penny

Given that the surname is a nice one, I'd try to tie the first name and surname, and go for something like Clara McClement or Marcie McClement.

(names suggested are from the top of my head, popular/alternative to Darcy. Penelope is the best on your list)

Itbeginswith · 06/12/2025 11:46

Penelope if it will be shortened to Penny.

NuffSaidSam · 06/12/2025 11:47

They're all nice names. I don't think you can go wrong with any of them.

Darcy is quite faddy at the moment some will date if that's a concern.

My favourite from your list is Penelope. It's a great name and good nn options. Penny when she's a cute little girl, Nell when she's a cool teen and Penelope when she's a lawyer/doctor/PM.

Pistachiocreme · 06/12/2025 11:56

@Emanwenym i like Clara thank you!

Open to suggestions and yes Penelope would be Penny!

OP posts:
bigsoftcocks · 06/12/2025 12:00

Clara is great. I’d add Eloise

not keen on others except maybe Penelope but I think that’s becoming very popular

Emanwenym · 06/12/2025 12:02

@Pistachiocreme , a friend has a Mc surname and I stole the pattern from her. Both her DH and DD have names with the repeated letters, and the names sound very stylish.

Mumofgirls2017 · 06/12/2025 12:09

Penelope

Pranksters · 06/12/2025 13:13

Love Clara and I like Penelope.

Can’t stand Darcy, agree that it’s the Tracey of its time. Always hyphenated with Rose of Mai.

Freya is just overused.

Moreteaandchocolate · 06/12/2025 13:42

I love Penelope and Layla. Also really like Freya. I like the name Darcy and I know some lovely girls with the name, but I do worry about how it will date.

Do you like Maisie, Lila, Poppy, Matilda, Priya, Erin, Holly, Florence, Connie, Harriet (Hattie)

LoudPlumDog · 06/12/2025 13:50

Layla

Calliopespa · 06/12/2025 19:32

I like Penelope and Clara.

Freya is fine.

Not a fan of Darcy or Layla.

me24x · 06/12/2025 20:04

Freya

Peternell · 07/12/2025 05:36

Penelope and Freya are my favourites from your list. I like Darcy and understand the appeal but it may date -I used a decade-specific-popular name like this for my daughter and regretted it. Layla (along with all the Lilas and Lolas and Leilas) feels over-used.
Ciara
Tessa
Anna
Alice
Greta
Willa
Persephone
Francesca
Eleanor
Antonia/Annie
Philippa/Pippa
Nancy
Lucy
Celeste

Sparklesandspandexgallore · 07/12/2025 06:04

Freya by a mile.
I really don’t like Layla, reminds me of the song and I have an irrational strong dislike for Eric Clapton!

Swash89 · 07/12/2025 06:13

Not Layla. I knew a Layla and boys took the Mickey out of her name and said she liked to be laid… juvenile but upsetting

theunbreakablecleopatrajones · 08/12/2025 19:31

Freya - I love it but there were so many a couple decades ago - it may feel a bit dated to her generation.

Penelope (it's always shortened - I like Nell but not Penny)

Layla - stripper name

Darcy - the Tracy of the 2020s

Other options

Verity
Tessa
Zoe
Esther
Felicity
Ida
Carey
Persephone (it's becoming quite well used)
Clio

Emanwenym · 08/12/2025 20:31

Freya - I love it but there were so many a couple decades ago - it may feel a bit dated to her generation. There are even more of them now.
Baby name explorer

user2848502016 · 08/12/2025 21:09

I like them all actually, but Penelope might be a mouthful with your surname.

Of the other three I would choose Layla

ChubbyFecker · 08/12/2025 23:16

Freya
Leyland
Penelope
Darcy

Pistachiocreme · 09/12/2025 09:02

Very sad about Layla sounding like a stripper name :(

OP posts:
LolaBumble · 09/12/2025 10:05

Pistachiocreme · 09/12/2025 09:02

Very sad about Layla sounding like a stripper name :(

Layla is a lovely name, doesn’t sounds like a stripper name to me!

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