I’m back again for advice on our current favorite name: [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] [name_f]Jane[/name_f].
[name_u]Baby[/name_u] Girl #2 is due in [name_u]August[/name_u] and will be the little sister to [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] ([name_f]Tillie[/name_f]) [name_f]May[/name_f]. My husband and I are both loving [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] ([name_f]Maisie[/name_f]) [name_f]Jane[/name_f] (family name) for our newest family member for many reasons. I think [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] is classically beautiful, easy to recognize and spell but not too popular. It has magnificent nickname options, which we love ([name_f]Maisie[/name_f], [name_f]Margot[/name_f], [name_f]Midge[/name_f], [name_f]Maggie[/name_f], etc.). It has so much going for it, but I find myself having second thoughts…
You see, I simply [name_u]LOVE[/name_u] my first daughter’s name, [name_f]Matilda[/name_f]. I love the long version and I love all the nicknames we use. She gets TONS of compliments on her name and I feel that it is very memorable. My name is [name_u]Casey[/name_u], which is a fairly ordinary, 80’s-ish name. I don’t dislike my name, but I have never been complimented on it, nor do I feel that it is very memorable. So although I don’t necessarily need others to love my child’s name, I would like something beautiful and memorable. Does [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] have the same “wow factor” as [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] - or does it pale in comparison?
Another thing that I’m trying to keep in mind is that while I [name_f]DO[/name_f] think it’s important for sibling names to go well together, they will not always be used together as frequently as when they are little girls. Once they grow up and get older, it will matter less and less that their individual names go well together, ya know?
Our second favorite name, which we both love an awful lot, is [name_f]Imogen[/name_f] ([name_f]Immy[/name_f]). This one is definitely more unique and less popular - but is it still beautiful? Does it go as well with [name_f]Matilda[/name_f]?
[name_f]Do[/name_f] you know of any other names that are classic yet quirky and have great nickname options?
Thanks for your input Berries - I know you’ll have lots of good suggestions! You always do!
I do think [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] [name_f]Jane[/name_f] is a little bit washed out compared to [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] [name_f]May[/name_f] but it’s still lovely, maybe a different middle name would jazz it up.
If you’d like to stick to M’s maybe
Magdelena ([name_f]Maggie[/name_f], [name_f]Lena[/name_f], [name_f]Della[/name_f])
[name_f]Madelief[/name_f] ([name_f]Maddie[/name_f])
[name_f]Madeleine[/name_f] (Also [name_f]Maddie[/name_f])
I think the name [name_f]Adelaide[/name_f] would work, she could be called [name_f]Addy[/name_f], [name_f]Ada[/name_f], Lady, [name_f]Delia[/name_f], [name_f]Della[/name_f], [name_f]Daisy[/name_f] etc. The name [name_f]Thessaly[/name_f] came to mind as well, particularly with [name_f]Tessa[/name_f] in your sig.
I agree with you about [name_f]Margaret[/name_f]'s wonderful nicknames - [name_f]Margaret[/name_f], [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f], and [name_f]Mary[/name_f] are nickname powerhouses! And, like you, I adore the nickname [name_f]Maisie[/name_f].
Although both are old (and royal) names, [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] has a more vintage vibe while [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] is a constant classic. [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] probably gets complimented on her name because people haven’t heard it a lot, for many people [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] may be distinctive/fresh/unusual/new. So [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] might not get that, although she might get people saying how lovely to hear [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] on a young girl, what a wonderful classic. And she might get the pretty comments more with her nickname, [name_f]Maisie[/name_f].
I think [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] and [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] ([name_f]Tilly[/name_f] and [name_f]Maisie[/name_f]) are a great sibset!
[name_f]Maisie[/name_f] [name_f]Jane[/name_f] is so cute! I do think though that [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] is a bit more standard “old fashioned”, where [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] has become trendy and cute. The names do sound fine together though, so I think it really comes down to your personal opinion. I think [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] goes nicer with [name_f]Matilda[/name_f], than [name_f]Imogen[/name_f] does.
Yes, [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] [name_f]Jane[/name_f] is very plain. Pretty, but rather plain. [name_f]Jane[/name_f] is a family name, which is in part why we like it. Other options we have considered are [name_u]Eloise[/name_u] or [name_f]Louise[/name_f], to honor Grandmothers on both sides named [name_f]Lois[/name_f]. I like the way [name_f]Maisie[/name_f] [name_u]Lou[/name_u] sounds!
Yes - I’m really stuck on [name_f]Maisie[/name_f] as a nickname. And I know some people think it’s silly to use a longer (or more formal) name when you really just like the nickname, but like [name_f]Tillie[/name_f], I think [name_f]Maisie[/name_f] sounds very young and she may not always want to use that.
I agree with you about the vintage-y feel of [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] vs. the classic feel of [name_f]Margaret[/name_f]. Same genre but just a little different. But I recently met a young girl (about 6) at the park whose name was [name_f]Marjorie[/name_f] and I had the reaction that you mentioned: “Wow, how lovely to hear that name on such a young girl!” And that made it memorable to me, even though I wouldn’t necessarily have thought [name_f]Marjorie[/name_f] was a “beautiful” name initially.
What are your thoughts about [name_f]Margot[/name_f] [name_f]Jane[/name_f] as the full name. I realize [name_f]Margot[/name_f] is still technically a nickname for [name_f]Margaret[/name_f], so using [name_f]Maisie[/name_f] would be like using a nickname for a nickname. Would that be weird? I really like [name_f]Margot[/name_f] as a stand along name. Thoughts?
I know! [name_f]Maisie[/name_f] [name_f]Jane[/name_f] is just so adorable that I’m having a hard time seeing the bigger picture! I know that she won’t always be a little girl and it does have a very young feel to me, which is why I’d like something more substantial to fall back on. I also really like the name [name_f]Margot[/name_f] as a stand alone name (though I know technically a nickname). What do you think of [name_f]Margo[/name_f] [name_f]Jane[/name_f]?
I keep coming back to [name_f]Imogen[/name_f] because I have loved it for so very long and it truly is unique - at least in my area. I personally think it is beautiful, but I know others might find it a bit strange. I like the nickname [name_f]Immy[/name_f], and I know that is what I would end up calling her a lot (because I tend to shorten every name!) I don’t love it as much as [name_f]Maisie[/name_f], but it is still cute.
I don’t know why naming the second is so much harder than naming my first was!
I have to agree with PP that [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] is a less common name and so may feel fresh to other people, which is why she gets many compliments. [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] is a classic that most people have heard so it may not seem as new and fresh to them. It is, however, less common for babies so she may get complimented on that.
I think [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] is a lovely name and [name_f]Maisie[/name_f] is a sweet nickname. [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] [name_f]Jane[/name_f] is a very classic name that I find beautiful. It goes nicely with sister [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] [name_f]May[/name_f] too. I’ve never been a huge fan of [name_f]Imogen[/name_f], but it also fits with [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] very well. My one thought with [name_f]Imogen[/name_f] is that if you’re set on using [name_f]Jane[/name_f] as a middle, it doesn’t sound nearly as pretty as [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] [name_f]Jane[/name_f].
If you want other suggestions [name_f]Dorothy[/name_f]/[name_f]Dorothea[/name_f] has many lovely nicknames and is a bit more unique than [name_f]Margaret[/name_f]. This may be too clunky for you, but I love the name [name_f]Winifred[/name_f] with [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] and you could use both [name_f]Winnie[/name_f] and [name_u]Freddy[/name_u] as nicknames.
[name_f]Margaret[/name_f] [name_f]Jane[/name_f] is classic and beautiful and it gives me the same vibe as [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] [name_f]May[/name_f]. [name_f]Maisie[/name_f] is a wonderful nickname, as much as [name_f]Tilly[/name_f] is. I do think both names are equally stunning, and I don’t feel [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] less memorable than [name_f]Matilda[/name_f]. [name_m]How[/name_m] many Matildas and Margarets do you know under 10 years? In 2016, [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] was #392 in the US and [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] was #353, so they both are equally “unique”.
While I absolutely adore [name_f]Maisie[/name_f] and think it goes beautifully with [name_f]Tillie[/name_f], I think [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] seems a bit pale next to [name_f]Matilda[/name_f]. I adore [name_f]Imogen[/name_f] and think it goes perfectly with [name_f]Matilda[/name_f]. If you love [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] you should do it however, as there is nothing wrong with it, and [name_f]Maisie[/name_f] is a winner.
[name_f]Margaret[/name_f] [name_f]Jane[/name_f], in my opinion, is very bland. I agree that [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] has some amazing nicknames, but [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] itself seems boring to me. Its uncommon for babies and children now, but I still couldn’t count the number of women I know called [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] on both hands, and I think its really taken anything interesting away from it. It doesn’t help that I find [name_f]Jane[/name_f] a bit plain also.
I much prefer [name_f]Imogen[/name_f]. It feels vintage like [name_f]Matilda[/name_f], whilst still being familiar, but doesn’t go that well with [name_f]Jane[/name_f].
My suggestion would be [name_f]Margo[/name_f]/[name_f]Margot[/name_f]. They’re both perfectly usable standalone names, without feeling bland like [name_f]Margaret[/name_f], go well with [name_f]Jane[/name_f], and because they are related to [name_f]Margaret[/name_f], you could still call her [name_f]Maisie[/name_f].
I love [name_f]Maisie[/name_f], but agree that [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] will not get the same enthusiasm from others as [name_f]Matilda[/name_f]. I think [name_f]Imogen[/name_f] is a great pick though. It has some of the same funky vibe as [name_f]Matilda[/name_f]. I also love [name_f]Winifred[/name_f] from a pp.
[name_f]Margaret[/name_f] [name_f]Jane[/name_f] is beautiful! And I adore nn [name_f]Maisie[/name_f]. [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] is not as common as it used to be, so I don’t think it’s less memorable than [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] at all. Plus, they make great sister names
You are very right, [name_f]Imogen[/name_f] [name_f]Jane[/name_f] absolutely does NOT flow. I was thinking [name_f]Imogen[/name_f] [name_f]Alice[/name_f] or [name_f]Imogen[/name_f] [name_f]Iris[/name_f] if we went with that name. It’s just so quirky to me and there’s just something that really grabs my attention with [name_f]Imogen[/name_f]. Still very much under consideration.
[name_f]Dorothy[/name_f] is a lovely name, though I know quite a few in my circle (both children and adults). I think [name_f]Dot[/name_f] and [name_f]Dottie[/name_f] are just adorable thought - and none of my friends use these nick names- shame! [name_f]Winifred[/name_f] is not quite my style, but still a very sweet name. Thank you for the suggestions!
[name_f]Matilda[/name_f] [name_f]May[/name_f] and [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] [name_f]Jane[/name_f] make sense to me - so sweet! Plus, [name_f]Tillie[/name_f] and [name_f]Maisie[/name_f] are great nicknames.
The first name that came to my mind when reading this was [name_f]Magnolia[/name_f]. I think [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] and [name_f]Magnolia[/name_f] make a really cute sibset and to me, they have very similar feels. [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] is a little more classic and familiar compared to [name_f]Matilda[/name_f], which is familiar, yet has a fresher twist ([name_f]IMO[/name_f]). I think [name_f]Magnolia[/name_f] has the same vibe: familiar, but with a twist. [name_f]Magnolia[/name_f] [name_f]Jane[/name_f] works so well!
Oh wow - I didn’t know [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] had moved up so much in the charts! In 2014 (when she was born) it was #650 or so (according to nameberry). I’m not overly concerned with popularity (those I typically don’t go for names in the top 100), it’s nice to know [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] and [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] are in the same popularity ballpark.
I do not know any children under 10 named [name_f]Margaret[/name_f], and actually very few adults. The adults I know go by [name_f]Peggy[/name_f] (of all the nicknames for [name_f]Margaret[/name_f], I don’t know why this one was so popular back in the day)! So that’s a good point!
I love [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] and [name_f]Jane[/name_f] is one of my all time favorite middles. I think your nickname choices are excellent and, as an adult, if she wants an “important” name, [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] is perfect. To me, it’s just as wonderful as [name_f]Matilda[/name_f].
