Moss or Fern?

I’m due to have my first baby in three months, and still fairly undecided on the name!

[name_u]Baby[/name_u] is going to have my surname (similar to [name_m]McDonald[/name_m]), and we don’t know the gender. My husband is relatively relaxed about names, but would like [name_m]William[/name_m] (which happens to be both of our fathers’ name) to honour his side of the family if it’s a boy.

I like short, sweet and strong names. [name_u]Unique[/name_u] but not odd, and nothing overly gendered.

I know they are perhaps a little odd, but I am from [name_m]New[/name_m] Zealand so the names [name_m]Moss[/name_m] and [name_f]Fern[/name_f] (and [name_m]Edmund[/name_m], as in [name_m]Edmund[/name_m] [name_u]Hillary[/name_u]) have a special resonance and remind me of having wilderness adventures with my Dad!

Girls – (m.n. potentially [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] or [name_f]Ruth[/name_f])

[name_f]Tess/name_f

[name_f]Cleo[/name_f]

[name_f]Ada[/name_f]

[name_f]Fern[/name_f]

[name_f]Ida[/name_f]

Boys – (m.n. [name_m]William[/name_m])

[name_u]Kit[/name_u]

[name_m]Moss[/name_m]

[name_m]Edmund[/name_m]

[name_m]Otto[/name_m]

[name_f]Fern[/name_f] [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] and [name_f]Fern[/name_f] [name_f]Ruth[/name_f] sound a little choppy to me. [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] [name_f]Fern[/name_f] would be lovely, but perhaps you don’t prefer [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] as a first name.
[name_f]Ada[/name_f] [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] or [name_f]Tessa[/name_f] [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] would be my choices from your list. Or even [name_f]Ada[/name_f] [name_f]Fern[/name_f] / [name_f]Tessa[/name_f] [name_f]Fern[/name_f].

If you’re set on [name_f]Fern[/name_f] as a first name, what about [name_f]Fern[/name_f] [name_f]Margaretha[/name_f] for a better flow?

And I’m honestly not really a fan of [name_m]Moss[/name_m] [name_m]William[/name_m], or [name_m]Moss[/name_m] as a first name in general. [name_m]Edmund[/name_m] [name_m]William[/name_m] is handsome. And I love [name_u]Kit[/name_u]! [name_u]Kit[/name_u] [name_m]William[/name_m] could work.

You have some lovely choices

[name_f]Tessa[/name_f] [name_f]Margaret[/name_f], [name_f]Cleo[/name_f] [name_f]Ruth[/name_f] and [name_f]Fern[/name_f] [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] are delightful

[name_m]Otto[/name_m] [name_m]William[/name_m] or [name_u]Kit[/name_u] [name_m]William[/name_m] are excellent

[name_u]Toby[/name_u] [name_m]William[/name_m] and [name_f]Una[/name_f] [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] came to mind too

[name_m]Hi[/name_m] there.

Here are my thoughts on your list:

Girls – (m.n. potentially [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] or [name_f]Ruth[/name_f])

[name_f]Tess/name_f-This is lovely. Spunky & smart. [name_f]Tess[/name_f] is so lovable. [name_f]Tessa[/name_f] [name_f]Ruth[/name_f] is darling. And it goes really well w/a ‘[name_m]Mac[/name_m]’ ln.

[name_f]Cleo[/name_f]-This is nice. Spunky, girly w/out being too frilly, &.a little artsy. It’s sweet & simple.

[name_f]Ada[/name_f]-I like this a lot. It’s getting sort of common (well, in the U.S. anyway.). It’s simple, smart, old fashioned & kind sounding.

[name_f]Fern[/name_f]-I like this! It’s super charming. [name_u]Unique[/name_u] yet a common enough word that it’s not too out there.

[name_f]Ida[/name_f]-This seems like a name that I should like, but can’t get into it. It is different & vintage though, which I like. If you ln has a ‘d’, maybe this isn’t the best flow. Same w/[name_f]Ada[/name_f], I suppose.

[name_f]Fern[/name_f] [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] is my favorite from your list, but they’re all really great choices.

Boys – (m.n. [name_m]William[/name_m])

[name_u]Kit[/name_u]-I really like this. It’s kind of rough & tumble yet I can also see it on a businessman.

[name_m]Moss[/name_m]-I don’t care much for this. It’s not awful, but I just don’t personally care for the sound of it.

[name_m]Edmund[/name_m]-This is kind of stuffy & nerdy, but sort of in a cute way. I prefer [name_m]Edgar[/name_m] or [name_m]Edwin[/name_m], but [name_m]Edmund[/name_m] is fun too.

[name_m]Otto[/name_m]-I don’t super love it, but it’s sort of fun & spunky.

[name_f]Hope[/name_f] this helps. :slight_smile:

[name_f]Tessa[/name_f] [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] and [name_f]Tessa[/name_f] [name_f]Ruth[/name_f] are both gorgeous options!
Also love [name_f]Fern[/name_f] [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] and [name_f]Ida[/name_f] [name_f]Ruth[/name_f].

[name_u]Kit[/name_u] [name_m]William[/name_m] is a clear winner to me, absolutely handsome!
[name_m]Edmund[/name_m] [name_m]William[/name_m] feels a bit like a mouthful to me, but it’s a nice option as well.

You could always use three names you you want to fit in [name_f]Fern[/name_f] and [name_m]Moss[/name_m].

[name_f]Tessa[/name_f] [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] [name_f]Fern[/name_f] “[name_f]Tess[/name_f]” has a lovely sound to it! Also [name_f]Ida[/name_f] [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] [name_f]Ruth[/name_f] or [name_f]Cleo[/name_f] [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] [name_f]Ruth[/name_f].

I think [name_m]Moss[/name_m] could work as a first name but I’m not a huge fan. I think it would be better as a middle.
[name_u]Kit[/name_u] [name_m]William[/name_m] [name_m]Moss[/name_m] or [name_m]Otto[/name_m] [name_m]William[/name_m] [name_m]Moss[/name_m] are very handsome!

If you only want two names: [name_f]Fern[/name_f] [name_f]Margaret[/name_f], [name_f]Ida[/name_f] [name_f]Fern[/name_f], [name_f]Ada[/name_f] [name_f]Fern[/name_f], [name_f]Cleo[/name_f] [name_f]Ruth[/name_f], and [name_f]Tessa[/name_f] [name_f]Ruth[/name_f].
You could always name him [name_m]William[/name_m] [name_m]Moss[/name_m] and call him [name_m]Moss[/name_m].

I looove [name_m]Moss[/name_m] [name_m]William[/name_m] and [name_f]Fern[/name_f] [name_f]Margaret[/name_f]! Perfection :slight_smile:

Thank you for your thoughts! x

I think I’m going to have to let go of [name_m]Moss[/name_m]… [name_m]Ah[/name_m] well.