My first post - a shortlist!

[JessieEssex]

Hi all

This is my first ever post on Mumsnet - I'm 18 weeks at the moment and my DH and I are getting very animated about names! We aren't going to find out the sex so have to think of both. My DH is more traditional in his tastes than me, so you'll probably be able to guess who likes which! Any opinions gratefully (I think!) received:

Boys:
Jasper
Felix (my current favourite!)
Toby
Francis
Henry
Sam
Lawrence

Girls:
Iris
Ivy
Violet
Constance (Connie)
Carys
Lydia
Elsa
Jocelyn
Verity
Meredith (my current favourite!)

Hello, welcome to mumsnet

My favourites from your boys list are Henry and Lawrence, my favourites from your girls list are Constance and Elsa. I do like Meredith as well!

I don't really dislike any of the names you've listed, some are not to my taste (which I think may be similar to your DH's! but there are none that stand out as silly or that have bullying potential IMO.

Jasper, Felix, Toby - all great names with character - the other three are definitely in the realm of the traditional.

Ivy, Violet, Constance (Connie) all sweet old fashioned names.
Iris is a bit too serious and prim.
Carys - sounds like tooth decay.
Lydia - something tragic about this name.
Elsa - pretty - reminds me of the lions.
Jocelyn - unisex - interesting. I always think of it as a male name nowadays.
Verity and Meredith both very pretty - Meredith has the edge because it provides more diminutives - Merry, Meddy, Edith, Edie etc.

I love Henry and Lawrence

And I love Meredith

But to be honest that's a nice bunch of names so what goes with your surname and what initials will the name make?

Like Henry and Toby

Like Iris, Violet, Lydia, Constance, Verity

Let's see:

Jasper: Sorry, find it a bit posh (Jasper Carrott notwithstanding).
Felix: Love. Slightly associate it with the catfood, but doesn't make much odds.
Toby - Prefer Tobias.
Francis: Quite like. Has a lot of nn potential and is relatively unpopular I think.
Henry: Love
Sam: Ok as a nn for Samuel or Samson, I don't like it so much as a stand alone.
Lawrence: Love. Also like the spelling Laurence.

Iris: Love.
Ivy: Quite like. I worry a little about the poison ivy connection, but it sounds pretty enough.
Violet - Not keen. It's too close to violent for my liking.
Constance - Love.
Carys - Ok. I quite like the Greek name with the same pronunciation: Charis.
Lydia - Not keen. Too close to chlamydia - sorry.
Elsa: Ok. But my Mum was a big Born Free fan, so it's forever associated with the lioness in that for me.
Jocelyn: Sounds like jostling - not keen.
Verity: Love.
Meredith: Ok.

You lot are great! Lots to think about already. Lydia/Chlamydia is out... Our surname begins with an A so actually names ending in an 'ah' sound might not work. I like Jocelyn as it's my Dad's mddle name, and I think it would be a nice touch to name a girl after him! Also once knew a guy called Meredith so I guess I like the unisex thing...

I like Elsa and Henry.

Please do not call you child Ivy - we have a great Auntie called that and she is Auntie Ive - it is so not nice! Oooohhh that the same for Violet too - can you imagine how much she will have being called Vi!

You have a lovely list- nothing to dislike on here really and lots that I love!

Boys:
Jasper- love
Felix (my current favourite!)- like
Toby- okay
Francis- okay
Henry- love this!
Sam- prefer Samuel which I like
Lawrence- love Lawrence!

Girls:
Iris- love this!
Ivy- ditto
Violet- like a lot too!
Constance (Connie)- love
Carys- like
Lydia- lovely, never think of chlamydia
Elsa- like a lot
Jocelyn- dislike
Verity- like
Meredith (my current favourite!)- okay

I like Jasper and Verity the most

My favourites are Lydia and Violet, and Henry

I like Felix, Henry, Sam, Ivy, Violet, Constance, Lydia and Meredith.

Jasper -- like
Felix -- LOVE
Toby -- LOVE
Francis -- LOVE
Henry -- like
Sam -- like
Lawrence -- dislike because of Larry nn, and I think Laurie is too girly

Iris -- OK, maybe a bit prim
Ivy -- Like
Violet -- too dainty in one way, and too close to 'violent' too, paradoxically
Constance (Connie) -- LOVE Constance, dislike Connie
Carys -- LOVE
Lydia -- OK
Elsa -- LOVE
Jocelyn -- LOVE, unusual
Verity -- dislike, very twee
Meredith -- I think this sounds harsh and surnamey

Hello and congratulations

Jasper- what we call Wasps so not keen.
Felix- too feline.
Toby- too canine
Francis- love it
Henry- Ok like Harry better
Sam- nice
Lawrence- like and nn Laurie

Girls:
Iris- love
Ivy- love Violet-love
Constance (Connie)- don't like only because I knew a brattie one.
Carys- love
Lydia- like
Elsa- don't like sounds harsh
Jocelyn- not keen but Joss is quite a cool name.
Verity- no reminds me of Miss Marple for some reason
Meredith- not my taste

I like most of the name son your list very much, but not so keen on Toby, Francis, Elsa and Jocelyn.

Jasper - like it but sounds a bit like Jester
Felix - love it
Toby - love it, fewer tobys than I'd expect
Francis - love frankie
Henry- boring nmsaa
Sam - a nice normal name
Lawrence - I like it. I like nn Laurie more

Girls:
Iris - very fashionable but not keen
Ivy - slightly nicer than iris
Violet - like it but very like violent or violate, but if you can put that aside, it's a lovely name.
Constance (Connie) ok
Carys - no.
Lydia - lovely
Elsa - lovely
Jocelyn - no
Verity - lovely.
Meredith - lovely.

loads of lovely names on your list. My favourites are Felix and Toby. Lydia and Meredith. Meredith Elsa flows well.

Thanks everyone! I did some lobbying last night for Felix and I think that DH is coming round... He'd been really into Lawrence but when I mentioned the possibility of 'Larry' he went right off it! I've got strong feelings that it's a boy at the moment (why is that?!) so that's where I'm focussing my energies...

Is it your first? I was convinced my first was a boy, and then I later read somewhere that that is a very common 'gut feeling'. something like 80% of people feel that their first is going to be a boy but then.... I suppose only 40% of that 80% are right! Anybody would think I loved statistics. I don't.

Welcome to MN and congratulations

Some lovely names on your list, my personal favourites are:

Toby, Henry and Lawrence (Lawrie would be lovely as a nn) for boys

Verity, Lydia and Carys for a girl.

They are all nice though, none make my teeth itch!

Francis and Lawrence are fab.

Constance, Lydia, Verity and Meredith are also fab.

Maggie00, yes it is my first. That's really interesting that so many women think their first is a boy. My mum already has three grandsons and she's already said that she'd love me to have a girl (as if there's anything I can do about it!) so maybe I'm just rebelling...
My DH came up with Felix George last night. Think it's a lovely combo of our tastes!

sorry i meant, only 50% of that 80% would be right! cringe cringe! my maths!! or my biology, one or the other must be awful.

Lydia and Meredith are my favourite girls names. You should have a girl's name ready!

Sorry to get at your maths, Maggie, but you were right first time. 50 out of 100% will be having boys so you want to calculate 50 out of 80, thus 40%.

I love them all () except Henry and Lydia - both just too stuffy imo.

I'm an idiot. 50 out of 80 is 60%.