I've had the scan, feeling happy, it's time to post my name list, I warn you, it's poncy...

[Bumperlicious]

So excited to finally be able to post this! Just had my 12 week scan so feeling much happier after some early bleeding. This is my current list (note my list - DH doesn't necessarily agree with me on these).

I'm looking for opinions and inspiration based on the things I like. I can't take your ribbing, I've already had DD's name described as sanitary-wear on here

Boys:

Raphael
Emmanual
Reuben
Otis (actually this is DH's choice)
Soren
Theodore
Jonah

Isadadora
Clementine
Seraphina (I don't think I would ever actually use this one, but I like it)
Beatrice
Ondine
Betty/Bettina

I like all of these but none of them jump out at me yet, so I need your validation or new ideas.

Hit me with it

oh congratulations and loving the names

favourites would be

Jonah
Reuben
Soren

Clementine
Beatrice

have you also considered

Roan
Coran

of

Ismay
Cecilia
Delphine

My favourites are:

Raphael
Reuben
Otis

Clementine
Beatrice
Betty

Otis is good, it wont get shortened to something stupid, e.g. I like 'David' but hate 'Dave', if we have another DS I may even half inch that idea from you

I really like Raphael and Beatrice. Reuben is also lovely. The rest are all terrible. I don't like Isadora but Ismene is lovely.

Raphael - fab, one of my favourite names.
Emmanual - lovely in theory but the porno flick spoils it a bit
Reuben - not keen, a bit bookish and square
Otis (actually this is DH's choice) - No Otis Ferry has ruined this name for me
Soren - Sounds a bit like a comic book hero, not keen
Theodore - safe, not great
Jonah - I would never choose this, all the unlucky connotations, bringer doom etc

Isadora - Lovely
Clementine - No, inelegant
Seraphina - I like it, also like Seraphine & maybe a bit less ott
Beatrice - ok
Ondine - of course i love it!
Betty/Bettina - Sweaty Betty, not good.

I'd go for Raphael & Ondine

Also like
Gabriel
Otto
Jonas
Mireille

Of the boy names, I like Reuben very much. Not so keen on the others. I do like Soren, but is so much Charlie and Lola that name ruined IYSWIM.

Of the girls' names I like Clementine (cousin called it, known as Clemmie). Also Beatrice. Not so keen on others - bit too florid and poncy

So I'll just say the names I always recommend:
Nancy
Helena

Kit (Christopher)

A name I wouldn't have guts for but rather like - Sybilla.

Congratulations on your healthy scan, I'm loving your names .

Especially Jonah, Ruben and Otis for the boys. I know an Otis who gets the nn Oatie, which I think is really cute.

Of the girls I love Isadora, Clementine and Betty.
What about Bessie too? I second Pooka's suggestion, Kit. Really spunky but friendly and down to earth.

Raphael - like, although hate 'Raffy'
Emmanuel - like, you could call him Manny!
Reuben - it's okay, lots of them about though
Otis (actually this is DH's choice) - like, I know a v cute little Otis
Soren - I like this but not enough to actually use it, iyswim
Theodore - lovely but everywhere
Jonah - very nice, again I know a v sweet Jonah

Isadora - it's okay
Clementine - not fond, esp. with nicknames like Clemmy [shudder]
Seraphina (I don't think I would ever actually use this one, but I like it) - I love this, the best of all your girls' names IMO
Beatrice - really really dislike this and can't understand why it's so popular. It has a square feel about it.
Ondine - no
Betty/Bettina - meh

Congrats on your happy scan How about:

Evangeline
Otto
Dorinda

I wish people would stop saying they like Beatrice! I have a beatrice and I'm paranoid everybody is going to use it! My Bea is three next month so maybe it's ok

Wow, really mixed reviews, can't see any obvious favourites (though I may have to make a histogram of yes/no votes

Bibbity, Betty is a fave of mine, so you may get your way yet

Loving Delphine, am going to have to add that to the list, along with Claudia, which no one has mentioned but is another one I like. I really like Cecilia, but may get a bit confused with DD's name so that may have to go into the no pile.

I really don't have any preference for a boy or a girl this time, but you have to admit, girls names are much more fun and pretty.

Not keen on Christopher, mainly because it was quite a popular name when I was at school.

Love Gabriel, but it's my bro's name and DH is not keen on naming after people we know .

I'm loving how BravoJuliet thinks most of my names are terrible but loves Ismene , surely it is of the same ilk?

No way I could use Ptolemy, I just couldn't, just tipping over the edge of ponciness factor for me. And Sybilla is too like Syphilis for my liking.

Loving the suggestions though

Claudia and Miranda are both lovely

What about Aurelia?

Conratulations - I love Reuben & Jonah (Soren makes me think of Lola's imaginary friend Soren Loresen) for a boy and Betty for a girl (it was my nana's name)

emmanuel is a jewish name.

My GGGF was called this, infact his name was Emanuel Emanuel. Strange but true.

Soren v scandi. We have two friends called this.

Isadora the explorer?

I like Beatrice and Theodore the best.

northernlurker - I feel your pain. When we chose Theodore, which was about 130 on the top names list, everyone said how original it was and how they didn't know any....and now it's inside the top 50 - I hate football and hate that it's become a "great unwashed" name (as someone further up the thread said ).

Really like Evangeline too (am big House of Elliott fan ) but Evie is way to popular now for me. Not keen on Miranda, mainly because I see it as a very grown up name.

Love love love Aurelia and was on my list for DD, but DH not keen, and not easy to shorten (which seemed to bother everyone else a lot more than me).

I feel like Isadora, with the nn Dora would make DD feel more welcoming to the baby

DD's name is a bit like Lola and she is small and blonde, and we are convinced that one of her little friends actually though she was Lola for a while

Right, I'm scratching Theo from the list, and I think Seraphina is just too poncy for us to carry off. My family would all look like this

Aphra might be a nice (shorter) alternative to Seraphina.

Really like your lists, but then I am into poncey names

Raphael - LOVE
Emmanual - it's Emmanuel, LIKE V MUCH
Reuben - I really, really hate this name
Otis (actually this is DH's choice) - your DH hasn't got your taste ;) This is the name of a lift
Soren - LIKE, weren't the Danes so ashamed of Kierkegaard that they stopped using this name for a few generations?
Theodore - LOVE but think it's quite popular
Jonah - I just don't get this name or why people are so keen on it

Isadora - WONDERFUL NAME, use it, use it
Clementine - LIKE V MUCH, but it's a bit trendy I think
Seraphina (I don't think I would ever actually use this one, but I like it) - GORGEOUS, why not use it?
Beatrice - OK, bit overused at the moment
Ondine - reminds me of horrible character in Edith Wharton novel (spelled Undine, but still)
Betty/Bettina - Betty I don't like, Bettina sounds like a person in a German text book "Bettina liebt gern schach" (German v rusty)

Theodora? Why do people think Ptolemy is poncy? Ok, no one could spell it but apart from that why is it so terrible? Tolly for short! Very cute for a little boy!

Wasn't it used in The Children of Green Knowe or have I made that up?

I am currently in love with Irene and Carine, not that those are on your shortlist . What about Celia?

Lucius for a boy?

cortina there's a boy in my DD's Gymboree class called Ptolemy. She calls him Tolly for short - he is a really sweet boy too. Do it!

bumperlicious congrats and take delight in the great name journey!
I love your name list actually, and you have 2 on your girls list which is on ours (Clementine and Beatrice).

Of the boys, I like Raphael the best, followed by Reuben.
Maybe also consider Rufus?

Also Reuben is the name of a sandwich.

Love Delphine too. Sorry to see you've ditched Seraphina.

"you have to admit, girls names are much more fun and pretty"

My dd2 is 6 weeks old today. I had no preference either until the end when I started hoping for a boy just because we were struggling to come up with a girl's name we were happy with.

It's the prettiness that makes it hard. You think "yes Seraphina is lovely" but then you have to imagine what it would be like actually being called that. Boys' names easier I think.

Ismene - how do you pronounce it? Thinking 'Is Mean' but am sure I am wrong!

Ptolemy is almost the dictionary definition of a poncey name. There is almost no ponciness too poncey for me, but Ptolemy is a step too far.

And as for shortening it to Tolly? Why bother with such a ludicrous name if you're going to shorten it to something so pedestrian?

Tolly should be short for Tollence.

Wish I was brave enough for Ptolemy!

Seraphina is the cat in one of the Barbie movies I've had to watch recently I think, or a princess or both, which puts me off. A bit like Aurora, which I am told is Sleeping Beauty's name? I had no idea! Also the name of the ship which had something to do with Russia and 1917 but I forget the exact details....

I'm just trying to work out what your DD is called....

Tampax
Lilet
Bodyform
Mooncup

?