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Josephine, Frances, Harriet or Lydia?

39 replies

AlexanderS · 23/11/2012 16:13

Which do you like best and why? And if you have a serious dislike of any of these names why?

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cappucinogirl4 · 23/11/2012 16:16

My dd is Lydia Grace and is the only one in her school so not very common.I have an auntie Josie so love Josephine.

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AlexanderS · 23/11/2012 16:27

Lydia Grace is very nice. I've always liked Lydia and Josephine (nn Joey/Josie), Frances and Harriet have only grown on me recently.

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AppleOgies · 23/11/2012 16:28

Lydia is the nicest...

I personally hate Francis. Even with the female spelling it still sounds very manly to me.

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AppleOgies · 23/11/2012 16:29

See I even spelt it the male way?! Sorry. Don't like Frances at all.

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fourbears · 23/11/2012 16:31

I like Harriet the best.

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InTheBoonies · 23/11/2012 16:33

Frances I like a lot, it was nearly DD name but I have mentally stored it away for a future DS instead as I do like it even more for a boy.

I like Harriet also, very grown up name but cute on a small child.

Not keen on Lydia it feels a bit 'of the moment' and Josephine is ok but I don't like Josie at all.

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IHeartKingThistle · 23/11/2012 16:36

Josephine and Frances are my favourites, but I like them all. Helpful, aren't I?

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AlexanderS · 23/11/2012 16:47

My preferred shortening of Josephine would be Joey (like in the Chalet School books!). I think TOWIE has led to the feeling that Lydia is of the moment but its popularity has been quite consistent since 1996 (it was ranked #61 in 1996, fell to #107 in 2010, but went back up to #100 last year). Frances, however, was #552 last year, down from #161 in 1996.

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Alisvolatpropiis · 23/11/2012 16:49

Lydia.

I don't like the others,especially not Harriet.

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TheOriginalSteamingNit · 23/11/2012 16:52

I like them all, but something to bear in mind with Frances, as the parent of an alexandra.... Will you mind if it's pronounced regionally as FRANces rather than 'Frarnces', or vice versa?

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GoldPlatedNineDoors · 23/11/2012 16:52

Harriet

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AlexanderS · 23/11/2012 17:02

Being a provincial sort, it hadn't even occurred to me Frances might be pronounced 'Frarnces' Grin

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ChestnutsRoastingonaWitchesTit · 23/11/2012 17:04

None really. Josephine, at a push. But I can't imagine a baby girl with any of these names. Sorry.

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joolsandfrances · 23/11/2012 17:06

Hi, my dd1 is called Frances. I decided on the name when I was 14 and I still loved it when she was born when I was 31. I've never come across another Frances since.

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AlexanderS · 23/11/2012 17:06

Mixed feelings about Harriet then. When I was a kid I thought it was ugly. But now it feels strikes me as chic. But I'm wondering if it's good to pick a name you've done a complete 180 on, maybe you're better off picking something you've always loved...On the other hand your name tastes change over time - I used to think Donna was the height of sophistication!

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AlexanderS · 23/11/2012 17:07

Sorry, now it strikes me as chic.

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IHeartKingThistle · 23/11/2012 17:07

yy to Joey.

My gran was Frances. We're from the West Country so she was Fraaaaaaaances or Fraaanse. Still love it!

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marshmallowpies · 23/11/2012 17:11

Love them all. Josephine is my gran, Lydia is my cousin, Harriet is my middle name and Francis (male version) is a traditional family name on my dad's side going back generations, so if I had a DS or DD I'd be very tempted by Frances/Francis.

So, all of them are good!

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baskingseals · 23/11/2012 17:11

I would pick Harriet. for me it has a certain style and elegance, i also like Hattie as nn. I also like Frances, very understated, but i am not so keen on Fran.

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DizzyPurple · 23/11/2012 17:13

I like Lydia and Josephine. My Dd has Josephine for her middle name after my Mum! So yes i like it very much. I do call my Dd . . . Josephina sometimes too which i think is softer. Good luck.

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EssieW · 23/11/2012 17:34

Like all of them.

Probably in this order. It's a close run thing between the top two though...

Harriet, Lydia, Josephine, Frances 

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YoullScreamAboutItOneDay · 23/11/2012 17:38

My favourites are probably Lydia and Harriet. Frances is nice.

Not keen on Josephine personally - I'm not that fond of female variants of male names myself. You know, Paula, etc. I don't know if Josephine developed separately from Joseph, but I'd think of it in that category

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AlexanderS · 23/11/2012 17:41

What would you shorten Harriet to? I like Hetty and Harry...

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YoullScreamAboutItOneDay · 23/11/2012 17:45

I like Hattie personally. Hetty is nice too. I'm not a fan of Harry. Don't know why, as I like it as a girl's name. I always think of posh sloany types for Harry

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YoullScreamAboutItOneDay · 23/11/2012 17:45

Like it as a boy's name

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