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Baby names

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

Original poster

a shortlist of names

26 replies

pandavark · 30/03/2009 14:31

for a girl i don't want anything too cutesy, don't want a name that seems to brag about being good looking or cute.

for a girl:

audrey
marie
matilda
helena
emmeline
martha
erica
nina
clara
vivien
chrissie
may

for a boy:

my criteria for this is, does he sound like a sissy or a fool? so far i have:

ted
henry
george
bruce
richard
thomas
bill
vincent
charlie
elliott
james

with some more "exotic" middle name choices: virgil, leland, seymour, sylvan

OP posts:
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hunkermunker · 30/03/2009 14:32

How does a name brag about being good-looking?

I like Clara and James best from your lists.

jellybeans · 30/03/2009 14:34

I only like these from your lists..

matilda
erica
clara

henry
thomas
james

Claire2009 · 30/03/2009 14:34

I don't like any of your girls' names on your list but like Charlie & Henry on your boys' list.

Original poster
pandavark · 30/03/2009 14:36

i love hearing what people like, its fascinating how people love and hate different names with equal measure. what girls names do you like claire2009, just out of curiousity?

OP posts:
Claire2009 · 30/03/2009 14:38

Pandavark.
I see your girls' names on the list as a little 'old' fashioned...not saying names have to be ultra modern but they are not so common nowadays - which I see why you have chosen them

I like Elodie for a girls' name - can't think of any that got to the shortlist for my dd. Who is named Morgane - French spelt/pronounced.

GossipMonger · 30/03/2009 14:39

My choices would be

Emmeline May

and

Elliott Seymour

not really keen on lots of those names such as Nina, Erica, Audrey and Vivien! or Bill, Ted, Vincent and Bruce.

DS2 goes to school with an Eddie which is sweet.

shivermekinders · 30/03/2009 14:39

My favourites would be May and Vincent.

kidcreoleandthehotcrossbuns · 30/03/2009 14:39

I like..

Matilda...Tilly
Martha
May...but more for a middle name

Henry
George
Thomas
Charlie
James

Can I just say....Bruce? Really?

Original poster
pandavark · 30/03/2009 14:47

haha Bruce is a good strong name! although i dont think i'd pick it. now that i think of it there's plenty of bruces i dont like. bruce willis. bruce springsteen. oh god. no.

agree with may being better as a middle name.

OP posts:
cherrylips · 30/03/2009 15:33

My faves of your list are : Helena and James.

Hulababy · 30/03/2009 15:38

for a girl:

Audrey - I don't like this
Marie - not keen
Matilda - love this name and the nn Tilly
Helena - not keen
Emmeline - quite like this
Martha - love it; my fave name
Erica - sounds very harsh to me this one
Nina - not keen
Clara - ok, but not my choice
Vivien - no
Chrissie - no, sunds like a nn
May - prefer this as a middle name to a first name

for a boy:

Ted - I like Edward; Ted is a nn IMO and I prefer full names to shortened ones on a birth cert
Henry - like this
George - like this
Bruce - no
Richard - not sure I can imagine a baby Richard these days; it is DH's name so no problem with name just linked to a diff generation for me
thomas - nice
Bill - again a nn for me. I like William
Vincent - no
charlie - really like this but prefer Charles as proper name and this as nn
Elliott - not keen
James - ok; safe and sensible

Marthasmama · 30/03/2009 15:41

I like Martha for a girl. Only a really clever, talented and well, fabulous mummy would chose the name Martha

For a boy, I love George.

ohdearwhatamess · 30/03/2009 15:51

like:
Audrey
Matilda
Martha

Henry
George
Thomas
James

Don't like Bill but love William

mrswoolf · 30/03/2009 15:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Hawkmoth · 30/03/2009 15:52

Agree with Marthasmama Mine is growing up to be fantastic.

Elliot... the only one I know only has 1 t.

Also like Helena, Richard, and James... although that's my friend, her dad and my dad!!!

ItsMargotBeauregarde · 30/03/2009 16:36

I like your taste. Very close to my own lists these.

audrey - not keen but really love Margot
marie - lovely, I prefer Marianne as a full name
matilda - nice but not nice enough
helena - nice but prefer just Elena
emmeline - too close to Emma and Emily
martha - lovely
erica - interesting. Not a pretty, pretty name, but I like it. Strong.
nina - lovely.
clara - lovely.
vivien - absolutely lovely. Pick Vivien
chrissie - nice. I'd spell it Chrissy.
may - nice but not quite enough to it to be a first name (imo)

for a boy:

my criteria for this is, does he sound like a sissy or a fool? so far i have:

ted - lovely, I also like Red
henry - ok, but pompous but classic enough not to make people think 'how pompous' if you know what I mean.
george - I much prefer this.
bruce - really love this. I know a ten year old Bruce and he's such a handsome little action man that I see the name differently, but I suspect Bruce is the next Gus. Before a name takes off, most people dislike it, parr for the course.
richard - love it, and Richie is much cooler than Archie because it's a bit more classic
thomas - nice but so popular, different from your other choices
bill- nice, like Billy too.
vincent - I like it. I prefer Victor which is a superb name, which I'd thought of it for my own son, I really do.
charlie - Nice, bland but fun.
elliott - no
james - nice but like Thomas.

I also suggest Donald/Donnie and Howard/Howie.

IwishIwereonthebeach · 30/03/2009 17:03

audrey- Not a mad fan
marie- nice
matilda -awful awful awful, I cannot understand why people like this name, no girl will ever thank you for it.
helena- a good name to grow into.
emmeline- sounds like a washing powder to me.
martha- see matilda.....
erica- is ok
nina- unusual and pretty without being too girly.
clara- the cow
vivien- I know an awful vivienne, also I don't like it when it gets shortened to Viv- which it will.
chrissie- I prefer Christy, but Chrissie is good.
may- Nice, how about Mai?

for a boy:

my criteria for this is, does he sound like a sissy or a fool? so far i have:

ted- Prefer Edward with Ted as NN
henry- I like.
george- ditto
bruce - v.cool
richard- reminds me of my awful cousin.
thomas- reminds me of my awful boss
bill- as name no one- prefer william nn Bill.
vincent- only if pronounced with a French accent, when is sounds wonderful.
charlie- See Bill and Ted.
elliott- Say it like ET.
james- nice, straightforward and timeless.

piscesmoon · 30/03/2009 17:09

audrey-old ladyish-like Muriel
marie-prefer Mary
matilda -nice
helena -OK
emmeline-NICE
martha-my favourite out of the choice.
erica-NO
nina-NO
clara OK
vivien-isn't that the male spelling -shouldn't it be Vivienne? (I knew an elderly man called Vivien)
chrissie -not unless a Christina
may-better as a middle name.

ted-Love Edward but hate shortened forms
henry-OK
george-ok
bruce -poor DC!
richard-a timeless name
thomas-lovely
bill-OK but prefer William
vincent-NO, NO and NO!
charlie-OK
elliott-OK
james-favourite out of your choice.

pixiemoon · 30/03/2009 17:32

audrey - really like this, I have a lovely great aunt audrey, and think it is due a revival!
marie - hmm ok not fussed
matilda - like it
helena - nope
emmeline - nope
martha - like it, makes me think Dr Who if that bothers you
erica - yeuch
nina - ok as a shortening of a longer name prehaps
clara - really love this too
vivien- alright
chrissie - short for christine? ok
may - v popular as a middle name now, not sure

for a boy:

ted - edward is alright
henry - ok
george- ok
bruce -yukky
richard - alright
thomas - like it
bill - william is alright
vincent - hmm not sure
charlie - not really
elliott - quite like it, personally would spell with 1 t
james - nice

SO I would pick off your list:
Audrey or Clara
Thomas or James

RachieB · 30/03/2009 19:42

Girls I only like Clara

boys I like

Thomas
Charlie
Elliott
James

BabyBaby123 · 30/03/2009 19:49

audery - no, terrible
marie - outdated
matilda - can't stand it (sorry)
helena - no
emmeline - ok
martha - no, really don't like it
erica - horrible
nina - not too bad
clara - ok
vivien - no
chrissie - no, outdated
may - ok, maybe better as a middle name though

ted - ok, but should be short for something
henry - ok
george - ok
bruce - no, awful - only makes me think of forsyth
richard - dull
thomas - ok
bill - not for me - again, should be short for something
vincent - no
charlie - quite nice but very over used
elliot - i acutally quite like this one
james - ok

LaDiDaDi · 30/03/2009 20:42

I like

Helena
Martha
Emmeline
Clara
Nina

and

Ted
Henry
George
Elliott

Beesmummy · 30/03/2009 22:12

Clara or Vivien (call her Vivi - I wanted to but got blackballed!)
Ted for Edward is great. Charlie v popular but always nice. Billy? I know an Eliot, which is slightly less fussy (sissy?) spelling than Elliott...

Plonker · 30/03/2009 22:29

My opinions on names change like the wind - this is my thinking for today

audrey - Don't like. I worked with a thoroughly obnoxious audrey once ...enough to put me off for life
marie - This is my middle name ...I've never liked it
matilda - Very 'of the moment' but nice enough.
helena - Beautiful and classy
emmeline - Pankhurst. Strong and feminine. NN Emmie is v sweet
martha - Don't like this
erica - Don't like this
nina - Love it! Was on my list for dd3 but vetoed by dh. Strong and feminine.
clara - Ok
vivien - Really like this. Pretty woman
chrissie - Don't like this
may - Nice.

My favs are Helena, Nina and Vivien

for a boy:

ted - Love it. Reaaaaally love Edward so would use Ted as a nn
henry - Not keen
george - Great name. Strong.
bruce - Forsyth. Need I say more.
richard - Dick. Don't like for this reason.
thomas - Great name. All the Thomas' /Toms that I know are real characters
bill - Lovely. Love the name William though so would use Bill as a nn
vincent - Don't like
charlie - Not keen
elliott - Not keen
james - Good name

My favs are Ted (Edward), Bill (William), George and Thomas.

SesIsCountingdowntheweeks · 30/03/2009 22:35

From your girls names, I like:

marie
helena
martha
clara

Would you consider Ciara/Keira or Erin?

for a boy:

thomas
elliott
james

Would you consider Ethan?

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