8 months to go but already working on a shortlist!

[2010Dad]

My wife is due April 2010 and so far our favourites are Louis for a boy and Tess for a girl!

Our surname is Grey.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

Tess Grey is quite hard to pronounce. (S-G-R is a difficult combination).

Don´t think either go well with surname.

I would want longer names.

Alexandra
Annabelle
Roseline

Alexander
Sebastian

Alexandra and Alexander are actually on our list - great names, but we are not keen on Alex and we'd want to be able to shorten it.

Francesca is another one of our favourites.

Grey is a lovely surname. Yes maybe needs more than a one-syllable first name most but two syllables would also be fine. (Would say Charlotte but Sebastian Faulkes got there first!).

Francesca also very nice. Frances would also work imo.

Grey is a great surname but not with Tess and Lois. Agree with pps that you need a longer name. Francesca is great.
How about:

Helena
Susanna
Katherine/ Kitty
Adela
Beatrice
Georgia
Louisa

Samuel
Daniel
Benjamin
Joseph
Benedict
Richie
Matth ew

My mum is called Kitty so will rule that one out!

I like Louisa, also like Lucy but we have been so set on Louis for a boy (pronounced Louie) we had ruled these out for girls names as they sound too similar.

I am glad I started this topic as it seems nobody likes Louis Grey!

How about Ellie?

Out of the boys names I think Samuel is my favourote.

Why do people always seem to want a name that they can shorten?
I love my childrens names and neer shorten!

Xander/Sascha-both shortenings of Alexander.

Like Eleanor/Ellie.

One of the nicest women I ever knew was called Ella.
Don´t know if that´s too popular in UK now?
Doesn´t go with my surname or I would have had it formy daughter.

Agree with previous posters that a one syllable first name doesn't go so well with Grey. Neither does, in my opinion,a three syllable name because it will inevitably be shortened... So, I'd use a two syllable name. My favourites with Grey include

Louis Grey
Samuel Grey
Quentin Grey
Daniel Grey

Lucy Grey
Emily Grey
Tessa Grey
Charlotte Grey

Amelia?

Oops!

Gone OT.

Think Tessa would be better than Tess.
Don´t like Louis.

Not keen on Louid Grey, Tess Grey is OK though.

I like

Lewis
Nathan
Ethan
Zachary
Harrison
Marcus
Samuel and Sam
Joel

Tessa
Tia
Mia
Leah
Leona/Leonie
Alexa
Alyssa
Ella
Maisie
Nicole
Eva/Evie
P hoebe
Jenna

I love the name Tess, but agree that Tess Grey doesn't sound right. Tessa Grey is better.

I don't like the name louis at all but it does sound fine with grey so if you like it then stick with it.

I'm slightly mystified as to why having Louis for a boy on your shortlist would exclude Louisa and Lucy for girls? Are you having twins? If not, surely it doesn't matter if the names sound similar??

I think both Louisa Grey and Lucy Grey are absolutely delicious names.

I personally think Ellie is a bit popular just now, although it's lovely.

Thanks for all the opinions and feedback.

We've gone off Louis somewhat, and I think you are all right about more than one syllables, so Tess is out (don't really like Tessa)

Current favourites are:

Lucia
Francesca

Samuel

Any thoughts on Lucia?

Oh, and Charlotte is still a favourite.

Really struggling with boys though so please leep the suggestions coming!

Lucia Grey... Very lovely. I still prefer Lucy. [stubborn emoticon] Do you prefer the other spelling, Lucie?

Charlotte Grey is another edible name.

You only need one name per sex - I think Samuel Grey is excellent. Is your partner not so keen?

tess grey is too short. kind of sounds like tesco

Definitely longer names like Susannah, Lucia, love Louby's list.

Charlotte Grey rings a bell. Was she a character in a SEbastian Faulks novel...?

OK ladies, update!

choosyfloosy - yes, still keen on Samuel and wife also likes it.

Maggievirgo - Charlotte Gray is the name of a film/novel - slightly different spelling of surname (ours is Grey). Not seen the film or read the book, perhaps I should at some point in the next 7 months!

Our current shortlist goes like this:

Lucas Grey
Samuel Grey

Francesca Grey
Charlotte Grey

Opinions/preferences appreciated!

Like them all.

Is the book/film likely to be still talked about when your daughter is old enough to know/care?
(If you have a daughter,of course!)

Would it be a bad connection?

Not keen on Louis it is very popular at the moment. How about Loucan?

Prefer Tessa or Tesla to just Tess.

Lucas and Samuel both very popular aswell as are Francesca and Charlotte.

I love Louisa (prefer spelling Luisa though) and Lucia though. What about Frances or Francine instead of Francesca? Or any of the following instead of Charlotte?

Charlene
Charlize
Carlotta
Clara
Clarissa
Carissa
Cerise
Charla
Charlotta
Car men
Cleo
Charelle
Charice

Variants of Samuel could be:

Sami
Samwell
Sampson (really love this one)