# What baby names do you like?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-baby-names-do-you-like/555292>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [September 28, 2010, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-baby-names-do-you-like/555292 "2010-09-28T00:09:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\
**Post date:** [September 29, 2010, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-baby-names-do-you-like/555292/21 "2010-09-29T01:44:10Z")

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> [@LavenderBlue](#):
>
> Did you want other children named James, Walter, Shirley and Marilla?
> 
> 😃
> 
> L.M. Montgomery’s names were such a product of her day.

Lucy would be a nice name too, although I dunno know about the Maud part. 😉

I never did like the name Cordelia though.

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**Author:** ![Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glory)\
**Post date:** [September 29, 2010, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-baby-names-do-you-like/555292/22 "2010-09-29T03:53:55Z")

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Lila Elizabeth  
Robert Clay (Both our fathers are named Robert, Clay was my grandfather’s name)

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**Author:** ![anu-la1979](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/47e85d/32.png) [@anu-la1979](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anu-la1979)\
**Post date:** [September 29, 2010, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-baby-names-do-you-like/555292/23 "2010-09-29T04:30:09Z")

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Most of the names I like and would name my kids are Indian, since that’s my cultural heritage. Probably Krishna, Gopal, Aniket or Dev for a boy and Shirin, Padma, Lakshmi, Roma, Uma or Leela for a girl. My grandmother’s names were Uma and Leela, but Leela has become really popular as an Indian girl’s name, even replacing Anjali (which is almost the Jennifer of Indian naming traditions).

In terms of American names, I’ve always like John, Joaquin, Tarquin, Robert and Henry. Fairly traditional, essentially.

For girls my tastes runs all over the place. Verity and Wilhelmina are probably my favourite, though I also like Branwen, Jillian, Imogen, Ingrid and Scarlett.

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**Author:** ![Maiira](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Maiira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maiira)\
**Post date:** [September 29, 2010, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-baby-names-do-you-like/555292/24 "2010-09-29T05:59:18Z")

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I’d like to name a girl Beth. That’s my middle name, and I think it’s very graceful. The problem is, I don’t like any of the names for which “Beth” is a shortened version. I tolerate “Elizabeth,” but I don’t want folks to start referring to her as “Liz.” And I utterly dislike “Bethany.” But if I just name her “Beth,” people will think it’s short for something! Arrrrrgh!

Anyway.

I’m also starting to really dig old-school, fancy-pants names like Debra, Esther, Ophelia, and Eleanor.

For boys, I like John, James, Luke (heh, I’m going all biblical all of a sudden), Eli, and Ethan.

Neither of these are exhaustive lists, but they’re among my favorites.

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**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\
**Post date:** [September 29, 2010, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-baby-names-do-you-like/555292/25 "2010-09-29T06:07:03Z")

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> [@anu-la1979](#):
>
> Krishna, Gopal,

My boss in India was called Krishnagopal. Everyone called him KG.

My favorite boy name is Joaquin.

My favorite girl names are Cigal and Ivy.

It’s unlikely I’d ever have to think of more names than that.

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**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\
**Post date:** [September 29, 2010, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-baby-names-do-you-like/555292/26 "2010-09-29T06:08:02Z")

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Gilgamesh

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**Author:** ![Doxy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f14d63/32.png) [@Doxy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doxy)\
**Post date:** [September 29, 2010, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-baby-names-do-you-like/555292/27 "2010-09-29T06:16:47Z")

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> [@Maiira](#):
>
> I’d like to name a girl Beth. That’s my middle name, and I think it’s very graceful. The problem is, I don’t like any of the names for which “Beth” is a shortened version. I tolerate “Elizabeth,” but I don’t want folks to start referring to her as “Liz.” And I utterly dislike “Bethany.” But if I just name her “Beth,” people will think it’s short for something! Arrrrrgh!
> 
> Anyway.
> 
> I’m also starting to really dig old-school, fancy-pants names like Debra, Esther, Ophelia, and Eleanor.
> 
> For boys, I like John, James, Luke (heh, I’m going all biblical all of a sudden), Eli, and Ethan.
> 
> Neither of these are exhaustive lists, but they’re among my favorites.

Named my oldest daughter Katherine Elizabeth… we always called her Katie Beth. Until she got all “grown” and said that’s a “baby name” and we were to call her “Kat” from now on… LOL

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**Author:** ![Green\_Cymbeline](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_cymbeline/32/9244_2.png) [@Green\_Cymbeline](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Cymbeline)\
**Post date:** [September 29, 2010, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-baby-names-do-you-like/555292/28 "2010-09-29T07:19:19Z")

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I don’t know where I saw this name, or if I made it up, but I like **Thorin** for a boy.

Oh let’s see, what else do I like? I like **Ulysses** , but my cat already has that one.

What about **Cymbeline** for a girl?

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**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\
**Post date:** [September 29, 2010, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-baby-names-do-you-like/555292/29 "2010-09-29T08:34:04Z")

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Just for laughs - and for a non-American perspective - here are the names of the kids in my son’s preschool class from last year (from his class picture):

_Girls:_  
Orr  
Noga  
Dror  
Naama  
Ella  
Mica  
Alma  
Aya  
Tamar  
Noa  
Nili  
Meshi  
Yahli  
Ariel  
Sapir  
Idan  
Adi  
Lyam  
Tao  
Renana  
Omer

\*Boys: \*  
Itai  
Yotam  
Lior  
Erez  
Eddie  
Ruby  
Uri  
Guy  
Raphael  
Itamar

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**Author:** ![Rala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@Rala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rala)\
**Post date:** [September 29, 2010, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-baby-names-do-you-like/555292/30 "2010-09-29T09:19:10Z")

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> [@JoseArcadio](#):
>
> Girl:  
> Freya  
> Aoife  
> Eleanor  
> Maeve

I’ve got a friend named Aoife! It’s a pretty name, but be aware that it’ll be mispronounced a _lot_. Every teacher we ever had screwed up her name the first time they saw it. Oif, Ayofee … It got to the point where a hint of hesitation during roll call was our cue to chorus “EEFA!”

Anyway, here’s my own list.  
Girl:  
Astrid  
Rica\*  
Thea\*\*  
Natasha  
Melissa  
Eloise  
Selena (we could call her Sally)

Boys:  
Colin  
Mark  
Stephen  
Louis  
Timothy  
Jerome  
\*An old family name I discovered while doing the family tree. It was usually short for Frederica, but I’m not saddling the kid with that. Plus Rica sounds like it could be a diminutive of my own name.  
\*\*For my grandmother. Her name was Dorothea, but everyone called her Thea. Three generations of women in my family were named Dorothea until Granny told mum she’d drown me herself if I got the name. This could be a way to honour that tradition without making her roll over in her grave.

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**Author:** ![Doxy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f14d63/32.png) [@Doxy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doxy)\
**Post date:** [September 29, 2010, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-baby-names-do-you-like/555292/31 "2010-09-29T11:25:40Z")

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> [@nyctea scandiaca](#):
>
> I don’t know where I saw this name, or if I made it up, but I like **Thorin** for a boy.
> 
> Oh let’s see, what else do I like? I like **Ulysses** , but my cat already has that one.
> 
> What about **Cymbeline** for a girl?

Thorin Oakenshield. Leader of dwarves in the Hobbit. 😉

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**Author:** ![Manwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e480ec/32.png) [@Manwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manwich)\
**Post date:** [September 29, 2010, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-baby-names-do-you-like/555292/32 "2010-09-29T12:24:49Z")

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I figure boys/mens names should be action orientated, so I favour names that are also verbs:

Chuck  
Wade  
Bob  
Roger

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**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\
**Post date:** [September 29, 2010, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-baby-names-do-you-like/555292/33 "2010-09-29T12:43:40Z")

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My daughter’s name is Josephine, Josie for short (pronounced Jo-C not Jo-Z).

If she were a boy, she would have been Duncan James.

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**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\
**Post date:** [September 29, 2010, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-baby-names-do-you-like/555292/34 "2010-09-29T13:52:40Z")

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I have but one request: Please, under no circumstances, ever name the child Francis.

Its cruel.

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**Author:** ![Little\_Plastic\_Ninja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f07891/32.png) [@Little\_Plastic\_Ninja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Plastic_Ninja)\
**Post date:** [September 29, 2010, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-baby-names-do-you-like/555292/35 "2010-09-29T15:00:09Z")

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Ooh, Gilgamesh. I may have to apologize to a theoretical future son for giving him the middle name Gilgamesh. Alexander Gilgamesh, maybe – Alexander’s always been my favorite boy name along with David, but they’re both blisteringly popular. ☹ Also, Alexander Gilgamesh would be a handful and a half.

I love Freya for a girl’s name and never really considered it. I also love Elizabeth and Eleanor but my favorite may be Evangeline. Apparently I have a thing for E-names? I always wanted to meet someone named Tanaquil.

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**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\
**Post date:** [September 29, 2010, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-baby-names-do-you-like/555292/36 "2010-09-29T15:07:43Z")

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**Maiira** , I hear that. I love the name Abby for a girl, but that’s it. Just Abby. I don’t really care for Abigail, but I also would hate for her to have to answer the “Is that short for…” question her whole life.

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**Author:** ![yellowval](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/919ad9/32.png) [@yellowval](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowval)\
**Post date:** [September 29, 2010, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-baby-names-do-you-like/555292/37 "2010-09-29T18:48:25Z")

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Girls:  
Jane  
Althea (Thea)  
Eleanor (Nell)  
Bronwyn  
Matilda (Tilly)  
Elise  
Cleo  
Simone  
Tabitha

Boys:  
Theodore (Theo)  
Silas  
Micah  
Holden  
Dexter  
Elliot  
Judah  
Reuben  
Gabriel

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\
**Post date:** [September 29, 2010, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-baby-names-do-you-like/555292/38 "2010-09-29T20:18:18Z")

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**Lucifer** for a boy, **Lilith** for a girl. 😉

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**Author:** ![Doxy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f14d63/32.png) [@Doxy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doxy)\
**Post date:** [September 29, 2010, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-baby-names-do-you-like/555292/39 "2010-09-29T20:49:07Z")

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> [@alphaboi867](#):
>
> **Lucifer** for a boy, **Lilith** for a girl. 😉

Heh 🙂 You’re naughty!! LOL

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**Author:** ![Maiira](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Maiira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maiira)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-baby-names-do-you-like/555292/40 "2010-09-30T01:34:36Z")

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> [@Snickers](#):
>
> I…would hate for her to have to answer the “Is that short for…” question her whole life.

Yeah, I already have to do that enough for “Beth”…and that’s for a freaking middle name! (Why would you shorten a middle name, anyway?) I’d get sick to death of doing that if it was my first name.

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