See the results of this poll: Pick our daughter’s name!
Respondents: 80 (This poll is closed)
- Cecily : 25 (31%)
- Margaret (Margot) : 18 (23%)
- Clara: 37 (46%)
I voted [name_f]Clara[/name_f].
All three our lovely even though I am thinking concerning [name_f]Margaret[/name_f]/[name_f]Margot[/name_f] why not just use [name_f]Margot[/name_f]?! Anyway despite all three being great I prefer [name_f]Clara[/name_f], she’s a lovely, elegant name, and has this beautiful bluesy sound. I really love [name_f]Clara[/name_f]!
: )
Thanks, [name_f]Tori[/name_f]! I’m having such a hard time deciding, we’re considering waiting until DD is born to see what looks more like her.
Regarding [name_f]Margot[/name_f] instead of [name_f]Margaret[/name_f], I’m not a huge fan of the idea of using a name that originated as a nickname for a fuller name (that still happens to be in use). Although [name_f]Margot[/name_f] can stand alone at this point, I’d prefer to give her a moniker that isn’t directly derived from another name… good point though and one we’ve definitely considered…
I voted for [name_f]Clara[/name_f]! Simple, pretty, elegant, classic.
I voted for [name_f]Clara[/name_f]: I think it’s absolutely gorgeous, understated and elegant. However, I would definitely consider using [name_f]Margot[/name_f] as the full name: I know at least two Margots and I have never considered it as a nickname (in fact, I think I would find it quite odd as a nickname for [name_f]Margaret[/name_f]). Best of luck!
As a [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] who has never been known as [name_f]Margaret[/name_f], I have to ask - why not just [name_f]Margot[/name_f]? I’ve always disliked having a name that didn’t really feel like mine. In my case, I do understand why my parents chose to name me [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] - my nickname is very juvenile. But [name_f]Margot[/name_f] is a perfectly solid stand-alone name. It would make life easier for her to not have to explain her name all the time.
Anyway. I voted for [name_f]Clara[/name_f], although I was pretty on the fence between that and [name_f]Margaret[/name_f]/[name_f]Margot[/name_f]. [name_f]Clara[/name_f] is lovely and classic, and adorable on a little girl but great on a grown woman. It’s not too girly for a tomboy, but sweet enough for a cupcakes-and-sparkles girly-girl. I really like this name, though, because of the [name_m]Doctor[/name_m] Who character. She’s a strong character with an amazing name. What’s not to like? [name_f]Cecily[/name_f] is pretty, too, though it’s not my style.
I really like both [name_f]Clara[/name_f] and [name_f]Margaret[/name_f]. [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] is the most versatile in that she can choose either [name_f]Margo[/name_f] or [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] or even [name_f]Maggie[/name_f] or [name_f]Meg[/name_f] in the future. I really love when a name provides lots of options. But there is something about [name_f]Clara[/name_f] that is both beautiful and simple so I voted for [name_f]Clara[/name_f].
I voted for [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] nn [name_f]Margot[/name_f], but [name_f]Clara[/name_f] is a close second! I have to disagree with the pp, I much prefer [name_f]Margot[/name_f] as a nn, not a full name, like you if there is a full name I’d prefer to use it. If she decides she wants to be called another nn, she can later on, on the flip side is she decides she’s defiantly a [name_f]Margot[/name_f] not a [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] at all, fine she doesn’t have to use [name_f]Margot[/name_f]. My mom goes 99.9% of the time by a nn, even her checks from the bank don’t have her full name. The only times her full name is used is with taxes or when she votes (so government stuff only) and she’s been fine. Personally, as someone with somewhat of a derivative name I’ve often wished my name was a nn and I had a longer name. So all that to say I think giving her the full form of the name and a nn is a great idea. She could love it or she could not really care, but you can’t know which it will be so give her the option with the most options if that makes any sense.
I voted [name_f]Margaret[/name_f]. I love [name_f]Margot[/name_f] and I agree with the others; I would definitely consider using it instead of [name_f]Margaret[/name_f]. If that is what she is going to be called for the first 18 years of her life anyways, might as all cut out any confusion! Also, given what info you provided about your last name, I think [name_f]Margot[/name_f] works wonderfully. I imagine a beautiful movie star when I hear “[name_f]Margot[/name_f] M----er”. Best of luck!!
Thanks everyone for the replies! I’m actually kind of surprised [name_f]Cecily[/name_f] isn’t getting more nods (since this was my secret favorite as of late haha) but it’s pleasant and refreshing to see how many of you love [name_f]Clara[/name_f] since this is the name that received the most lukewarm response from family and friends for not having enough oomph. And the [name_f]Margaret[/name_f]/[name_f]Margot[/name_f] question is an interesting debate. As someone who has a full name with no nicknames or potential nicknames at all, it’s interesting to hear from people who have had a different experience. For me, the alliteration is something that holds me back slightly from [name_f]Margaret[/name_f]/[name_f]Margot[/name_f] since our last name begins with an “M” and my [name_f]MIL[/name_f] used M names for both my husband and his sister. I don’t want to appear to have jumped on that particular in-law family bandwagon because I’m not a huge fan of it but I also don’t want that to be the reason I don’t pick an M name… hmm…
No love for [name_f]Cecily[/name_f]? I love it and voted [name_f]Cecily[/name_f]. I think it is classy and relatively rare, as compared to your other choices. I have never been such a big fan of [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] (although I like [name_f]Margaux[/name_f]) because it sounds a bit old to me. My best friend is named [name_f]Margaret[/name_f], and she doesn’t like her name (I call her [name_f]Margo[/name_f] all the time, so if you do choose [name_f]Margaret[/name_f], [name_f]Margo[/name_f] seems to be the natural nn). I agree, I don’t love the alliteration either. I like [name_f]Clara[/name_f] too, but it is a bit overrated on here. Plus, I only see it for a [name_u]December[/name_u] baby because it reminds me so much of the Nutcracker. That might just be me. It’s a beautiful name, but I just love [name_f]Cecily[/name_f], and its not trendy like [name_f]Cecilia[/name_f] is. I would go with [name_f]Cecily[/name_f], but all three are nice.
Congrats and good luck!
Although I think [name_f]Margot[/name_f] would do well on its own, I am enchanted by the idea of secret identity names, modern nicknames that harbor formal full names. For that reason, I chose [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] nn [name_f]Margot[/name_f]!
I think all three names are wonderful but I voted for the vintage [name_f]Cecily[/name_f] because I think it would flow the best with your two-syllable “M” surname that ends in “er”. The “ar” sounds in [name_f]Clara[/name_f]/[name_f]Margaret[/name_f]/[name_f]Margot[/name_f] would not be ideal with a surname containing an “er”. [name_f]Cecily[/name_f] doesn’t have that problem.
[name_f]Margaret[/name_f] is definitely my favorite. I’ve always had a soft spot for [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] and it’s variants.
Thanks all! [name_u]Mischa[/name_u] I kind of agree with you about [name_f]Cecily[/name_f] having better flow with our surname – esp moreso than [name_f]Clara[/name_f]. I love [name_f]Clara[/name_f] – I think it’s so beautiful in such a simple, feminine way. My chief concern with it is that it’s not hefty enough… Although I wouldn’t exactly consider [name_f]Cecily[/name_f] a hefty name, either!
[name_f]Margaret[/name_f] nicknamed [name_f]Margot[/name_f]? Yes, [name_f]Margot[/name_f] comes from [name_f]Margaret[/name_f], but I would never guess that a girl named [name_f]Margot[/name_f] would actually have the full name [name_f]Margaret[/name_f]. [name_f]Margot[/name_f] works as a stand alone name. [name_f]Maggie[/name_f], [name_f]Peggy[/name_f], [name_f]Peg[/name_f] or [name_f]Meg[/name_f] are more nicknamey, but [name_f]Margot[/name_f] is more of an offshoot. If you love [name_f]Margot[/name_f], then use [name_f]Margot[/name_f].
My vote was for [name_f]Clara[/name_f] though. [name_f]Clara[/name_f] is very pretty and musical sounding.
[name_m]How[/name_m] are you saying [name_f]Clara[/name_f]? Because while I like it best in general and would vote for it either way (I [name_f]LOVE[/name_f] the Importance of Being [name_m]Earnest[/name_m] tie with [name_f]Cecily[/name_f], but I generally prefer [name_f]Cecily[/name_f] and [name_f]Cecilia[/name_f] as middles, and [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] has always seemed so harsh to me–I prefer it as a middle, as well), I definitely prefer the British (and [name_m]German[/name_m], and pretty much every pronunciation except the American one!)–CLAH-rah. I actually think [name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_f]Cecily[/name_f] would be absolutely adorable. I’m quite picky with “C” alliteration, but I really love that. 
Good luck!
I like this too! It works without sounding cartoony because of the hard c versus soft c.
I voted for [name_f]Clara[/name_f]. Elegant and kind, she’s also strong and evocative of the heroic [name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_m]Barton[/name_m].
I don’t necessarily agree that [name_f]Margot[/name_f] isn’t an obvious nickname choice for [name_f]Margaret[/name_f]. While the name can stand on its own, it’s still not a name in and of itself – it’s a nickname, pet name or short form of a longer name. Most of the famous Margots have actually been named [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] or [name_f]Marguerite[/name_f], including [name_f]Margot[/name_f] Fonteyn, [name_f]Margot[/name_f] Kidder and [name_f]Queen[/name_f] [name_f]Margot[/name_f].
But I do like the [name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_f]Cecily[/name_f] or perhaps [name_f]Cecily[/name_f] [name_f]Clara[/name_f] combo… I’ll have to run that by DH. We haven’t really considered any of these as contenders for middle names since we have a separate list for that, but maybe that’s worth reconsidering. Thanks!!