I think this name is far too old-fashioned, should I tell my friend?

[onthepier]

A friend of mine who is due to have a little girl in the next week or so is almost decided on the name "Eileen". I think it's just so old-fashioned for a little girl, poss because two of my nan's friends are called this!

A couple of other friends don't like it but we don't know whether to say anything to this lady, suggesting she changes her mind. I know "each to their own" and all that, but I just can't imagine a tiny baby or child called Eileen! What do you all think?

Several months back she came up with Hannah and Lauren, both far better in my opinion!

Why do people think it's ok to comment on other peoples' choice of baby names????

I get so fucked off with people thinking it's ok to say some random (usually negative) comment about someone elses name choice - to there face!

If you were a good friend you wouldn't say anything!

My most favourite anutie is called Eileen and she is tops so I love it. If you want to keep your friend as a friend, don't say a word.

I think you should mind your own buisness.

Nice name, slightly old fashioned, but none the worse for that.

The "Come On Eileen" association isn't great, but hey, it'll soon be forgotten.

Lauren and Hannah are the names that girls in their 20's were given in the eighties and the world being as it is they will be sounding very old fashioned quite soon. There are lots of nice older names coming through again now and I'm sure Eileen will make friends with Wilf, Elsie and Ruby and will be as pleased her mum didn't call her Hannah as I am pleased my mum didn't go with the "Heather" or "Julie" her friends tried to foist on her all those years ago.

Old-fashioned yes, but just LOVELY! I knew an Eileen (born 1979) and she was just the most fabulous woman! On saying that, a friend of mine has just called her baby a name I don't like but she loves - it's really no one else's business as long as the parents are happy. You just smile and say how simply gorgeous the child is - as least you'll probably mean that bit.

I have a similar query over Hope and Pearl? Any opinions?

I also want to use my nan's name - Margaret - but have decided it's too old fashioned. Any suggestions?

Agree - lets mind our business and worry about more important things!!!

a friend of dps laughed at our choice of middle name for dd and told us it sounded like a granny name while i was in labour... he survived and we still used it (her middle name is Abigail btw)

it's none of your business at all... and for what it's worth i'm another that actualy likes Eileen, despite knowing a very annoying one in real life

I'm wondering whether this is a wind-up thread.... Why on earth would anyone want to change a good friend's choice of name, especially a perfectly acceptable name like Eileen?

How sad (and dull) if you did manage to persuade your friend to change her mind and give up the name she loves... only to choose a name that 'conforms' to your views, not hers!

Personally, I wouldn't choose Eilen for my dd, but I find it a million times more interesting and elegant than Lauren and Hannah, for example. But my opinion doesn't matter, its your friend's dd, so let her choose a name SHE loves!

how very rude of you to worry about a name your friend has fallen in love with. as a "friend" you are supposed to support them no matter what choice they make.

shame on you

nicola

Eileen Gray was a famous designer.
My daughter's middle name is Eileen. I also used it for the Irish connection. So I like it

Surely it depends on whether she asks for your opinion?
Is she does, I'd go with enthusing over the names Hannah and Lauren without being rude about Eileen and if you are pressed just say that every baby becomes their name in their own way and that you'll grow to love it!

I think some people posting have been a bit mean to you with their comments. I usually go with the honesty policy with close friends however anything baby/child related is touchy and I wouldn't dream of being negative over a chosen baby name...

one of my faves - i know a 15 year old

I think that you can reasonably ask in a neutral way "Do you think it might be a little too old-fashioned?" but leave your comments at that and no more.
I like Eileen a lot, btw, I'd be fully supportive if she were my friend.

Eileen is quite popular in Ireland, no?

When my Irish friend called her cat Sheila I was horrified. Sheila? Sheila? That's an old lady name you loon, it's not remotely pretty.

Apparantly, in Ireland lots of names that I think of as classy or pretty are absolute no-nos and very trashy, and conversely, lots of the names that she claims are popular there I consider to be old-fashioned and ugly.

She informed me that Stella is a right old slapper name in Cork, whereas it has lovely classy connotations for me.

Her name is Michelle and that is apparantly a classy name in Cork. She is my friend, so I did not tell her that in England (well, in North London anyway) it suggests a rather different image.

Anyway, her sister is Eileen (early thirties). She is very very glam and works in PR and I want to be her). So there you go, maybe the Irish are on to something.

Well I'm Irish,,,,,, and Eileen sounds old lady to me, but it doesn't sound ridiculous or unusable... It just surprises me, like Ethel or Enid.

but, I could see it coming back, with Isla as a nn...

I'm from dublin and I think of Michele as being quite dated.. definitely a 42 year old sort of name (nothing wrong with that, mum a beetle fan?). Stella is old lady or young toddler.

Some names are perceived differently though. Clodagh quite elegant in Ireland. Mixed up wiht claddagh rins in England! shudder. Ursula seems quite la-di-da to me. Kind of like Hermione on an adult in the uK.

sorry for my typing. my posts make no sense because I make so many typos. I need a "sense-checker"

[snurk] having grown up in Cork whenever i hear the name Stella i hear it in a complete Cork knacker accent as an insult: 'Wouldya loowk at the state of tha fuckin stella bitch'

my name is completely and utterly unpronouncable to english folk thanks to bloody Corrie and that agony aunt in the red top... even when they hear it said properly they substitute the english version

I agree that it is absolutely none of anyone else's business what they call their dc and it's best not to let people comment on your choice.

I really struggle to understand the argument "oh, it's an old-fashioned / granny's etc. name !!!" Old people used to be babies/toddlers/kids too, you know. They did not just appear at the age we know them now. So, it is really stupid to use this sort of argument.

You either like the way a name sounds or you don't. But in this case, whether YOU like the name Eileen or you don't has no significance whatsoever, since it is what YOUR FRIEND likes for her DD.

My friend told me that my DS's name was "an old man's name". He was 3 at the time so it wasn't like I could change it! But it was a bit hurtful TBH.
Eileen will prob be really popular in about five years.

According to my dd1,Cobh is full of Stellas. And Millie in Belfast is similar to Stella in Cork! I don't know any Eileens under 50, but I knew a Scottish baby called Eilidh (I think!) pronounced Eil-ee.

Frumpsville yes, but none of your business.

I really think this is a wind-up, I can't believe the OP is serious!