Topaz? or Wallis for my third (hopefully) girl? Or neither ? All feedback gratefully received........

[frazzledoldbag34]

TTC third baby. Hoping for (another) girl. My other 2 girls have slightly unusual but pretty names and need something that 'goes' (so am not considering things like Rachel, Anna, Chloe etc) pretty as they may be. What do you think......or are Topaz and Wallis a stretch too far? My DH also likes Cameron (for a girl) - he wanted it for DH1 and 2, but I didn't go for it.

Hmm, not sure on Blythe.
I know someone with a grown up daughter called Blythe. So not sure about using it as she'll think it's because of her - probably.
TBH it also wouldn't sound good with my surname.
Sorry Honoria!

My dd is called Felicity so obviously I love that name. Everyone comments on her name and says how pretty it is. We shorten it to Fliss.

I like Wallis (not wallace - that is a boy's name)

We had so many of the names here on our short list but then we were told we were having a boy and then arggggh it was a girl, big shocks all round.

Other than the name we hurridly chose we had
Felicity
Margarita (Dita)
Xanthe
Henrietta (Etta)
Nina

I think if you are as posh as you say you could get away with any of the names that you have listed

Ok, so now I'm having a dilemma.

Was in a park yesterday in Edinburgh with my 2DD's and another little girl came down the slide and her dad shouted 'well done, Paris'. I winced.

And after I'd finished wincing I wondered if other people might wince in a similar fashion were I to shout
'well done, Topaz' in the same situation...........

Am I potential evil mummy for even considering such a name??

Am also still keen on Christabel, but is that just as 'bad'.?

I am still keen on Felicity and a couple of other names that have been suggested on here.

I think this 'Paris' thing has freaked me out slightly (and don't want to sound snobby but it was shouted out in a very thick and unattractive accent (not sure where from in England but it was not a nice accent and they were wearing track suits and big trainers) which I don't think helped.

• Ouch - am bracing myself for the irate backlash......

And by the way I'm not THAT posh - I only have one butler and to be really posh you need two. Apparently.

[laughs and clicks fingers for afternoon tea immediately]

• joke

Don't they say that's the acid test?

Yell your potential name really loudly in a crowded supermarket...then see how you feel.

I had no problems doing this and was still set on the names I chose for my children. However I did lose my ds the other day and yeslled out his name and got lots of strange looks and found myself thinking, hmm, it does sound poncy-woncy.

D'you know, I might start doing that - I'll pretend DD2 is called Topaz (she won't mind, she's not even 2 yet) in the shops and then watch carefully for any adverse reaction.
If I notice any wincing, nudging, giggling, eye-rolling or smirking I'll have to think again.
Will report back!

Great thinking SiennaMiller. Hope you found your DS!

Might do this experiment in Harvey Nicks as well as Asda though to get the full spectrum of reaction.
Hmmmm

Oh bugger it.
Am just going to call this next baby Ann or John. Then nobody can accuse me of anything. (Except dullness I guess).

I can assure you in 5 years time a child called Jonny or Annie will get lots of reaction.

Personally i think those names rock.

Ds was nearly a Horatio though so don't listen to what I say!

D'you know I actually really like Jonny for a boy? (Except I don't think we DO boys).. but you never know.
Annie I don't like (the sun'll come out tomorrah) and all that. Also know lots of Anna's (which I like so couldn't use it.)

Horatio is actually quite a SPLENDID name.
I liked Hector last time I was pregnant Unfortunately my daughter didn't suit it. or Rufus which I also liked . Oh well.

my dd is called ivy and it's unusual, yellable, mostly admired. hsve no regrets. her middle name is stella. i wanted to call her pearl but we chickened out because (a) pearl lowe always sprang to mind (b) it's just not a pretty-sounding name

don't forget names will be shortened:

topaz -> tope
wallis -> wally
margot -> marge, maggie

also wallace is a popular scottish surname; your future dd could end up as wallis wallace !

oh but what are you thinking of with blair & cameron though!!! not keen on either!

i understand that you are posh -but personally i deliberately chose names that were kind of classless so my dcs can mix in all circles when they're growing up. i like annie and jonny for this reason. and blythe.

Ivy is a lovely name. Unfortunately it would sound awful with my surname.
And I don't even have one butler never mind two.

Indie - what's your view on Christabel or Felicity then?

I like Christabel. It's in an entirely different category to Topaz. It has a long history of being used as a first name. Wasn't one of the Pankhursts a Christabel.

It's a very strong name. Felicity is a little harsh and hissy sounding, like Cecily, I want to like it, it's elegant, and it's a little 'proper' but it's just not an attractive sound .

Topaz is kinda modern! I often hear names I don't like but I don't give them a second thought. Jessica, Felicity, Rebecca for example. They are ugly sounds imo, but I recognise that they are still perfectly sensible name choices.

Topaz is different. Although imo it's very pretty, it does invite comment more.

hth

I have just remembered I knew a really posh lady who called her daughter Epernay and was very smug about it etc. She ould be about 6 now.

I often wonder if she ever saw Kath & Kim she would have died

hee hee
love Kath & Kim
'hallo, revollting!!!!'

Where did she get Epernay from?
And while we're at it, Ebony-Rae or whatever the child was called is horrendous!

CuckooClock how can Topaz be classed as 'modern?' Surely Topaz has been around for centuries?

In fact I know for sure that there was a significant discovery of Topaz in Brazil in 1735! (puts on knowledgeable hat and rubs chin.....)
and knowing that, I would also assume that it has been long-used as a name as gem stones have long been used for names?????

It wouldn't occur to me that using 'Pearl' or 'Ruby' be a modern idea. And its the same sort of name.........Surely.
Non?

Correct me if I'm wrong though. (It has been known)

When I say Topaz is modern, I don't mean that it's a new word , I mean its usage as a name seems relatively modern.

Pearl and Ruby were definitely used as names 100 years ago (and now). They were fairly popular. Their return is cyclical. I imagine that Topaz is probably rising a little every year. It definitely has an appeal now. It is unusual but fits in amongst Ruby, Pearl, Joy and so on, other 'noun' names which weren't so popular a while back.

Perhaps Topaz was also used as a name way back when, but I think there is a lot more fluidity now. If Pearl can be used as a name then people all over the World will be thinking, why not Topaz, or Opal, or Silver, or Summer or Autumn or River or Leaf or Onyx (brangelina??!)...

I am one of Topaz' fans! But I think part of its appeal is that it sounds 'fresh' and 'new'. I do not know a single Topaz anywhere of any age. And yet, it doesn't sound like a crazy choice either! It treads a fine line very well

I know a little girl called Topaz. She's a cutie. Perhaps that's part of the appeal for me. Plus there won't be loads of them at nursery / school which always puts me off using names. (I checked the nursery register this afternoon and there are 3 Ruby's, 2 Ava's, an Eve. Also a Poppy, a Daisy and 2 Lily's. And that;s just one quite small local nursery.

Thanks for your positive comment though - glad someone else likes it and you don't think it's Chavvish.
You obviously have impeccable taste.