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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Jean, Margaret or Val?

30 replies

puffling · 02/12/2009 22:47

Help! Which is best?

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themildmanneredjanitor · 02/12/2009 22:48

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badietbuddy · 02/12/2009 22:48

None of them. Sorry

Fimbo · 02/12/2009 22:49

Fine as middle names.

Vivien??

mazzystartled · 02/12/2009 22:51

Jean is nice

Margaret is classic and you can use nn Maggie, or Daisy

Val is horrid, Valerie could grow on me

Bring on aunty names, enough of the granny ones

zozzle · 02/12/2009 22:59

Def Jean and also like Maggie as nn for Margaret. Valerie - not keen - def an auntie name.

mrsvwoolf · 03/12/2009 01:09

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CracklinRosie · 03/12/2009 02:40

Are they fondly-remembered dinner ladies or something?

Is this a wind-up? Are these really and truly your favourite girls' names? Or are you just trying to be "different"? Your child won't thank you for it.

tadjennyp · 03/12/2009 03:09

I have an Auntie Val and Mum's Margaret. Margaret is growing on me again and you could also use Meg, Mollie, Peggy as nicknames for it!

Allets · 03/12/2009 03:12

No, No, No!!!!

All these names are boring as batsh1t. Sorry but I cannot pretend otherwise.

mathanxiety · 03/12/2009 06:12

Margaret. Neither of the others ever.

Skegness · 03/12/2009 07:19

Amazing how names come back in waves! Or is this a jokey thread? Even if it is, I think mazzy is absolutely right that aunty names are on the way back in.

Anyway:

Apart from the Thatcher connection Margaret is ok, I guess. I like Maggie.

I predict a significant come back for Jean- my lovely mate who is invariably "on trend" with children's names suggested it when she was kindly indulging me in a "what shall I call my baby?" whimsical pondering session whilst I was pregnant a few months back. I'm not keen myself as it evokes the memory of a rather wet piano teacher I had as a kid.

Valerie is a bit like Sylvie in that I think it sounds very sexy and exotic if I imagine it said in a French accent but rather pale pasty and fat in boring old English, somehow...

MamaLazarou · 03/12/2009 08:08

Margaret, definitely.

MaggieNollaig · 03/12/2009 08:40

I was so ahead of the curve, my x was revolted by my list of names, but this was like my list for my dd 8 years ago

Vivien
Valerie
Margot/Greta (with Margaret full name)

I also really like Valerie, Sylvie and Belinda.

I think Margaret is the best choice. I love 3 of the nick names from Margaret. Margot, maggie and Greta. 3 Beautiful names all from Margaret.

MaggieNollaig · 03/12/2009 08:42

Ps love Jeannie too.

Your child will thank you for it. Look at Actress Emilia Fox. Her name is so of the moment, now. What age is she? 35? Do you think of her of having a laughably awful name?

SmacOnTheLipsUnderTheMistletoe · 03/12/2009 08:46

Margaret - lovely nn potenital but with a proper first name that could take you anywhere.

RnB · 03/12/2009 10:37

Ooh love Margaret! Tis my mums name too

Original poster
puffling · 03/12/2009 11:09

otherwise, I have some backups:
Pam
Sylvia
Maureen
Vicky
Cath
Joyce
Beryl
Janice

OP posts:
loobylu3 · 03/12/2009 11:40

Margaret is lovely and classic. Dislike Val and Jean.

CracklinRosie · 03/12/2009 13:20

puffling now I know you are winding us up!

CitizenPrecious · 03/12/2009 13:35

puffling- I have a Margaret (Maggie). I still think it's a lovely name- cute without being too obvious or contrived. A Good Old Proper Name.

so stop taking the piss

btw you missed Pauline off your list

ChilloHippi · 03/12/2009 13:35

Val is a definiate no-no. Jean and Margaret would be fine as middle names.

mrsvwoolf · 03/12/2009 13:50

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MaggieNollaig · 03/12/2009 18:50

citizenprecious, what good taste you have!

From your list Puffling, a few of those are lovely with a little 'tweaking'. Joyce is vile but Joy is lovely and is my dd's middle name. I love it.

beryl is a bit of a statement name, but it's a nice sound as is Meryl. They will come back. They are 'next up' I think. Edith, Agnes, Ivy, Iris, Meryl, Beryl....

Janice makes me think of that woman chandler nearly married on friends! Janis is slightly cooler for some reason. But it's not great.

Maureen is awful, but Muireann is cool. Mwirren.

tummytickler · 03/12/2009 19:54

I love Jean and Margaret (Peggy) bith on our list.
Also on our list is Beryl and Joy!
Do not like Valerie, although this was one of my favourite names when i was about 8 years old!

mummyloveslucy · 03/12/2009 20:08

Sorry, I think all those names are awfull.