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Baby names

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

Original poster

Deborah, Blanche, Bianca and Ethel

52 replies

QBEE · 26/03/2010 22:49

Deborah- what nn apart from Debbie are there?

Blanche- is Bianca a more modern alternative or too tacky?

Ethel- Etheldreda?

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BelleDeChocolateFluffyBunny · 26/03/2010 22:51

No, none of them, never!

dizzydixies · 26/03/2010 22:54

Deborah - no no no, just frankly NO
Blanche - too Golden girls
Bianca - too Eastenders
Ethel - not to my taste even with the current revival of old lady chic

gmtbst · 26/03/2010 23:28

I like Deborah.

Hullygully · 26/03/2010 23:33

Marvellous. Every one of them.

ChynaDoll2006 · 27/03/2010 00:06

Love deborah

usualsuspect · 27/03/2010 00:07

horrible all of them

jasper · 27/03/2010 00:21

love them all
Blanche is outstanding

usualsuspect · 27/03/2010 00:23

Blanche? hahahah bit chavvy imo

Original poster
QBEE · 27/03/2010 00:30

They are all family names.
I'm not sure what your definition of 'Chavvy' is usualsuspect but Blanche is about as far removed from chavness as one can get imo.

nn ideas for them anyone?

OP posts:
andlipsticktoo · 27/03/2010 00:32

Love Ethel.

Hate the others.

VermontMama · 27/03/2010 02:25

I see the draw, but I am not liking any of them. A search of "vintage baby girl names" will give some better revival suggestions IMO.

Bumperlicious · 27/03/2010 07:35

Don't like any of them, sorry.

PuppyMonkey · 27/03/2010 07:39

Nooooooooooooooooo!

ilovesprouts · 27/03/2010 10:01

dont like any of them sorry

notsochickchickchicken · 27/03/2010 10:10

I quite like Blanche actually.

I like Bianca but I know I wouldn't be able to control the urge to say it it a Cockney accent

I have a relation called Deborah and her nn's are Deb and Dora.

Ondine · 27/03/2010 10:19

They are all really bad imo .

If I was forced to choose I'd go for Bianca and try to think of Bianca Jagger and not EastEnders Bianca.

Original poster
QBEE · 27/03/2010 11:23

They are quite bad I suppose...

OP posts:
gerontius · 27/03/2010 11:25

You CANNOT call your baby Ethel.

Debs75 · 27/03/2010 11:28

I'm a Deborah and I get debs and debi.
I hated it as a child but prefer it now.
It is an old biblical name so probably as 'vintage' as you're goona get.
Blanche just makes me think of the golden girls and blanching veggies.
Ethel is nice but is it a 20 something name?

MrsvWoolf · 27/03/2010 11:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MrsvWoolf · 27/03/2010 11:34

This reply has been deleted

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sassysass · 27/03/2010 17:13

Deborah with the nickname Dora is a great idea.

mathanxiety · 27/03/2010 17:22

I like Bianca, but agree it has a tacky quality (although I know a lovely 7 yo Bianca). How about names that mean 'white'? Alva/Ailbhe in Irish, and Niamh (fair) both have the same general meaning as Bianca and Blanche.

I would never call anyone Ethel. Deborah maybe. Middle names were invented for using family names.

MrsSchadenfreude · 27/03/2010 17:31

Ethel is hideous.

How about Blanka instead of Blanche or Bianca?

piscesmoon · 27/03/2010 17:37

Deborah is the only reasonable one, and I'm not tooo keen on that. Ethel is absolutely dire! She will also be called Eth-even more dire.