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On the name Dora...

52 replies

elderberryspokes · 28/11/2012 23:05

I'm getting ahead of myself here, but just wanted a sounding board really :)

My lovely Grandma died last month, and shortly afterwards I discovered that I was pregnant. Ever since I have been giving serious thought to naming the baby after her if it is a girl, as I would have been pregnant (unknowingly) during the last days I spent with her, which despite being incredibly sad were also wonderful in the sense that the whole family came together in the way we used to at my Gran's house back in the day...

Soppiness over, my Gran's name was Dora.

My husband rejected the name outright as being too old-fashioned. I admit that I would never have considered it before now but I have always thought my Gran had a nice sing-song kind of name (Dora May) and the only other Dora I have come across is Dora the explorer.

Tonight, I was looking up the meaning of the name and it said that it can be used as a short form of Isadora - husband was suddenly very interested!

Apologies for the rambling. I suppose what I'm asking is, do you think Dora is too old fashioned, or Isadora too silly? What do the names make you think of?

x

OP posts:
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Gumby · 28/11/2012 23:07

Isadora is beautiful

Dora reminds me of the explorer, sorry!

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McPhee · 28/11/2012 23:08

A friends Dd, 6 months old is called Dora

It really suits her

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goralka · 28/11/2012 23:10

Dora is lovely, it means 'gift' in Greek, but it does sound a bit dated (or of course Dora the explorer)
Isadora sounds good...

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tiredteddy · 28/11/2012 23:11

Isadora is a beautiful name. I always think of isadora Duncan a famous dancer. She was beautiful and talented. So many ways in which the name and any nicknames could evolve and grow with your child too. Go for it.

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BadRoly · 28/11/2012 23:12

I like both names Grin I know there is the whole Dora the Explorer thing but in the grand scheme of things, that's not a biggy!

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MaMattoo · 28/11/2012 23:13

I like isadora, really like it. Dora means string in Hindi, but also means threads that bind emotionally with feelings of love and passion.
I likes!

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OutragedFromLeeds · 28/11/2012 23:13

For me, Dora makes me think of Dora the Explorer and Isadora makes me sing 'Wizadora we adore her, she's the one who can brighten up our day....etc'.

For you it will remind you of your Gran though and it's a nice sounding name. I prefer Dora to Isadora.

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PuggyMum · 28/11/2012 23:15

I love both Isadora and Dora.

I haven't heard of Isadora, assume pronounced Is-a-dora? Like Isabelle??

Congratulations! I am sure your Gran will be smiling on you and the baby x

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bialystockandbloom · 28/11/2012 23:16

Love both Isadora, and Dora for short. Was top of my list for dd until she was born and we decided on something else. Wish I was having another girl so I could use it! Forget about Dora the Explorer thing, it is so much more classic than that.

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user12785 · 28/11/2012 23:22

Funnily enough I came across a Dora today whose full name was Theodora.

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Ham69 · 28/11/2012 23:23

Love both names. I had them both on my list a few years ago. I believe Bjork's daughter is Isadora (useless piece of information for you!)
I'd definitely go for either. I also don't care about the explorer thing, and you have a really lovely meaning behind the name/s.

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BikeRunSki · 28/11/2012 23:24

Isadora Duncan did die in rather tragic circumstances.

In associate Dora with the explorer girl, but that's no biggy.

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BikeRunSki · 28/11/2012 23:26

Ps I also found out that I was Pg a few days after DJ's grandma died. I asked him if he'd like to name the baby after her if she was a girl. He said "Why would I call a baby Grandma?".

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forevergreek · 28/11/2012 23:27

Isadora
Theodora
Dorothea

All can have Dora as a nickname.

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goralka · 28/11/2012 23:29

Pandora?

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NadiaWadia · 28/11/2012 23:44

Dora is a pretty name. Who cares about the explorer?

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sleepywombat · 29/11/2012 05:11

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

YouCanBe · 29/11/2012 09:58

I think Dora is nice actually, and there are quite a few options of longer names you could give to get it as a nn.
Dora the Explorer seems like a nice girl!!

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MolotovCocktail · 29/11/2012 10:33

I'd go for Isadora, if I were you, as I'm not keen on the 'Dora the Explorer' link. The name is so intrinsically related to the show, and your DD will be from a generation who know this.

And the other thing is that Isadora is a beautiful name :)

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Janeatthebarre · 29/11/2012 17:01

I don't like the name Dora but May is lovely. Would your DH go for that name, which would also be after your grandmother?

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SneezySnatcher · 29/11/2012 19:31

I love Dora and Theodora.

Isadora is beautiful too, but it also makes me think of the kids' show Wizadora.

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KatzGold · 29/11/2012 19:34

I love both names.

The Dora the explorer link isn't a bad one to me, i think she's a great character

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MolotovCocktail · 29/11/2012 20:12

Isadora/We adore her/You're the one who can brighten up our day
So you're an 80s kid then, too, Sneezy? :)

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MrsBucketxx · 29/11/2012 20:15

i was singing the wizadora theme tune too, Grin

dora reminds me of the explorer. sorry

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BandersnatchCummerbund · 29/11/2012 20:20

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