the current shortlist - describe these people!

[purlease]

Got a shortlist of four girls names and four boys names.
Saw a thread before which asked what pictures names conjured up so tell me a bit about the following people; are they fun, obnoxious, pretentious etc.

Any other suggestions welcome too.

Boys:

Aaron
Arthur
Lucas
Malachy

Girls:

Cara
Lucy
Marian
Zoe

I think I'm starting to fancy Lucas.

Based on people I have known:

Aaron - easy going, one of the gang, likes to fit in
Arthur - has one tooth and diabetes. Likes sweets
Lucas - complete brat, mummy says 'I don't have to wear shoes'
Malachy - Feral Irish child with freckles. Malachi on the other hand - London 'rude boy'.

Cara - slightly chubby, but will age better than anyone else
Lucy - Middle class, going to rebel by going to Brighton on the train from London on a school day
Marian - receptionist who shops at M and S and likes all things floral
Zoe - AARGGGH! The most annoying girl known to man.

Don't mean to be unconstructive (is that a word?) but I am suprised at the general perception of Lucas as fun and fanciable.

I have always picutred Lucas as a snivelly, sickly boy who carries a damp hanky around. Maybe some connection with Lucozade, now I think about it?

Aaron is tall and blond, prob quite sporty.

Arthur is a stocky, blond, Bodeny boy who grows up into a stocky, blond, Bodeny (perfectly nice) man- possibly a GP.

Malachy- I'm with the Nine Inch Nails and snake camp.

Must add that I have two girls and was quite relieved not to have to pick a boy's name as I found it extremely difficult!

Aaron - teenager in London, proud of his ASBO
Arthur - old man in Pinner, proud of hs shed aand prize veg
Lucas - German, a ski instructor
Malachy - a green stone with stripes in
Cara - little Spanish dumpling with dark hair and luscious lips
Lucy - perpetual little girl.
Marian - middle aged gossip who works in the Post Office

Pendulum- are you confusing the lovely Lucas with Lucy? She's the one snivelling, I think you'll find.

Aaron
Arthur
Lucas
Malachy

Girls:

Cara
Lucy
Marian
Zoe

Oh God, they're all horrid, sorry. I describe them as...urrr...horridly named people.

(Please don't call your baby Marian)

hi sorry, I've been away a while. I need to do a bit of catching up. Some of these descriptions are great. Marian has most definitely been struck of the list.

MrsMattie, What names do you like - open to suggestions - 9 weeks to go

ha no I'm not Lucy. BTW Lucy for me = nice but a bit wet.

Must go and look up my own (very 70s) name in the list....

Purlease, sorry if you've already said but do you have other DCs and if so can you disclose their names?

DD is Hannah

I like Hannah. DD2 would have been Anna if I'd had my way.

Your boys' names are all very different in style. I would say Arthur 'goes' best with Hannah- both v wholesome, traditional names. Also quite musical to say together because both end in 'r' sound.

If she had been a boy she would have been Arthur.

I think we're struggling with girls names more!

You could reverse the exercise. Tell us what you would like us to say in response to a name, and we could suggest names

Aaron- walks with a swagger and loves his sports (though not very good at losing).
Arthur- dependable with ruddy good-looks. Is looking for his kindred spirit.
Lucas- no matter how much he eats he will always be a skinny boy.
Malachy- cheeky green eyed boy who talk too much.

Girls:

Cara- a shade of orange with very straight hair and a tendency to go to the shops in her pjs.
Lucy- a doll-like creature who keeps secrets.
Marian- wishes her parents had not aged her so soon.
Zoe- is the person everyone wants to go to the pub with.

Aaron- a lovely boy but socially awkward, has trouble making friends.
Arthur- hyperactive little boy who is very naughty but quite funny.
Lucas- a kind and thoughful boy with many talents. Everybody loves him but he has no awareness of this and is very down to earth.
Malachy- cheeky but gorgeous little boy.

Girls:

Cara- party girl.
Lucy- goody-goody.
Marian- unfashionable, has BO and goes grey prematurely. A bit of a lentil-weaver but never really fits in with any group.
Zoe - wishes her parents had called her Chloe.

pendulum not sure that would work.

For example who wouldn't want their son to be described as artichokes has described Lucas - a kind and thoughful boy with many talents. Everybody loves him but he has no awareness of this and is very down to earth.

But then you just look at some of the other descriptions for Lucas.

We like traditional names that you could imagine fitting any age although quite like the idea of the revival of some of the old names - not enough to consider Beryl or Mavis

Also like names that can't be mucked around with too much.

Boys name to be proper boys name - not unisex names.

Spelling and pronunciation to be straightforward - I have struggled all my life with people not being able to pronounce or spell mine.

Yes, true. I think my point is that in reading your list, I don't get a strong sense of where in the baby names book your preferences would lie IYSWIM- it's not as if you have shortlisted a group of biblical boys names, or of Primrose- Hill type boho girls' names. They are all very different in terms of the decade they were popular and their 'trad English' vs foreign origins.

In my case for example, (and I have never analysed it like this before, it is a very interesting exercise) I would say that I picked two girl's names that are quite strong and possibly tomboyish. On this thread I would describe the names as 'mop haired in mismatched clothes, probably eating worms in the garden' rather than 'beautifully turned out in petit bateau, does baby ballet on saturday mornings' Interestingly the baby book, which I did not read at the time but flicked through recently, puts them both firmly in the same chapter (together with all of our shortlisted boys names)

However, if this thread shows one thing, it is that there is no such thing as real consensus on a name.

(Have you thought about Ruth by the way?)

Crashing in here but please Pendulum, give me some examples of "Primrose- Hill type boho girls' names", that sounds enticing!

Boys:

Aaron - American of Irish decent. All members of his family have names which are vaguely celtic (but usually just random Irish words rather than actual Irish names). They all mispronounce them.
Arthur - nice name for a dog or old man
Lucas - Painfully silent and sulky, speaking to him is like getting blood from a stone
Malachy - alco

Girls:

Cara - see Aaron
Lucy - slutty, popular, all her friends are boys. Often doesnt wear a bra under light white tee shirts
Marian - boss from hell
Zoe - girly girl

Aaron: mouthy, loud, his dad uses grade 2 clippers on his hair every fortnight
Arthur: quiet, well-spoken, well-behaved. The perfect son until he reaches 15 and you realise he'll have no success in his love life whatsoever
Lucas: something of the night about him. Charming but unnerving
Malachy: Mum was reading Angela's Ashes when he was conceived and fancied an Irish influence in the family

Cara: Daddy's girl. Pretty but throws her toys out of her pram on a regular basis
Lucy: likeable and lovely and away with the fairies
Marian: sensible, clever and sensible. And clever. And sensible
Zoe: unconventional, unpredictable and unlikely to do anything you want her to

Aaron: bookish, clever and teachers pet
Arthur: 60 yo has flat cap and whippet
Lucas: Cheeky, a little naughty but v affable
Malachy: Irish, has the gift of the gab

Cara: Flighty, away with the fairies
Lucy: Strong, sensible, beautiful, trustworthy and a fantastic friend
Marian: Married to Arthur
Zoe: Lively and a little wayward

hmmmm audley will try to remember a few.

clementine
matilda
iris
lila/ lola
daisy
anais
madeleine
isla

Thanks Pendulum, I thought I'd like them, Clementine, Iris and Daisy are all on my list!

Erk, my name is very similar to one on this thread and it is NOT nice reading!

I am Leticia Dean - I personally LOVE your name

audley- I have an Iris

It was DH's choice but I love it!