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!

It is a really sweet name - but you are right, it is a tiny bit old-fashioned. Suggest that you suggest to her that she gives the baby a middle name. That way she (the baby) can always use that if she tires of being an Eileen.
Also Eileen could be shortened Ellie which in my opinion is really cute!

My niece is 13. She is called Ruby. When my brother first announced it the grandparents were all up in arms as they thought it was old-fashioned. Now there are lots of little Rubies and it's considered a lovely and very 'normal' name. Perhaps your friend is just ahead of the curve on Eileeen?

Also, I think that as you grow to love the child their name grows on you. I now adore, for instance, Agnes and Edmund, but they weren't names that I would have chosen myself.

Florence, I think so, I think that the trendiness of "isla" paves the way for Eileen to begin to sound mainstream. Not saying that is mainstream YET.

But May and Mae are very popular and Maeve is at least known.

Niamh and Eve are popular at the same time. I mean, both are names for young people and not middle aged people.

Chloe and Clodagh are popular at the same time within the same age groups.

I see patterns, I see patterns

my name is eileen and i love it! oh and i'm not old

She won't stay a little girl forever you know.

Perhaps she should choose a more "little girly" name for her now and then when she applies for serious grown up jobs, change her name. indeed.

I'm called Eileen, and so's my wife.

Nooka, how is Daisy short for Margaret? I've not heard that one before.

I was looking online for why Peggy is short for Margaret the other night (as my nan was known as Peggy) and found this:

Regarding the question about how Peggy derived from Margaret, you showed some astonishment that Daisy derived from Margaret. It is, in fact, the origin of the name. La marguerite is French for daisy. Daisy historically (until this century) has been a common diminutive of Margaret, and in the fifteenth century Marguerite d'Anjou, wife of England's Henry VI, used the daisy as her personal symbol.

An anonymous poem:

In search from A to Z they passed,
And "Marguerita" chose at last;
But thought it sound far more sweet
To call the baby "Marguerite."
When grandma saw the little pet,
She called her "darling Margaret."
Next uncle Jack and cousin Aggie
Sent cup and spoon to "little Maggie."
And grandpapa the right must beg
To call the lassie "bonnie Meg."
From "Marguerita" down to "Meg,"
And now she's simply "little Peg."

I know a Daisy, full name Marguerite. I thought most Daisys were some form of Margaret. Her Honour Justice Daisy doesn't quite have the requisite formality!

It's in Little Women!

Okay, technically Good Wives!

CommonNortherner:

So the poem is in Good Wives? It didn't say on the website I found and I only read Little Women. Funny, having decided dd4 was going to be Meg (I have a Betsie and was considering Josephina until I remembered the names out of Little Women!), I did wonder whether I should buy a new copy and then read Good Wives and Jo's Boys. I've already had several comments about my family starting to look like the March sisters.

Sorry, I didn't mean the poem. I had the page open for a little while before I answered so it came below your poem!