About the name Claudia...and its meaning, does it matter?

[sedgiebaby]

We have this on our shortlist, but I keep discounting it due to the meaning (lame/disabled) do you think this matters.?

Then I come back to it as has an elegant 'sound' and we like Claudie as a nn and suits our requirement of a name which works in both French and English (bi-lingual family)its nice in my view for a little girl and a grown up...

Please advise on your thoughts?

Also feel free to tell me to do some work or I will never get to go on materntiy leave (I'm 37+3 and trying to handover my dept responsibilities and clear my desk but keep getting distracted!)

[Gigantaur]

doesn't seem to have done MS Schiffer any harm has it.

[sedgiebaby]

Well that is true...I just imagine the day dd says,
'mummy what does my name mean?'
how will I put a spin on that one???

[FerminaUrbinoDaza]

I like Claudia nn Claudie, it just depends if it bothers you TBH. I didn't choose my DC's names for their meanings but did check them. Despite loving the name Cecil/Cecily/Cecilla family for names I couldn't live with them meaning 'blind'.

'tis very much a personal thing and I don't think it actually matters.

[FerminaUrbinoDaza]

...Cecilia...

[NiceCuppaT]

No I don't think it does matter and I'm going to name my dd that!

[kiwidreamer]

I dont think the meaning really matters, when I looked up my name it always said 'see Elizabeth' which I thought was rude as my name is nothing like Elizabeth so I thought at the time (now realised its a strange but olden time nn) but it hardly scarred me.

I think its a lovely name.

[MrsBadger]

like it anyway

besides, Rachel means sheep, Deborah means bee, Rebecca means a trap or snare, Bronwen means 'white breast'. You can't really win.

[PestoEatsPastiesandSurfboards]

I love it

[daisyj]

I come from a bilingual French family too, and my aunt is Claudie (no one ever calls her anything else - I don't think my grandparents even remember what it was short for!). I think it's lovely, and both Claudie and Claudia work beautifully for a baby, an older child and an adult, which is always a priority for me in baby name choices (they won't always be babies, after all).

Now go and do some work

[ValiumSingleton]

I don't think it matters that much. If you like it, use it anyway. Amelia means limbless which is worse, and there are plenty of those about.

[daisyj]

Oh, and no, I don't think it matters!

[ValiumSingleton]

ps, Claudia is lovely by the way.

What do you all think of Claudine? I know a lovely one, although I know names ending in 'ine' aren't fashionable right now. How are they perceived in France? Might they be about to come back in to fashion?

[Annabelsmummie]

I think that anyone who has studied Latin will see 'claudus = disabled/lame' when they read Claudia.

Perhaps not everyone is aware of the meaning and/or perhaps it doesn't bother people. It is a very personal decision.

It would bother me, which is a shame as Claudia is a lovely name. Similarly Cecilia is a lovely name with a negative meaning. Perhaps these names would be more popular if they didn't have these meanings?

[ValiumSingleton]

True, but interestingly (imo) Claudia and Claudio are more popular in Spain and Italy where the language is closer to Latin than English is.

I think it's more like the origin of the word than the meaning of it. (NOW)

[MrsBadger]

yes re the origin of the word not it;s meaning

take surnames

no-one meets a Mr Smith and thinks 'ah yes your ancestors made horseshoes'
or a Mrs Cooper and expects to see them rolling barrels around
etc etc

[ValiumSingleton]

Somebody told me my sur name meant maggot trader recently and it was a shock to me. NOT entirely sure they are correct mind you. I have heard various different meanings but never that one before!

[sedgiebaby]

ValiumSingleton I didn't know that about Ameliar, that is interesting, also the point about Spain/Italy thank you. (feel bad about telling you off yesterday now)

AnabelsM - I don't really know how many people are 'latin-aware' my brothers did latin but not me (hmmm didn't get the same investment in MY education, I was the oldest they were poorer! hopfully not because I was the only girl grrrrr) I'll ask my bro's though.

DaisyJ - Thanks for that, I love Claudie too(said Clow-dee by DH, so cute) but think the English side of my family are going to 'fail' at that and say Cloudy!

Thanks for all the feedback, mostly not concerned about the latin meaning, maybe it isn't such an issue...I'm rethinking this...

[ValiumSingleton]

I thought you were only joking when you told me off yesterday!! who'd want to tell little ol' me off?!

I'd worry more about words that sound like the word that is actually used. dykwim? Like..., oh! Bahati - batty. Just trying to see it from a child's pov. (not trying to be mean for the sake of it, honestly).

[sedgiebaby]

ValiumS I was joking really...I'm sorry about the maggot trader thing thing. That can't possibly be true though

[beccagrace2]

we use claudie as a nick name, and claudabell(??) still love it after 6 months and get lots of nice comments about it. It does seem to be on here a bit tho, hope its not the next elsie/izzy

[HarderToKidnap]

Sedgie, please promise you will come back here when your baby is born and tell us what you ended up with.

I LOVE the name Claudia. But a little put off by the meaning.

[batsforlashes]

Hi

I have a Claudia nn Claudie and discounted it pretty early on due to the meaning BUT kept coming back to it as I think it is gorgeous. 3 years later and am so glad we went with it- always gets lovely compliments and in one way the meaning has probably kept it from being too popular which I wanted to avoid.

I have a story for DD as to why we chose the name- not related to its meaning - but another reason and that should satisfy her !

[Surprise]

Well in my baby name book it says the name Brendan means "stinking hair".

I'm sure no one really takes any notice of meanings.

[skyeplusbump]

if it makes you feel ant better,my sister lives in taiwan,and says alot of her daughters freinds are named things their parents DIDNT want them to be like...one of them translates as 'potato head'

[sedgiebaby]

Surprise, that is really funny and I take your point.