What do you think of Beryl as a first name for a girl ?

[MamanFlo]

Heya mums

pregnant again with baby2 I am looking for first names. My MIL suggested Beryl, which sounds nice and original for the french people that we are... but what do anglo saxons think about this first name ?

thanks

flo

I think it's awful!

As is Hector!

no

Even though I don't like it I'm sure it will come back into fashion sooner or later. Then everyone will think it's really trendy. It always happens doesn't it?

Hilda! Of course, WCL, the natural partner to Beryl

I don't care for it personally, but I can see it going the same way as as Ruby and becoming trendy in a few years' time. Gemstone names (such as Amber, Ameythyst etc) are becoming very fashionable, but is fashion important to you? It's also a matter of whether you think your little girl will get teased at school for having a name that is still considered a bit weird and old lady-ish (like Ruby was a few years ago). Though when you compare it to some celebrity babies' names - or the ones in the mini boden catalogue - it's not weird at all!

Hector?!

That's what taxi drivers in Mexico are called.

No.
No.
No.

Will Muriel ever come back?

Don't like Beryl I'm afraid.

Names of that ilk that I DO like are;

Elsie
Edith
Beatrice
Rene

Could you go for another precious stone (am I right that Beryl is a stone?)

Emerald
Ruby
Opal

or something classical
Ophelia
Diana
Ariane

or biblical
Rebecca
Sarah
Miriam
Hannah
Esther
Joanna
Tabitha
Eve
Leah
Rachel

Lots of those names work well in French - for example, Miriam is Myriam in French.

yuk, don't do it

Message withdrawn

I think the name is awful (my own personal opinion - will not tell you the names of my children in case you offend me) but then again it is your personal choice and the baby usually grows to fit the name.

I remember once I told a colleague at work that the 'ugliest' name I could think of was Olive. She then told me that was her mother's name (and she wasn't lying).

Califrau I agree, Meriel is nice
I bet some folk like Muriel though...surely?

yuck! I think it's a household cleaner here.

agree Meriel is lovely

Beryl... when I hear it I think of an old lady with purple hair and rollers in... sitting somewhere like coronation street for some reason.. sorry!

Beryl is definitely old fashioned when you think of the older people you've known with that name.... but on a cute little baby it would take on a totally different vibe. Think of all the old fashioned names that have been resurrected in recent years: Alfie, Archie, Sid, Fred, Stanley, Maisy, Molly etc. If you like it, go for it. You'll set a trend.

I agree, the old names like Ivy, Mabel and alls sorts (i could go on) are all gaining cool. Albert & Arthur are now gaining cool again amongst hip parents and these name do have a way on coming in and out so try and actually listen to how it sounds without preconceived ideas, my friend has just called her daughter Sylvie despite me thinking of it as an old ladies name and its so beautiful on her i'm quite jealous i wasn't so original with my DD's name!!

But i am on another thread debating on whether i should name my son after a soft chewy sweet so maybe you shouldn't listen to me...

There's a little girl called Nancy round here. Some people are shocked by that but i think it's lovely

Beryl is brilliant!
My cat's name, bell for short.

Beryl, no. Something about the hard 'b' grates, apart from the old lady connotations. Have the same feeling about Bertha or Belinda or Bernice(though Berthe in french sounds lovely).

Hector? not sure. I'm thinking Hector's House here (wasn't that French originally?)

My ex-dh suggested calling our bump 'Belvedere' if it was a boy! Luckily it was a dd.

Good luck with the bump though, and let us know what you decide!