Be honest (and yet gently positive) about my granny names please...

[NotSoRampantRabbit]

Ok - I'm 38 weeks now and we are no closer to deciding on a name for DC2 - a girl.

I like slightly old lady names. DH is boring more conventional.

Please slag off discuss our shortlist - most of which are mine I have to confess.

Florence - my granny's name. I love it but not mad on the nick-names.
Martha - I really love this and would go well with our surname and DS's name. DH not so keen.
Edith - shortened to Edie. DH likes this best of the granny names, but I am not so sure.
Erin - not in the same granny category at all. DH likes - I think it's OK but I don't love it.

Oh gawd - please help us decide. Have a glass of wine and be as brutal as you like (whilst bearing in mind that I am very hormonal and easily moved to sobbing).

love Florence

others could take or leave to be honest.

I meta Betty the other day, about 3 yrs old, very sweet

Love Martha. Edith is nice too. I don't understand the appeal of Florence and Erin.

Love love love Florence, would use it if it didn't sound so horrendous with my surname.

Love love love Martha, wanted this for dd2 but dh wasn't keen.

Edith is really really horrible, probably about the ugliest name I can think of.

Erin is just weak. I don't like it.

I don't like Erin at all. My cousin named her little girl that, I don't know why - it's got quite a whiney sound to it and also reminds me of the film Erin Brokovich. Edith is lovely, Florence is OK. I prefer Elsie - lovely granny name that you don't hear that often now.

For me the Florence thing is very much about my gran. She died when my mum was 4 and my mum had an archetypal wicked step-mother...so in our heads Florence the anithesis of all that.

Hmmmm - Erin. I don't know. My dad is Irish, so there is a close link - but I am aware that nobody who is actually Irish calls their child Erin!

Any other suggestions gratefully received.

Erin is the compromise and compromise not always a good thing in matters of great import!

The more I write it down the less I like it.

Yes I love Elsie (in fact recently met a very sweet Elsie) but I suspect it would not get past DH. Am planning to show him this thread though (mainly in the hope of winning the Martha arguement!)

Love Martha, don't think it is a granny name at all. Hate the rest.

Use of words "hate" and "horrible" making bottom lip wobble!

Must get this baby born and my mojo back.

Love Florence. I like the nns too- Florrie/ Flossie/ Flo. Martha is quite nce. Not too fond of Erin. Also like the suggestion of Elsie.
How about Mabel, Maud, Beatrix, Violet, Cecily, Pearl?

I won't say I 'hate' Erin and Edith but I strongly dislike them!

Erin is plastic Irish - like Caitlin

Edith is a bit fusty.

Martha is a cool and beautiful name, really like it.

Florence is also pretty, I think it's a much more gentle name than Martha. Might depend on the personality which would be best.

I think Martha is lovely! I know a Florence aged 11 who is a gorgeous, artistic girly ( Her mum shortens it to Floss but that suits her too) Edie is nice and Edith reminds me of Edith Bowman who I quite like. I used to like Erin until I got one in my class at school... she's a sneaky kid so she's put me off!

All of your names are on our list for a second dd with the exception of Erin which I'm not too keen on.

Also on our list (just in case it helps) are:-

Beatrice
Elsie
Stella
Mabel

How about more traditional names with an older lady nn. Elizabeth (Betsy, Betty), Katherine (Kitty), Margaret (Peggy, Maggie), Dorothy (Dotty)

I know a beautiful and slightly boho Edith. I only know nice Florences and Marthas. In fact I like all your names except maybe Erin which doesn't imo fit with the OLC feel of the others.

My absolute favourite OLC name is Blythe. I also have a soft spot for Beatrice & Elizabeth.

Love Florence, love Martha, love Edith, neutral about Erin.

Other girls names I love are Nancy, Ruby, Isabella, Matilda, Tessa, Elsie, Beatrice, Maud

I also like granny names...i love florence and considered it for DD, but we have a Fred, so had to avoid the Florence& Fred connection (tesco clothing IYSWIM), however we had 2 friends call their DD's florence before DD was born, so glad we decided against it, think it is becoming quite trendy / popular.
I love Martha, but my DH also wasn't keen.
Like Edith...not keen on Erin.
We decided on Iris in the end for our DD, if you're interested!

Just noticed your last post ....we have very similar taste in names!

I love mabel - but called one of our cats that so it was off our list for our DD for that reason.

Also love Stella...another one on my list! (although the baby in Shameless is called that...!)

sorry that wasn't your post I was reading it was Tillyscoutsmum's duurr!

Florence and Martha. Very good.

Definite no to Edith

Erin only good if you really like it, don't compromise and then regret it.

Florence - lovely
Martha - lovely
Edith/Edie - don't like it
Erin - tis just okay

Old-fashioned names I love:
Lydia
Alice
Beatrice
Clover
Harriet
Charlotte
Felicity

Florence would be my dd3, if I were allowed to have one.

Not crazy about the others.

Florence is good, Martha is good.

Erin is OK - but it's a bit insipid.

Edith is horrid. It sounds harsh and ugly. Sorry.

Thanks all for the slightly more diplomatic comments!

Well - Martha and Florence are my top two and seem to be most popular amongst you lovely lot.

I also like some of the classic suggestions - Charlotte, Margaret/Maggie, and I do love a good flower name - Iris, Violet, Rose.

BUT I think we should go with our first instincs and not muddy the waters too much.

When DS was born we had two names and decided he looked like neither and named him something completely different. So it would be good to have some back-ups just in case.

This time I am hopeful that we can have two lovely names and decide when she is born which she looks like.

For me Florence is slightly wistful and ethereal. Martha is quirky and earthy!

I have lost marbles and need to retrieve them from bottom of birthing pool.

x-posted with "ugly".

janeite and tilly - all your suggestions lovely. Thanks.

Love Martha, can't stand Edith but love Edie. What aboput just going for Edie?