We have narrowed it down to two names. Which should we use?

[artichokes]

After an afternoon stuck in hospital DH and I finally had time to do some serious name chat.

The result is that DD2 will either be:
Hester, known as Hetty.
Alexandra, known as Alex.

Which do people prefer?

Hester and Hetty deffo

Alexandra

Hester - congratulations btw

Hester is a great name - very classy. I wouldn't even shorten it to Hetty personally.

Alexandra is nice but too popular, a bit boring.

I'd keep both and then see which suits your dd best. I have a friend with a Hetty (think she is a Henrietta, but she might be a Hester). Suits her very well.

Hester. The world has enough Alexanders and Alexandras (fine names though they are).

Thanks for all the comments so far. I thought Alexandra would be way more popular (it seems safer to me) but while a couple of people really hate Hester most of you have been really positive.

The fester associations don't bother me. The idea that Hester is "try hard" and Hetty is "twee" bother me more. So far they seem minority opinions. What do others thing?

MrsM - Hester is the Greek version of Esther. It is the name of the heroine in Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel 'The Scarlett Letter'. It was DH's grandma's name which is why we thought of it. DD (2.2) heard us discussing it and loves it, she keeps saying "baby name Hetty please".

Hester

Hester/Hettie.

ooh I love Hester

am currently reading A prayer for Owen Meany and one f the characters is Hester Was just thinking last night that Hester was a lovely name

Definitely Alexandra.

sorry but not too keen on hester,it reminds me of uncle fester from the adams family........sorry.i was going to call my daughter regina until someone pointed out it sounded like vagina so that put me off.

i always liked kaitlan but opted for madison which sounds like medicine,but hey i like it.we had the two names on shortlist and when she was borned looked like a madison.so id say hold the thought

Hmmmm.
DH is throwing Sophia back into the mix.

dd really likes being named after two of her great-grandmothers. It's nice to feel your name has a good origin (ds is named after ancient English Kings). I did think slightly of Hester the Molester (John Irving) but I doubt anyone else will pick up on that