My not very short short-lists!

[jamandjerusalem]

Way more girl names I like than boys. Here goes - all opinions welcome:

Girls:
Violet
Decca
Clover
Edie
Nina
Betty/Betsy
Esme
Molly
Martha
Maude
Clem entine
Mirabelle
Peggy
Iris
Pearl
Agatha
Lilac
Emerald
Dot
Dolly/Dorothy

Boys:
Hector
Wilbur
Wilfred
Percy
Rex
Ernest
Frank
Laurie

I love Violet and Esme. I don't like the others. Agatha is awful.

I don't like any of your boys names. Though Wilfred isn't too bad.

Of your girls' names, I love Nina; like Violet, Esme and Martha; and not keen on the others.

The only one of your boys' names that I like is Frank, as a nn for Francis. And perhaps Rex at a push.

What a diverse list

Wow, your name list is almost exactly the same as ours! We know we are having a boy and have settled on Wilbur, which has got some strange looks from family, but I think it's a gorgeous name. I also love Hector, Percy, Wilfred (lovely shortened to Wilf), Ernest and Laurie. I love love love all of your girls' names, except maybe Emerald. There are a lot of Mollys around, if you were looking for a traditional yet unusual name I maybe wouldn't go for that. I think I especially like Decca! Good luck, when are you due?

Well, TTC at the moment but I have a feeling I am pregnant. Wouldn't be due until July.

How about you Viktoria? Glad to hear you like the list!

Diverse is good, isn't it, Mrs Woolf?? Reflects both of our tastes - a few left over from our shortlist for DC1, and a few added since then.

i would go for longer names on the birth certificate, that way if you change your mind there's more to choose from. (it makes your list shorter too!
i'm referring to peggy & molly (margaret)
and betty/betsy (elizabeth)

i would also put dot/dolly down as dorothy.

Edie
Nina
Esme
Rex
Laurie

are the ones I would consider. I had Nina and Esme on my girls list, and Rex and Laurie on my boys. But I'm not having a girl and decided Rex was a bit 'doggy' and DH hates Laurie.

Girls:
Violet -- don't like, too popular and wispy
Decca -- too nn-ish (prefer Jessica)
Clover -- don't like
Edie -- like
Nina -- like
Betty/Betsy -- Betsy good, Betty no
Esme -- like
Molly -- don't like
Martha -- don't like
Maude -- don't like
Clementine -- like a lot
Mirabelle -- like this spelled Mirabel, (also like Maribel, Puerto Rican name)
Peggy -- only as nn for Margaret
Iris -- like
Pearl -- like a lot
Agatha -- like
Lilac -- don't like (too like lilo)
Emerald -- don't like, but like Safira
Dot -- don't like
Dolly/Dorothy -- prefer Theodora

Boys:
Hector -- like a lot
Wilbur -- don't like, too American old fashioned, and reminds me of Charlotte's Web
Wilfred -- like
Percy -- don't like, again pig associations
Rex -- like
Ernest -- like
Frank -- no don't do it (rhymes with wank)
Laurie -- don't like, too girlie, imo

Betsy Frank

I like :

Edie
Nina
Betty and Betsy (although I would name her Elizabeth)
Peggy/Maggie (would name Margaret)
Iris
Pearl

• they are all lovely

Hector (can you carry it off where you live though - it's a bit posh)
Rex

I love Ernest, Laurie and Hector.

Also Violet, Clover and Esme.

I don't like - Wilbur, Percy, Rex or Frank; Decca, Nina, Clementine, Mirabelle, Agatha, Emerald (particularly dislike Emerald - it just sounds silly and try hard imho), Lilac.

Thanks for the opinions, it's fascinating to see what people like and don't like. Hadn't really thought of Hector being posh before...

My own personal name test is whether they sound like a character from a 1920s detective novel, which is perhaps why the list seems diverse to some.

Oh, and I already have an Arthur - anyone have a view on whether any of the names on my list stand out as being particularly good or bad with Arthur?

Girls:
Violet like as a middle name
Decca would name Jessica and shorten to deccs
Clover don't like
Edie Edith
Nina not keen
Betty/Betsy agree with posters who vote elizabeth
Esme like but it's gettign popular
Molly no
Martha Love it
Maude love it
Clem entine, is it een or eyen? the indecision ruins it for me
Mirabelle nope
Peggy like Margaret
Iris nice
Pearl not keen
Agatha Love this
Lilac hate this
Emerald hate this too
Dot nope
Dolly/Dorothy loathe Dorothy (bad personal associations so totally irrational)

Boys:
Hector like
Wilbur nope
Wilfred nope
Percy urgh
Rex
Ernest
Frank love it
Laurie like it

I love most of your girls names, boys not too keen except for Frank and Hector.
Agatha and Arthur go beautifully together, as does Art n Maude.
Lovely names

I only like Martha and Molly out of the whole lot.

Girls:
Violet - tis OK,
Decca - don't like this
Clover - lovely - if a bit bovine
Edie - no, a bit trendy in my eyes
Nina - love this, cute, punchy and classic, with Ms Simone as a fab namesake
Betty/Betsy - prefer Bess, Betsy nice though
Esme - i know millions of Esmes - no
Molly - ok
Martha - ok
Maude - love this
Clem entine - not sure - it is ok
Mirabelle - lovely
Peggy - this is on my list (Margaret)
Iris - my 8 year old dd's name - lovely (never met another)
Pearl - my 4 year old dd's name - fab (never met another)
Agatha - nice, but think Agnes and Agatha are going to have a HUGE revival - i know 3 Agnes under 5 and one Agatha
Lilac - nms
Emerald - prefer Esmeralda
Dot - lovely - but nn for Dorothy
Dolly/Dorothy - love it

Boys:
Hector - fab, was on our list, but we know too many now
Wilbur - OK
Wilfred - sweet
Percy - love this
Rex - no
Ernest- one of my favourites - love it
Frank - another one of my favourites (but due to get very big i think!)
Laurie - sweet, short for Laurence

I love Maude, Dorothy, Esmeralda and Nina from the girls and Percy, Ernest and Frank from the boys

Know your list is already long, but what about Ursula ? Think would fit your 'theme'.

Love Pearl. We have a family connection and is DD2s middle name. Like Molly. Agatha would be very brave, methinks, even with the trend for 'old lady' names. Clover = butter or a cow. Mirabelle could also be a cow. Emerald and Lilac sound like Rainbow Fairies. The rest are okay, I'm just not that keen.

Sorry - the boys - love Wilf, strangely feel the importance of Ernest. Frank okay. Wilbur is a pig (and also sounds like a Flintstone although yes I know thats Wilma). Rex is a dog. Percy is a definite no no (and also possibly a pig).

I think Violet's beautiful.

Violet, Esme and Martha are all lovely.

do not like Percy, but then would not pick any of the boys' names that you have noted down.

violet

wilfred

Clover Mirabelle

Laurie Hector (but I know a lot of people have trouble with Laurie so Hector Laurie also good)

[gavel]

J&J,
Our little Wilbur is due in 6 weeks! Good luck with TTC.

I love Betsy, Maude, Nina and Esme for girls.

I like Frank (biased -my Grandad's name) and Laurie for boys, quite like Wilbur and Rex too, but these could get mixed reactions in the wider world