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Baby names

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

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Original poster

Are girls harder to name than boys?

24 replies

pinsanon · 23/12/2008 00:57

Sorry if this has been discussed a million times before, but as an enthusiastic new (male) member of mumsnet I'm keen to find out.

We named our son at a couple of weeks but in fairness we'd already pretty much decided and at least we had a shortlist.

Having real trouble coming up with a name for our new daughter (16 days old), even names we liked we look at her and think "nah". The shortlist is in the bin!

This isn't asking for name suggestions, just curious if it's normal to find it harder to name a girl than a boy.

(or is it just me )

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wrinklytum · 23/12/2008 00:58

I found it harder to name our ds.What is your shortlist?

horsemadgal · 23/12/2008 01:06

With DS we only had a boys name. This time we only have a girls name. So same for us I suppose.

TooMuchMakkaPakka · 23/12/2008 01:11

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes for women at least

We also have a son, Sam, whom we named in the time it took for me to be sewn up again (sorry TMI) but naming our daughter is causing me sleepless nights 3 months on.

I think this is because -

Girls names go in and out of fashion more often, so it is easy to see a name as 'too 80s' or whatever, even if it is a nice name, and worry that when she is 30 it will be an old woman's name

If you are a woman you associate yourself more with girls' names (ie would I like to be called that?) which really plays with a woman's already demented postnatal mind

If you are a woman you probably knew lots of girls at school whom you didn't like with very nice names (personally i was bullied by a girl called Anna, lovely name, but...)

There is a core of boys names which are safe options ,this doesn't really exist so much for girls. Those that are very safe are probably viewed as more boring.

TisTheSeasonToBeSolo · 23/12/2008 01:18

My Ds had a name when I got to about 5 months pg. Dd however was 20 days old before getting a name other than 'Baby Girl'! Yes is my answer! But for me, I only had my consideration in a name to worry about, whereas there were two of us to decide on Dd.

Original poster

pinsanon · 23/12/2008 01:25

MakkaPakka that's a great insight into a woman's thought process. I've just learned more reading that than in the 13 years I've known my good lady! But I think your points are excellent! Thank You!

OP posts:

Kristingle · 23/12/2008 01:41

i agreee that girls names change more with fashion than boys names

the most popular names in 1900 were john, james, william robert alexander george thomas david and andrew. none of these have dated at all

though i suspect that boys suffer more from having very weird unusual names

TooMuchMakkaPakka · 23/12/2008 01:43

I feel for you pinsanon. I think you are undergoing the same stress as my poor DH. I gave him a big hug when he came in from work and thanked him for being understanding and he said 'I don't want to talk about names again, I just want to sit down and have a beer'

lunamoon2 · 23/12/2008 11:25

I agree that boys names fall into categories more easily, but think there is much more choice for girls, so found it hard to pick a boys name from the "middle" category.
ie generally 3 categories:
unusual/modern eg Clinton, Cody
very traditional eg Henry, William
middle "safe" ground" eg Joshua, Matthew

With girls there are many more "safe/middle ground" names.

HensMum · 23/12/2008 11:36

It was nearly impossible for DP and I to think of a girls name when I was pregnant. There are very few girls names that I love and DP hated them and vice versa.

I like traditional names (DS is Henry) but the trouble with traditional names for girls is that they've either been done to death (Elizabeth, Catherine etc) or they are having a revival (Ruby etc) and so will be really dated in a few years.

piscesmoon · 23/12/2008 11:50

I had lots of girls names and have never needed them. Boys I find difficult because a lot of lovely names are spoilt by being shortened.

ChristmasFairySantAsSLut · 23/12/2008 11:54

I wouldn't now...I only have boys....however...we always decided on the name before the Babies were born and the names always seem to suit them....

For what it's worth, I could always come up with plenty of girlsnames that would work,for us boysnames were always difficult to find...lol

LynetteScavo · 23/12/2008 12:12

WE found it really hard to name a girl.
Every time I thought of a great name, DH would burst into song.

I really wanted to call DS2 Anastasia (if he's been a girl, obvioulsy) and every time I mentioned it DH would sing "I'm all out of lurve" in a stupid way.

It's hard to get the balance between pretty, and sensible, not too flowery and won't be shortend into something odd.

AndHeaVanAnnNatureSing · 23/12/2008 13:01

We only have a boy, but discussed girls' names in case. Problem was we couldn't agree on many. DP loves the usual suspects - Elizabeth, Catherine, etc and they are nice names but I just feel they're a little overused, my suggestions (Yvette, Marie, etc) were all unacceptable to DP. Having said that, we only had ONE boy's name that we liked, so if we have another boy, I'm not really sure what we'll do.

TheOldestCat · 23/12/2008 13:06

Other way round for us! We couldn't agree on any boy names, so it was just as well DD wasn't a DS.

Good luck - you'll get there, a name will just click with you both. We had two family names that we loved so we were lucky.

PlonkerTeatowelOnTheirHeads · 23/12/2008 13:08

I had the opposite experience.

There are an abundance of girls' names that I love, and I mean really love. We chose boys names and although I liked them, there isn't a single boys name that I love.

Quite lucky that I had 3 girls don't you think?!

Fimbo · 23/12/2008 13:08

Had no boys names at all. Dh chose ds's name as I couldn't come up with anything at all I liked (have a couple now I don't mind but don't love iyswim but I am not having any more children so it's not an issue!!).

DD's name I had in my mind before I even met dh!

mrswoolf · 23/12/2008 15:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ChasingSquirrels · 23/12/2008 15:21

no - it depends on the individuals and the circumstances.

ds1 - i had a boys name (including middle) from almost the moment I found out I was pg. was very hard to find a girls name that we both liked and agreed on, in the end we comprimised with one that wasn't a fav for either of us.

ds2 - i had a girls name, but no boys name - in the end ds2 named him after he was born.

maretta · 23/12/2008 15:22

I think girls names are way harder, especially to find a nmae that suits every occasion and stage in life.

ElectraInExcelsis · 23/12/2008 15:24

Personally, I find boys more difficult. I have many more girls names to choose from and only about 3 boys names.

WhenFRUITYgotstuckupthechimney · 23/12/2008 15:25

I think boys names are really difficult.
We had loads of girls names for this one. Turns out it't a boy and struggling to find one we really like.
He may end up being called Olivia

BucketsofReindeerPoo · 23/12/2008 15:51

I find boy's names impossible. Seems to me a man's name needs to have a bit of dignity to it where as a woman can keep a cutesy-pie or girly name for life.

mediocrebronze · 23/12/2008 15:52

I find girls far easier. But only had one girl to name am now stuck on 3rd boy.

CuppaTeaJanice · 24/12/2008 17:58

There are loads of beautiful girls names.

I struggled to find a boys name though, either they are really dull and overused, a bit chavvy, or likely to get him beaten up in the schoolyard. Our shortlist was really, really short.

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