I think I am a little bit in love with...

[Cortina]

the name Irene.

Have I lost the plot?

Oh you're Tamarin monkey lady aren't you?

Lovely pronounced the French way 'Ee-ren' (avec French accent) - but not so sure about Eye-reen.

(Tis the same with Agnes. lovely the continental way with very soft g)

Yes, perhaps a little 'crazy lady' when it comes to name choices! Don't like the run-of-the-mill much though. Love imaginative choices

Read about Italian sisters Lydia and Irene today and was suddenly struck by how much I liked Irene. Would that be pronounced 'Ee-ren'?

doubt you'd like it the way it is pronounced by Glaswegian harridans - a screeching 'Eye-reen-ee'

I love this name, she is the princess in the Princess and Curdie, one of my favourite childhood books.

If you pronounced Irene Ee-ren round where I live, people would go like this:

In that order.

Thank the heavens you've at least moved on from former colonial African nations.

Personally I prefer Lydia.

Actually, I think it is pretty if pronounced ey- reen- ee and not ey- reen. It means peace, I think. I doubt many people will agree though!

I agree loobylu3.

Why don't people like it? Other "old lady" names like Iris and Ruby and Evelyn are dead popular at the moment (and I like them too).

Irene of Athens was Empress of Byzantium, this name should appear on threads about impressive women. There are also several saints called Irene.

butadream- exactly. I don't see how it is different to other 'old lady names'. It just doesn't happen to be fashionable at the moment like some of the other names mentioned. It probably will be soon

I like Irene, as well as Irina (Slav version). One of Darrell's best friends in Mallory Towers, methinks, the music/maths genius.

Prefer Irina.

I like Irene - has a nice sound to it. Just don't let it become Reenee because then you're in bingo and sparkly cardigan territory.

My gran's called Irene and it's pronounced Eye-ree-nee.

I quite like Ree-nee actually

Our DD3's middle name is Eirene which is an old greek word for 'peace'. I think its supposed to be pronounced ' Ih - ray-nay' but we have always called it 'Eye-ree-nee'

I think its a prettier with the extra E at the front

Love it.

My niece is called Elsi which I think is just lovely too....

We should bring back the oldies. How refreshing to have a class of Nellie, Hilda, Ethel's, Gill's and Esther's.... In my humble opinion beat most of the modern 'new fangle' made up names (God sorry, I sound as old as some of these names now!!! promise to shut up)

my Godmothers name is Irena and i think its lovely.

oh dear i was about to suggest Renee!

Irene definitely cool, if you can carry it off.