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Semi-final shortlist for soon to be DD

33 replies

Luxmum · 12/08/2009 14:00

Hi,
Here is my girls names shortlist. My nicest ones got vetoed by DH, so this is the current list. Am I forgetting any obvious name-calling/nicknames or awful name associations with these names? BTW, I am Irish, hence the leaning..
Albha
Aoife
Ruth
Bethany
Avril
Helena
Phoebe
Aifric
Keziah

OP posts:
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BunnyLebowski · 12/08/2009 14:11

Albha - prefer Ailbhe. Really nice and not overused
Aoife - Love it. My big sis's name but becoming very popular
Ruth - a big no from me. I just really dislike the sound of this name.
Bethany - a bit dated and chavvy
Avril - Lavigne. No.
Helena - classy and elegant
Phoebe - I like this one
Aifric - Not one of my favourite Irish names
Keziah - Like this alot.

mrswoolf · 12/08/2009 14:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

jellybeans · 12/08/2009 16:20

-Albha ...OK
-Aoife..not keen, prefer Eva
-Ruth...don't like, plain, boring, unpretty
-Bethany..like this but heard someone (teenager) with the name say they don't like the 'thany' bit as it sounds like a rude word (I never noticed till told this)
-Avril ...dislike, weird
Helena...Ok but dull/old fashioned
Phoebe ..dislike, hate 'pheebs' and fifi
Aifric ...dislike
Keziah ...I love this one, lovely but not sure about that spelling..

boodleboot · 12/08/2009 16:29

how else can Keziah be spelt then jb?

Caitni · 12/08/2009 16:33

Can't think of any obvious nicknames/name calling (but expect someone more eagle eyed will spot something!)

Albha - OK but also prefer Ailbhe (or Aoibhin (second i should have a fada but can't do them )
Aoife - love it but is quite popular (I know two babies born in London in the last year called Aoife)
Ruth - a classic. Quite a nice old testament name
Bethany - not keen. I prefer Bethan (but actually like Elizabeth more!)
Avril - quite lovely. I didn't think Lavigne at all...possibly because one of the coolest girls in my primary school class was called Avril
Helena - Love this. A properly elegant and grown up name that works for both childhood and adulthood.
Phoebe - quite nice but I also think it's a bit popular.
Aifric - one of my least favourite Irish girl names, surpassed only by Nollaig - sorry!
Keziah - I've never heard of this name but think it sounds lovely (if I'm pronouncing it right!). And a bit of googling tells me it's another old testament name...

Good luck choosing! You have a lovely list to pick from

sweetkitty · 12/08/2009 16:43

Albha - not keen
Aoife - quite like but woould sopend her life pronouncing her name if not in Ireland
Ruth - OK
Bethany - love it's DD3's name, New Testament and a village in Israel
Avril - ok
Helena - like
Phoebe - like
Aifric - ok
Keziah - love v pretty

Hassled · 12/08/2009 16:44

I like Phoebe, Helena and Aoife (in that order) best.

SoupDragon · 12/08/2009 16:48

Albha - no idea how to pronounce this one
Aoife - like
Ruth - like
Bethany - Ok
Avril - hate
Helena - hate
Phoebe - Ok
Aifric - hate. Looks ugly
Keziah - like

Vikelm · 12/08/2009 17:17

Albha - I like this, unusual (for me at least) but it still has a classic feel.
Aoife - Love it.
Ruth - To me it sounds harsh.
Bethany - Beautiful name, very soft and feminine without sounding silly.
Avril - Lavigne. Sorry.
Helena - See Bethany. Classic and beautiful.
Phoebe - This name has grown on me - a little quirky (possibly influenced by Friends!!) but that's not a bad thing.
Aifric - To me, this name sounds a little bit too 'out there'. Maybe it's different in Ireland.
Keziah - See Aifric.

liliputlady · 12/08/2009 17:24

I vote for Helena or Keziah; both beautiful. I expect Keziah would be shortened to "Kizzy".

pointydog · 12/08/2009 17:29

I'd go for Ruth. Like it a lot.

Nancy10 · 12/08/2009 17:35

Albha (Don't know how to pronounce it- so can't give opinion)
Aoife- Gorgeous name (my fav!)
Ruth- Definately no. Not the worst name just a bit dull!
Bethany- Love Beth but I too have heard a teenagers rude version!
Avril- Nope again
Helena- Ok
Phoebe- Love this one
Last two never heard of and don't know how to pronounce!

deepdarkwood · 12/08/2009 17:36

Could Albha be spelt Alba? Might be easier for English spellers - a good friend of mine has a Caoimhe, and it's taken me three years to get that spelling right (although I love the name.
Like Bethany (but iirc, it's meaning is a bit miserable...), Keziah & Helena (although with your heritage it seems a bit dull...

pointydog · 12/08/2009 17:37

Is Albha pronounced Alva?

lena522 · 12/08/2009 18:15

Aoife, Bethany (prefer Bethan though personally), Avril and Keziah are nice

How are you pronouncing Helena? It is my name and you wouldn't believe the number of different ways people come up with to pronounce it, (and insist they're right too!)so that's something to think about.

Luxmum · 12/08/2009 20:02

wow, thanks for the feedback, it's always good to double-check, just to make sure there isn't something obvious being forgotten.. Albha is pronounced Al-vah, I used the easier spelling as I live abroad, and Aiobheen etc would just make life too hard.. Keziah is actually an old old family name, I put it in just out of curiosity, and am chuffed it's been so well received. Thanks again

OP posts:
pointydog · 12/08/2009 20:06

There's a rather uninspiring small town called Alva in darkest central Scotland so I wouldn't pick that.

macherie · 12/08/2009 20:19

I love Phoebe so much I have one of my own

jkklpu · 12/08/2009 20:52

Aoife or Ruth

SoupDragon · 13/08/2009 17:19

"Albha is pronounced Al-vah" Not keen on that one then.

mrsbean78 · 13/08/2009 18:08

Albha - I have a cousin who is Ailbhe (Ail-vee) which I prefer to Alva
Aoife - love it as a name, but everyone I've ever known has been a cowbag
Ruth - Nice
Bethany - Hmmm, too common these days - wold prefer Beth
Avril - Nice
Helena - Ok
Phoebe - Again, I've met too many I didn't like. No offence to anyone with a Phoebe, you know how it turns you off!
Aifric - Nice
Keziah - very African??

MrsMattie · 13/08/2009 20:11

Aoife and Aifric are great. Very strong Gaelic names.

Avril and Bethany are hideous.

The others are all OK.

mathanxiety · 14/08/2009 04:27

Well, I have a Ruth (Ruthie), so I'm biased. Wish I'd done what I wanted and called one of my DDs Keziah. It's a Biblical name (OT), related to the cassia or acacia tree. Would you pronounce Helena 'Heleena' or 'Helen-a'? I knew both -- one had a French accent mark or two on the vowels (Helen-a) as a pronunciation aid. I don't like Avril or Bethany, Phoebe is ho-hum (too "Friends'); love Ailbhe (either Alva or Alvy) and Aoife, Aifric is a good, unusual, non ee-ending name. All the Irish names are a nice counterpoint to the ee-ending trend.

MamaLazarou · 14/08/2009 09:05

I like them all, apart from Aifric, which sounds freakish to my ears, and Keziah, which is a bit too 'straw-sucking-yokel'.

TiggyR · 14/08/2009 10:07

Don't know how to say half the Irish names, so can't comment. Bethany is very common/ordinary in England and though pretty has become a dull choice.

Ruth is a bit harsh, you could call her Ruthie while she's little - it's pretty and unusual.

Don't really like Avril but LOVE April.

Keziah - hmmm, think it might be a bit trailer trashy, sorry. There's a pop star called it which is usually the kiss of death.