First baby name shortlist - be gentle with me!

[holytoast]

Am 36 weeks with first baby, no inkling what we are having, and have very little clue as to names either!

DH is irish, originally we had a girls name all sorted with Roisin, (cant do fada, sorry!) and have always struggled with boys names - I teach boys, and it's so hard!

Now DH has decided he doesn't want to do the 'plastic paddy' thing (his words!) and so far has come up with the sum total of one suggestion for a boys name...Ragnar..seriously, heard it on the news, its the Icelandic prime ministers name apparently. Oh, and James T. or Tiberius. really don't think he is being serious about all this...

Surname is a very un irish sounding, two syllables, Stt*

I have been a teacher for a while, so have got to dislike lots of lovely names due to not so lovely kids..and have heard so many horrible teasing nicknames, this is so hard!

So, girls...

Elizabeth - the only one so far DH likes!like the fact it has so many shotened names, which I think is important so it can grow with the baby, but don't actually like any particular nickname more than another, and can't imagine calling a tiny person such a long name everyday!
Beatrice - or possibly Beatrix - but problem with merging into surname? was my grandmothers name, (real name margaret, but one she used) love nn Bea.
Madeline - but only maddy as nn? for reason above, would like more options!
Matilda - tilda really, but too 'little girl' and popular?
Maggie - but MIL is Margaret,(Peggy really) and don't think DH would go for it...athough it might stop her going on about getting baby baptised! was also my grandmothers name. - but too old lady, not the cool kind?
Joni - although think it needs a proper name and can't think of one, IYSWIM.
Elspeth - like it, but what if they have a lisp? could be a disaster!

Boys...grand total of one..

Albert - my Great grandads name, loved him, and an amazing man...but reaction is always oh..or right...followed by silence! can't imagine a tiny baby Albert, either! Would be Albie really. DH not exactly on board.

Oisin was in the running.. but not anymore due to earlier 'Plastic paddy' decision!

Although would probably have either Roisin or Oisin as middle names with a more english first name.

and nowt else! we cannot think of another boys name that isn't really common, or boring (to me, anyway!) or 'naughty' or just not...right.

I think my taste is fairly traditional, but also like quirky - were both creative people, but don't want to saddle the child with an unusual name. DH's taste? sci fi icelandic prime ministers and anything that I go 'wtf?' to, it seems!

Aaargh!
Help!

Your the second person I've heard with a dh who wants Tiberius. Think it's fab.

There was a whole Albert thread recently - here www.mumsnet.com/Talk/baby_names/931964-Albert and it got a positive response. I think it's fab.

I like all your girls names but agree about Joni and Elspeth.

Excessive use of the word fab there.

I love Maggie and Albert.

Go with James Tiberius.

Live long and prosper.

Your plastic Paddy names are the nicest by far! rethink this.

I love all your names.

Elizabeth is my favourite girls name ever.

Margaret is great too.

I like Albert but prefer Arthur.

Albert is our boy's name, but we have 2 DD's so far. It is a family name from DH's Irish family, so with you all the way there.

I love Maggie. It would be a really nice connection to both sides of the family as well. It's not old-lady at all for me. The only thing that would have put me off a few years ago is the "iron Lady," but I don't think that is an issue for the next generation.

Agree exactly with Brideshead!

I know! I always loved Roisin, it was the name, but he wont hear of it...corrects me every time I pronounce them too, which could get really boring!

And surname is S+tt++ - the stars made it go strange, so just worried about the lots of ss and t's - now thats a reason not to go with Tiberius!

not quite sure what sort of names you are after? Here is a slightly quirky list based on names that are used a bit but not overpopular hopefully:

Boys:
Felix
Jed
Saul
Gabriel
Benedict
Lucien
Laurie/Laurence
Piers

Girls:
Lydia
Elena
Rowan
Seren
Elisa (alternative to Elisabeth, pronounced Ell-eeza)
Natasha
Tess

I love Elisabeth and Beatrice from your list. Not sure about Tiberius. Could go for Julius if he intent on a Roman name-or even "Roman" as a name?

Girls

Elizabeth - it is ok, quite nice. I like Eliza or Beth as nn

Beatrice - not keen, don't like Bea as nn

Madeline - OK, Maddie as nn is fine

Matilda - I love Matilda, also love Tilly as nn

Maggie - not sure; it is a nn for me so would have to be Margaret as full name. Still not sure though.

Joni - Not keen at all. I guess full name could be Joan

Elspeth - Not keen, sounds like a nn

Boys

Albert - this has grown on me loads in recent weeks. I love Albie as a nn

Oisin - don't like

and thanks for the support on the rest - I really do like Maggie, and we hardly see MIL, once or twice a year, I guess naming her Margaret on the cert wouldn't mean it would get used much...

I love Albie, just the Albert/tiny baby thing - but I think its also important to remember we are not naming a baby, but a person - can imagine a Bert, or Al, later in life. Maybe Albert when he is a grandad!

So maybe Margaret(Maggie) Roisin S++t++

or Albert (Albie) Oisin S++t++

Whaddayafink? trust me, Dh is being so non committal, will just wait until after sex or something and tell him I have made my mind up! It's been a while, he will agree to anything!

Go for it holy

Elizabeth - lovely, also like Eilis (Irish) and Eilidh (not the same name, Scottish)
Beatrice/ Beatrix - LOVE
Margaret - not on your list, but LOVE, also Mairead, Marit (Norwegian), Magali (Provencal)
Madeline - I like spelled Madeleine. Lena can be a nn too.
Matilda/Tilda - I like the grown-up, Germanic feel to this name, funny enough, and it's very sweet for a little girl.
Maggie - only if Margaret is the Birth Cert name, and I prefer other versions of Margaret anyway
Joni - Nice, this would be Joan on the BC?
Elspeth - I think this sounds as if someone has a lisp, funny you would mention that too..

May I suggest Dagmar, if your DH likes Ragnar?

Albert - two Irish Taoisigh have borne this name so far. Good, solid, old fashioned name, imo. Bert, Bertie, Al all possible nns.

I love Ragnar.
Suggest Raghnall (or Ranald) -- old Norse/Celtic name) Info here

Also:
Somhairle (Irish, means 'summer wanderer' i.e. Viking, pronounced SAWR-leh)
Olaf/ Amhlaibh (Irish version, pronounced OW-leeve)
Gunnar
Harald
Ivar
Magnus/ Manus (possibly Irish version)
Ailbe (not related to Albert - Irish saint, pronounced AIL-bee)

oh now lots more I like!! I like some of your girls suggestions thirtysomething but I think the problem with boys names is that whilst grand, traditional, slightly quirky girls names sound lovely, boys names sound too flowery, IYSWIM?

Lots f food for thought though!

I like Beatrice/Beatrix. Would you consider Josephine (Josie), Joanna, Julia, Juliet as well as Joni?

What about Margherita/Margrite nn Maggie?
Love Albert even for a tiny baby!
I like Tiberio, or Tobias nn Toby?

What is a 'plastic paddy'?

What about?

Sydney?Sid
Francis (nn Frank)
Absolem/Abbie
Saul
Gregory/Greg
Arthur (nn Art)

for a boy.

I am liking Elisabeth or Maggie for a girl. I agree don't like Maddie.

Those are nice names

I was just thinking today that if I ever have another little girl Maggie would be high up on my list.

Also I love (but can't use as a friend has reserved it) the not too common and slightly quirky Joseline. You can use it if you want!

Someone with one or both Irish parents, who has never lived in Ireland, usually with a Gaelic name, apparently...DH has just got home and supplied that!

It seems he likes some of the suggestions, especially the norse/celtic ones, but again, too close to plastic paddy names...

Thank you whoever pointed out about Bertie Ahern - it may have helped my cause a little!

Thinking Albert might work after all - but is it really popular now? Or likely to be

He may be persuaded to like Maggie (Margaret) now it seems, and I haven't even made any kind of offer in the bedroom department (not bloody likely to either, 36 weeks and feel like crap!)

Have just found out Margaret has the nn Greta, which I kind of like too - although hate Marg, like Margie though...hmm, possibilities...

Love Greta as a NN!

Plastic Paddy according to Wiki for you, gmtbst.

Like Gregory, and Francis, mrshappy but had forgotten I liked them!

I also quite like Frances for a girl, and Frankie/Frank as nn for girl/boy, but its the surname starting with S, it all a bit sibilant...ssss.

Joseline is lovely! I do like the name Josie...but again, sssss...

all these suggestions are great, and helping to take my mind off very uncomfortable braxton hicks (I hope, at least! right?!?) and crappy work, so all good!

Need more possible boys names though!