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Original poster

help! my unnamed baby girl is 4 weeks old!!

161 replies

muminmuddle · 07/04/2009 11:31

I need help! my baby girl is 4 weeks old and we still can't decide on her name. in a real dilemma between Martha and Josie. Any thoughts on either name? which shall we go for?

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ItsMargotBeaurEGGarde · 11/04/2009 15:42

That is practically normal in NI and Scotland Walkingprimrose. ALL my Dad's family did this. It's still normal enough even nowadays. I know of an Iain Peter called Peter because his parents didnt want to call him Peter Iain and his initials would be PIG! So he's I.Peter *Garvey...

nooka · 12/04/2009 04:43

Martha is likely to be more popular because it fits in the demographic of "granny" names, and Dr Who will also have increased it's circulation. It was around about 90 for the last couple of years. Josephine/Josie was more of a 30'ds-40's sort of name, and is therefore out of cycle and will be much less likely to be popular - it's around about the 250 mark, so not unusual either. I have a cousin Josephine, sometimes known as Josie, I think Josephine is a much better given name, but I'm a formal kind of girl.

nappyaddict · 12/04/2009 10:50

Josie definitely. Are you going to use Josephine or Josephina as a full name?

Original poster
muminmuddle · 14/04/2009 11:43

thank you for all these messages, it's all been a great help, very supportive.

it's good to know that i'm not the only one to have got in a muddle about names after their baby has been born. it's not an ideal situation but there we are, this is where we've landed up.

it's become a bit of a head-and-heart decision.... we're leaning towards Martha at the moment, at least that's what my head is telling me. that's the name that I feel happier introducing her as, even though I often call her Josie on my own. what does that mean?

the thing about Josie that is proving problemmatic is the pronounciation issue. I prefer it pronounced 'Jo-zee' but people always ask how it's pronounced (most assume it's Jo-see I think) which could get a little tiring for her, also people always ask what it's short for even though it wouldn't be short for anything etc etc... Martha is just more straightforward on that front.

anyway, i'm going to book an appointment to register her name soon so all will have to be resolved soon!

OP posts:
LastOrders · 14/04/2009 11:50

4 weeks....!

She'll be choosing her own name at that rate...

Original poster
muminmuddle · 14/04/2009 11:51

if only she could!!

OP posts:
kalo12 · 14/04/2009 11:55

masha
marsha
Josette
Marcia
Myriam
Josefina
Jodie
Marnie

Swedes · 14/04/2009 11:56

What have you been calling her for the past 4 weeks? Not Bay-Beee?

Original poster
muminmuddle · 14/04/2009 12:00

oh ha-di-haaa......... ok, i realise how foolish my dilemma might sound and apologise for going through the painful details, but thank the stars it's not you that's suffering with it!

OP posts:
LastOrders · 14/04/2009 12:04

kalo12 -lets not add anymore confusion!

I love Josie, also love Jodie.

Martha is become evermore popular and we know of 3. Don't know any Josies.

I'd go for Josie.

kalo12 · 14/04/2009 12:16

soz, but if you can't decide maybe neither are right. What is your third choice?

Original poster
muminmuddle · 14/04/2009 12:21

good point - what about Bella?

OP posts:
Original poster
muminmuddle · 14/04/2009 12:22

actually no, sorry, I think the choice really is between Martha and Josie. My DH won't go for Bella.

OP posts:
kalo12 · 14/04/2009 12:24

well Bella is beautiful, my niece's name (she's much older though so i don't think its too popular now) incidently my mother is called Josephine and she hates it and refuses to let me call a daughter this, which is a shame. I like all your names so i'm gonna post my list to see if there is anything on there you fancy

noddyholder · 14/04/2009 12:28

martha jo is sweet.

kalo12 · 14/04/2009 12:29

Belinda
Irene
Nina
Nancy
Petra
Nerys
Violet
Moira

Original poster
muminmuddle · 14/04/2009 12:35

thank you Kalo12. i like the names on your list - they're more unusual and pretty than some lists I've read on here.

OP posts:
LastOrders · 14/04/2009 12:56

I love Mable (or is it Mabel) at the moment.

And Marnie on Kalos list is a really nice name too.

Good luck, let us know the outcome

mom22 · 14/04/2009 13:13

My suprise baby girl is 8 days old and still not named and there's me starting to panic. You must have been in a real dilemma. Josie is a lovely name, I know a fabulous Josie in her 70's. Martha nice but ditto re increasing popularity. Will be a top thirty in next few years. Josie will never date but there will never be another 10 in the same school either. I'm thinking Carys for my tot but can't quite commit in case something else jumps out at me. (we thought we were having a Reuben)

lotspot · 14/04/2009 18:11

personally from what you said further up i would call her Martha with Josie as a middle name, and then you can keep it as the name you call her on your own - it will still be her name, but you will get to introduce her as Martha which is an equally beautiful name (and yes does save you from the pronunciation(sp) problems)

Swedes · 14/04/2009 21:50

noddyholder is right. Martha Jo is v v sweet indeed.

SK1980 · 15/04/2009 00:24

I much prefer Martha to Josie. The trouble is people WILL want to call her Jo-sey rather than Jo-zee because that's how it's spelt, which will be frustrating for her as she gets older. I know this because I have to battle with my first name as well as my surname!

LaurenIsMoreThanReadyToPop61 · 15/04/2009 00:32

i like bettymums idea of combining the two to make marcie,

i like it better than martha and josie, plus its got a nice story behind it then for when shes older.. how did u get ur name,, mummy couldnt choose between martha and josie so i ended up marcie i love it!!

Technofairy · 15/04/2009 00:48

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Cazzaben · 15/04/2009 00:51

I knew a very very lovely lady called Josie... Se was an amazing person and Josie sounds perfect!!! Martha is good but IMO Josie is the one...