Some names we are pondering over......

[daisy5]

Just wondering what people think of when they hear these names.....

Juliet
Genevieve
Portia
Gretchen
Francesca
Emilia
Helena
Anastasia
Alexandra

We have a short surname so the longer names sound really good but I worry that they can come across as pretentious (such as Anastasia - although very pretty I think).

Any thoughts.

Many thanks.

[xxhunnyxx]

I like Emilia and Francesca is ok but don't like any of the others sorry.

[Northernlurker]

Juliet - no a bit stiff I always think
Genevieve - reminds me of a car
Portia - Ick! It's about the only Shakespearean name I didn't consider!
Gretchen - dull
Francesca - dull
Emilia - trying too hard
Helena - Now that's just lovely - classic and gorgeous
Anastasia - Very pretty
Alexandra - Like this too.

[LynetteScavo]

Juliet - fantasic
Genevieve - I love it
Portia - My sister has a vicous cat called Portia, which has put me off a bit.
Gretchen - I haf love half hate.
Francesca - Nt too keen
Emilia-I prefer Amelia.
Helena - OK
Anastasia - I love it- DS2 was very nearly Anastasia, until DH threated to shorten it to Satcy.
Alexandra - OK

[SheSellsSeashellsByTheSeashore]

I like Anastasia but it will be shortened to Anna or Stacy.

[loler]

Juliet - Like (had a friend Juliet and as never shortened) - I wanted Josephine (Josie) for ds2 which is similar type of name
Genevieve - I don't mind the name but would hate to have to be called it. Be a hard name to carry off and difficult to shorten. And imagine having to teach her to spell it.
Portia - The pig thing puts me off - didn't know that.
Gretchen - Prefer Greta
Francesca - It's all right
Emilia- Would always be spelt wrongly but I have a name like that and don't really care. I prefer it to Amelia.
Helena - I've got 2 friends with Helenas they each say it a different way. Really hard to remember and each gets upset when prenounced wrongly.
Anastasia - Pop star, another name I would hate to be called. If she really hated it could just call herself Ana though.
Alexandra - Tradional without being over used. Quite like it.

[janeite]

I love Helena and quite like Juliet and Portia, though not sure that personally I'd be brave enough to use them.

I think the others are all a bit of a mouthful tbh.

Why Emilia? Amelia is a sweet name.

[janeite]

Elinor is another good name, if you like Helena.

[SlartyBartFast]

Juliet - would have liked it but didnt go down well with dh, plus, a bit dated
Genevieve no
Portia no- knew one once, bit of a snob
Gretchen not unless you are germanic
Francesca not really
Emilia not personally
Helena quite like
Anastasia - not really
Alexandra - bit long but quite nice

[WinkyWinkola]

I love Gretchen. I think it's really cute as it conjures up red cheeked, woollen stockinged girls in my mind.

But DH wouldn't have allowed it as he thought of Retchin' Gretchen. He wouldn't allow Pearl either because of pearly necklace.

Anyway, from the rest, I like Francesca and Juliet.

[brimfull]

I used to know a Gretchen when I was growing up.

She had wonderful curly hair,sparkly eyes and was such a beautiful person I have always loved the name.

We used to call her Gidget as a nickname sometimes

[BoccaDellaVerita]

My new approach is to award marks out of 10, Strictly Come Dancing stylee

Juliet ... 8
Genevieve ... 4 (is an old banger driven by Kenneth More)
Portia ... 0
Gretchen ... -5
Francesca ... 9
Emilia ... 9
Helena ... 8
Anastasia ... 0
Alexandra ... 4

But who cares what a mad old biddy on the internet thinks?

[brimfull]

-5 how very dare you!!!

and juliet is a detective's name

lolol

[BoccaDellaVerita]

[nappyaddict]

I love them all except for Emilia cos I think that sort of name is quite popular at the moment.

[daisy5]

I was wondering if I could have the great honour of the infamous dizzy's opinion as I hear that 'a baby name thread is not a baby name thread without dizzy....'.

Yes, I see Amelia is very popular and so is Amelie and Emily so maybe I should steer clear of it. I've always liked the fact that very few people had the same name as me but that it was easy to pronounce. I've just checked and none of these are in the top 100 except Francesca and Alexandra, and they are both very far down.

Clearly some differing views over Gretchen. I also think it sounds like a healthy, happy outdoorsy girl but there do seem to be a lot of people who don't like it.

Juliet the detective - ggirl - not aware of that one?

Probably my favourites so far are Helena, Alexandra and Juliet. Am also now considering:
Natasha
Emmaline
Penelope - although maybe too many Penny's in my generation...

[nappyaddict]

Not Natasha if you don't want a popular name.

[CuppaTeaJanice]

Gretchen reminds me of Judy Blume books.

I like Anastasia but prefer it pronounced the Russian way (Anna-star-zia) rather than Anna-stay-zia.

[debzmb62]

love Anastasia best but alot of time will get shortened to stacey or ana which is fine when they are older
just love alexandra

[mersmam]

I like Francesca, Juliet and Helena best. They all sound quite elegant, classy names (to me anyway!)

[magnummum]

Got very similar taste to you, only one I wouldn't consider is Portia.