Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Baby names

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

Darlie and Jessup

54 replies

LemonFlavour · 20/04/2026 17:59

Whilst in Florida, DH and I met another couple with children. The mom's name was Darlie and one son was called Jessup (spelling?). The husband and other children had common names.

I actually really liked those names but was thinking about how they couldn't be used in the UK because of the judgement you would receive. I know Darlie is a bit cutesy, but it's not any more cutesy than similar names that are considered acceptable and mainstream (Elsie, Rosie, Poppy). Jessup isn't too eccentric to me either. What do you think?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Marmalademorning · 20/04/2026 20:35

These sound like the names of many of the kids in my daughter’s school. We live in a small market town that’s attracted lots of wealthy hippy-dippy types from London. And these are just the sort of names they call their kids.

ArachneArachne · 20/04/2026 20:39

MegMortimer · 20/04/2026 18:10

They sound like hamster names.

I think Darlie and Jessup sounds like one of those cutesily-named high-end children’s boutiques, or brands that make handknitted alpaca toddler ponchos.

Viviennemary · 20/04/2026 20:42

They're both beyond dire.

BrownRedPink · 20/04/2026 20:44

singthing · 20/04/2026 20:31

Darlie is a brand of toothpaste widely used across Asia.
It was originally called Darkie - which got changed - but they still have the black man as the logo. And loads of people still use the old name too.

Not sure I'd want that to pop up on a google search for someone's kid with the unusual name.

More frighteningly, it is the name of a woman on Death Row in Texas (Darlie Routier). There have been many documentaries made about her.

user2848502016 · 20/04/2026 20:45

Darla is quite pretty, with Darlie for short
Jessup is awful

BrownRedPink · 20/04/2026 20:51

BrownRedPink · 20/04/2026 20:44

More frighteningly, it is the name of a woman on Death Row in Texas (Darlie Routier). There have been many documentaries made about her.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darlie_Routier

Darlie Routier - Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darlie_Routier

StationJack · 20/04/2026 21:05

Sounds like an old estate agents firm from South Yorkshire.

CushionCushion · 20/04/2026 21:07

Fictional Victorian detective duo

LemonFlavour · 20/04/2026 21:57

Marmalademorning · 20/04/2026 20:35

These sound like the names of many of the kids in my daughter’s school. We live in a small market town that’s attracted lots of wealthy hippy-dippy types from London. And these are just the sort of names they call their kids.

The couple that we met did seem wealthy.

OP posts:
Giraffehaver · 20/04/2026 22:34

Jessops is a department store here. I've heard Darla but not Darlie.
Not keen at all

Dinggirl · Yesterday 07:14

Overtheatlantic · 20/04/2026 20:05

Oh please. English names can be just as ridiculous.

Alfie
Jemima
Imogen
Hugo

I actually like those names, except for Alfie, but they are English names that can’t ever leave the country because they have no appeal elsewhere.

I have an Alfie...just about to graduate from a top university in maths. It's never held him back! 😄 Also, my Romanian colleague has just named her baby that, so it can leave the country!
With regard to Jessup, that's a surname, I knew of one that was a captain of a speedway team...the best one in the country I might add! So these are actually good names 😆

OwnBrandButter · Yesterday 07:32

Overtheatlantic · 20/04/2026 20:05

Oh please. English names can be just as ridiculous.

Alfie
Jemima
Imogen
Hugo

I actually like those names, except for Alfie, but they are English names that can’t ever leave the country because they have no appeal elsewhere.

Hugo had Germanic origins and Jemima is a Hebrew name.
DS3 has a mate called Alfie, his parents are Polish.

holifee · Yesterday 07:36

Overtheatlantic · 20/04/2026 20:05

Oh please. English names can be just as ridiculous.

Alfie
Jemima
Imogen
Hugo

I actually like those names, except for Alfie, but they are English names that can’t ever leave the country because they have no appeal elsewhere.

Alfie
Jemima
Imogen
Hugo

These are ok names apart from Hugo. Alfies though is a dog name around here, Jemima can be Jem when abroad, Imogen sounds like imagine, not sure if thats good or bad and Hugo does not sound nice.

Overtheatlantic · Yesterday 07:39

Spectacularly missing the point that the English have their share of awful and very cultural names.

RegalDiamondMonster · Yesterday 09:01

Overtheatlantic · 20/04/2026 20:05

Oh please. English names can be just as ridiculous.

Alfie
Jemima
Imogen
Hugo

I actually like those names, except for Alfie, but they are English names that can’t ever leave the country because they have no appeal elsewhere.

Loads of French Hugos, Hugo Lloris for example. Also in Spanish speaking countries.

I agree there are some country specific names wherever you go.

StationJack · Yesterday 12:33

@Overtheatlantic , Alfie is from Alfred. English origin.
Jemima is from the Bible. Hebrew origin.
Imogen is from Shakespeare. Possibly Celtic origin.
Hugo is of German origin but the name is Latin.

Hugo Chavez, Victor Hugo, Hugo Gaston, Hugo Grenier, Hugo Viana, Hugo Gonzalez, ...

None of them ever set a foot outside England. Smile

Besafeeatcake · Yesterday 12:38

As someone from that side of the pond they sound like nicknames/ shortened names to me.

Darlie short for Darla or Darlene. Jessie is a common kast name.

Very American sounding names for the UK. I wouldn’t.

TheBeaTgoeson1 · Yesterday 13:20

Oh god. Please don’t.

Talipesmum · Yesterday 13:54

I knew a Jessub once, spelt like that (not jessup) - he was from Mozambique. I think Jessub / jessob is a better known name than jessup, though all quite uncommon in the UK. I like it as a name.

Darlie def sounds short for Darlene.

MyTrivia · Yesterday 13:56

Darlie is the name of a woman on death row for murdering her two little boys.

StationJack · Yesterday 14:05

@Talipesmum , Jessop''s was a high street shop. No Jessubs or Jessobs have been registered in England & Wales between 1996 and 2024.

Talipesmum · Yesterday 14:09

StationJack · Yesterday 14:05

@Talipesmum , Jessop''s was a high street shop. No Jessubs or Jessobs have been registered in England & Wales between 1996 and 2024.

Yes I know about the high street shop, I was a big fan at the time! I mentioned the Jessub I knew was from Mozambique as perhaps that’s a place where the name is better known. I also googled the name and came up with a handful of actual jessobs/ Jessubs, but no jessup / jessops as names (or none on my v quick and lazy google) so I was meaning that she might have misheard the name and it might actually end in a b rather than a p.

(oh and there’s at least one Jessub in the UK as he’s still living here I think, though he wasn’t born here)

StationJack · Yesterday 14:15

@Talipesmum , . I think Jessub / jessob is a better known name than jessup
Jessup just looks like a typo of a well-known name. You know one Jessub. Hmm

Vodkamartini3olives · Yesterday 14:23

Jessop is an old English name. In North America it's very common in FLDS/.LDS communities. Haven't heard Darlie but if assume it's short for Darlene. People in the US are way Less judgy of unusual names.

Greenknightsuccess · Yesterday 14:46

Jessop’s ok, Jesse for short. Darlie just doesn’t do it for me though. How about Dorothy - Dolly for short?