Active discussions

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

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

Original poster

Mary for a girl -too old hat?

42 replies

birdofthenorth · 25/02/2010 10:14

Do you think Mary is too old fashioned for a baby girl today?

It's my mum's name and we're considering using it if bump turns out to be a girl, possibly with Jude as the middle name after MIL Judith. What do you think of Mary Jude?

I like the sound of Mary for a baby/ toddler but wonder if a little girl, a teenager or a young woman of this generation would be happy with it?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
Ariesgirl · 25/02/2010 10:22

I love the name Mary. You could always spice it up with a bit more of a modern middle name.

IzzyWizzyletsgetbusy · 25/02/2010 10:42

Actually, I like it. It's a lovely classic name, and there won't be hundreds at school.

nancy75 · 25/02/2010 10:43

i love the name, we used it as dds middle name (it was my nans name) i wish we had used it as her proper name.

AllieW · 25/02/2010 10:48

A friend of mine has a, I think, four-year-old Mary. I quite like it. If you wanted to honour your Mum but have a bit of differentiation, you might consider Marie, Maria, Mariam or Miriam, all of which come from the same root and mean the same thing.

mazzystartled · 25/02/2010 10:50

I like it. Pretty and user friendly.

Not so mad on Mary Jude tbh, I think it's a bit like a nun's name in combination. Sister Mary Jude.

MaMight · 25/02/2010 10:50

Love Mary.

GetOrfMoiLand · 25/02/2010 10:51

I don;t like the meaning of the name - bitter - so that would veto it for me.

However it is a lovely idea to name her after your mum. And she will probably be the only Mary in the school.

GetOrfMoiLand · 25/02/2010 10:52

Mary Judith much much better than Mary Jude btw.

You may cause world war 3 however with your mother having the first name and MIL the middle name!

Original poster
birdofthenorth · 25/02/2010 11:00

Thanks everyone!

Do you not think Mary Judith sounds very dated?

Luckily MIL is lovely and will be delighted to be included not cheesed at being second!!

OP posts:
Original poster
birdofthenorth · 25/02/2010 11:25

Any thoughts on Maria Judith btw?

OP posts:
GetOrfMoiLand · 25/02/2010 11:28

Mary Judith is very nice - I don't think it is old fashioned.

Like I said I don't pewrsonally like Mary as a name (tbh I think Judith Mary would be a nicer combo, but try having that conversation with your mum!) but I think honouring your mum and MIL is a lovely idea.

Lemonmeringue · 25/02/2010 11:35

I like Mary Judith and Judith Mary. Maria and Judith don't quite go, to my mind.

Blanchet · 25/02/2010 11:50

I love Mary, and Mary Judith! Not so keen on Mary Jude because Jude feels more like a boys' name and also reminds me of Judas a bit...

Mary actually feels much 'fresher' to me than Maria. There are so few, and it has a light and pretty sound.

SE13Mummy · 25/02/2010 13:11

Mary is a lovely name - we used it as DD1's middle name after my Grannie and seriously considered using it as DD2's first but went for Miriam (after discovering that one of the meanings is 'wished for child' - ours was very much wished for and an incredibly welcome surprise) instead.

I think Mary Judith flows better than Mary Jude (which sounds a little too much like marry Jude for my liking!). I also don't think that it sounds dated.... DD1 and I met a lady on the bus yesterday who was probably in her 60's and she commented on the loveliness of DD's name: Harriet Mary. Her own grandmother had been a Harriet Mary and she'd never come across another one. So, by that example my DD has a dated name but I don't think dated/old-fashioned is particularly problematic.

Remotew · 25/02/2010 13:18

My mum was Mary, she passed away when DD was 5. DD now 15 wishes I had used it for her middle name and vows to do it when she has a DD.

TheRedQueen · 25/02/2010 13:27

I love the name Mary. It was my grandma's first name (the other being Ellen) and I wanted to use it for DD, but DH vetoed it due to it having a negative connection for his family. My grandma liked her name too - and also the name Molly, as she was sometimes referred to by her brothers and sisters.

Personally, I don't like the name Jude, but think Judith is great, whether before or after the Mary.

loobylu3 · 25/02/2010 13:34

Mary is lovely

TheApprentice · 25/02/2010 13:38

Mary is my name! I am 42 but still the only Mary I knew in my generation. There is a small Mary at one of the schools I do supply teaching in - I was so thrilled! I really like my name, so of course I would say go for it.

thesecondcoming · 25/02/2010 15:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
birdofthenorth · 25/02/2010 15:05

Thanks all, this has been v helpful!

Next question -I have a dear step-son from DH's previous relationship who has a half-sister Molly from his mum's new marriage.

Will DSS feel silly telling people his sisters are Molly and Mary?!!

OP posts:
PinkKumquat · 25/02/2010 16:46

I love Mary

gonaenodaethat · 25/02/2010 16:52

Love it.

notsoteenagemum · 25/02/2010 16:54

There's something about it..

MaryBS · 25/02/2010 16:55

I think Mary is a lovely name too

SE13Mummy · 25/02/2010 17:02

How old is your step-son? You could ask him how he'd feel if this baby had a letter M at the start of her name too e.g. Molly and Maisie/Mia (or something else you don't plan on using). If the children I teach are anything to go by they usually say "My Dad's baby X and my Mum's baby Y". I know families where every child has the same initial letter and none of them have ever seemed bothered by it.