What do you think of Maureen?

[maureehair]

What do you think of Maureen as a girl's name? It's listed on Mumsnet's Baby Name Finder.

Maureen is lovely, she's my mum. I am fairly sure she doesn't have a tabard.
It does seem one of those names that only fits a grown up, iyswim, and perhaps a little bit old-fashioned.

However, it does mean 'star of the sea'- that's rather beautiful isn't it?

{grin} @ MaureenMLove

Well, I love the name, but only because it's my mum's, and I love her! I think like someone else said it is a name from a certain time, and even though other names have come back in, i don't think this one is ready to do that yet, and there are a lot more pretty names from a long time ago. Sorry Mum! Actually, my mum never liked Maureen either.

Aw, that's nice!

MorEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEN

Ah, does it mean that Sparky? I will have to tell my mum. That's nice.

Just realised, that sounded quite rude. I actually love the name Maude - I just meant go for it, be confident!

Not keen, sorry

It does indeed (according to the M'net name finder). However, it also means 'dark and bitter' - which is in fact just how I like my coffee.

Apparently it's a variation of Mary, which was derived from the Hebrew Miryam. According to Beyond the Name the meaning is uncertain - might be "sea of bitterness" (hence the coffee I guess), "rebelliousness" "wished for child" or beloved.

Oh god no don't do it! Baby Maureen??!
Call her something that doesn't make you expect her to be born with a pair of pop socks on and bingo wings

No, no no.

Maura is nice though.

I like. The sound is rather nicer than Maura, Margot(aux) (particularly in an English accent!) imo but people just turn their noses up at Maureen whilst going for lists of 'anything but' M names. It's like Eileen/Elaine - they'll come back.

My mum is called Maureen. She made me promise faithfully to never call a child of mine after her...

Although she likes it when it's pronounced in a Welsh or Scottish accent - something like 'Marine'.

One of the worse names of all time - any name that ends in 'een' tends to be pretty awful.

Awful.

Morwenna on the other hand is cool.

Please don't. It was never pretty.

Prefer Marleen

Now that does illustrate how images of a name differ - to me 'Marleen' really does summon up Bet Lynch style barmaid types...much more than Maureen.

Oh well, it just goes to show.

Maybe you're just 5 years or so ahead of your time OP

FWIW My mum is called Eva, and she loathes it, and is horrified by all the little Eves and Evas now populating nursery schools. I reckon Maureens are generally about 10 years younger than Evas.

Its time will come

My grandmother is called Maureen.

She's a middle aged Dr's receptionist.