Freja or other options?

[Windowboxer]

Just found out we are having a baby girl and would love some wise mumsnetters input and suggestions. Some criteria:

• works for a baby and a "serious" grown up
• works internationally
• not too popular in UK but known

We have a shortlist but none feel quite right.

• Ingrid (Indi) - love but not sure if she would feel the same, may be too harsh
• Erika - ditto
• Greta - ditto and not sure on nicknames
• Imogen
• Harriet (Hattie) - is it too "horsey"/plain?
• Henrietta (Hetty) - too "horsey" / frilly?
• Frey/ja - too popular?

Freja meets your first two criteria but not the third. Freya is top 10 popular in the UK and has been for many many years now.

I think Harriet probably works best on your list to meet all 3 of your criteria.

I like Freya and Erika, and agree that Hattie/Hettie are too horsey.

Ingrid (Indi) - Ingrid is nice. Not keen on Indi
Erika - fine
Greta - doesn't need 'nicknames'.
Imogen - fine
Harriet (Hattie) - like
Henrietta (Hetty) - duck face, vacuum cleaner
Frey/ja - too popular, and why spell it differently to the 1000s of Freyas registered in the UK over the past 20 years?

I like Erika and Imogen the best from your list. Also like Ingrid. Less keen on the others but there are no 'bad' names there, in my opinion.

What about Astrid?

Or - Katrina, Ysanne, Maria, Johanna, Giovanna, Ana, Lucia, Marta, Anastasia

I have an Imogen so im obviously biased ☺️ and that is my favourite on your list. I also like Ingrid. I love a name ending in a consonant (my other DD is Erin).

Freya is nice but I agree v popular. I also like Harriet nn Hattie.

Overall, great list, OP!

Congratulations!

Ingrid is nice, and unusual these days.

There are loads of Freyas.

Ffion orla effa mimi trixie Isla scarlet

Effa isn't a name.

I love Imogen, Freya, Harriet. How well do Imogen and Harriet work internationally?

I know one Freyja and everyone calls her ‘Frey-ja’ as they’re friends with another Freya.

Names beginning with H or with a soft g may not be pronounced correctly in all languages.

Anna
Isabella
Lara
Sophia/Sofia
Arianna
Kara
Katarina
Stella

Astrid?
Artemis (nn Temmy)?
Lydia?

Ingrid, Erika and Greta are all fabulous names and all meet your criteria I think. I don't think any of them sound 'harsh', but then I like strong women's names.

Indi is fine for an Ingrid nn, though you don't necessarily need one.

Imogen and Harriet are also great names, but on the popular side. Henrietta is too much, too frilly for me, and Freya is lovely but very popular in the UK at the moment.

I’m a Harriet and I would say yes it’s horsey and it doesn’t work very well internationally - the H and Rs get lost. And the T. Just imagine an American saying Harriet - Heearried. I don’t mind it though and like my name, am definitely a Harry rather than a Hattie though!

Absolutely love Imogen, wanted a daughter called Imogen when I was a child. Also like Imogene.

I know lots of kids and Freja is definitely the most popular on your list, going by the pool I know.

I have a Greta. She went by Gigi as a toddler but insists on being called Greta now.
The name receives compliments everywhere we go, it's short, easy to spell and just works for all the reasons you've listed (although I'm not in the UK). Absolutely love the name ☺️

I like Harriet and Imogen best

I love the names Ingrid, Erika and Greta. Lovely choices.

I don't think Harriet or Henrietta work well internationally. I don't know about Imogen. Freja has been popular for a while and that would put me off.

What about
Sigrid
Sybil / Sibylle
Frida / Frieda
Frederica / Frederieke
Emma
Anastasia
Elsa
Marina
Madeleine
Victoria

Thanks for everyone's comments and suggestions so far. Seems like a split between Imogen/Harriet lovers and Ingrid/Greta. We are ruling out Freja and Henrietta.

Like lots of the suggestions but many are ruled out due to surname/initials and family/friend names. Particularly like Lara, Astrid, Lydia and Marina.

@AutumnOcean how do you pronounce your Greta? It's a family name for us, pronounced with a long "ee" like cheese. But have only heard it pronounced with a short e like "met" in the UK.

I really like Harriet, Ingrid and Greta.
Imogen won't work internationally because of the g.
Harriet might not work internationally because of the H.

Greta is usually Gret-a not Greet-a in the UK.

Unless you need the name to work internationally, I wouldn't base my decision on that, otherwise there's always Anna or Maria.

I like Ingrid and Erika and would not consider them harsh names. I don't like Thea as to me that is a very hard and harsh name.

I agree. Thea is so nothing-y. It's just a sound.

Imogen is popular and often shortened to Immy, so do you like the nickname as you don’t necessarily get a choice about that.

My favourites are Ingrid, Greta and Erika - not harsh at all and works well for all ages.

My test was would the name (in full including surname) work shouted out in the pub, up in lights at the Westend/ Hollywood or work as CEO at a multinational. All your names (depending on surname)would pass these.

Agree Freya is soooo popular. I like Henrietta. Suggestions

Clara
Anna
Elena
Romy
Maya
Ines
Sophia (though also popular)
Matilda
Alice
Eva
Julia
Nora

We pronounce it with the short e (it's a family name for us too), but I've also heard it pronounced with the long ee sound. Both are nice 🙂

I've always liked Freya. It is definitely popular though.

I'm not sure on the Freyja or Freja spellings - they may be more authentic but I would be concerned about people pronouncing them with the English J sound.

Ingrid is nice. The others are fine too.