Strong historical female names

[vvviola]

DD is named after an inspirational woman from history.

We're thinking of names at the moment, and were trying to come up with similar strong female names with a historical focus (while staying away from names that are too common)

We're also trying to stay away from names beginning with G, J or A. Or ending in A (just to be difficult)

Any ideas?

[Zaft]

Marie (Curie)
Emmeline (Pankhurst)
Florence (Nightingale)

[AliceWorld]

Sylvia (Pankhurst)
Millicent (Fawcett)

[AliceWorld]

Mary (Wollstonecraft)

[Kittytickle]

Kathryn is a good one V
Also how about Minerva: Minnie for short?

[AliceWorld]

Charlotte (Perkins Gillman)

[2posh]

Matilda (Empress and first female ruler of England, daughter of Henry 1).

Ends with an a so fulfils your brief

[2posh]

ok, oops, no it doesn't, having read your post more carefully, Hmmm...forget that then

[MayDayChild]

Nancy first female MP

[Zaft]

Eleanor (Roosevelt)
Simone (de Beauvoir)

[MrClaypole]

Edith (Wharton)
Rosa (Parks or Luxemberg)
Vita (sackville west)
Maya (angelou)
Nancy (mitford)
Naomi (woolf)
Coco (Chanel)
Eleanor (roosevelt)

[MelinaM]

Catherine (de Medici)

Cleo (..patra)

Eleanor (Aquitaine)

Emmeline (Pankhurst)

Florence (Nightingale) ..although may be too popular!

Harriet (Beecher Stowe)

Helen (Keller)

Marie (Curie)

Phoebe (Apperson Hearst)

Sappho (one of the first published female authors)

Simone (de Beauvoir

[MrClaypole]

margaret (thatcher)

Just joking!

[MelinaM]

I forgot the lovely Coco

[SE13Mummy]

Harriet (Tubman)
Hatshepsut
Rosalind (Franklin)

[vvviola]

Ooh, some interesting suggestions there!

MrClaypole, DH suggested that one (only half joking). I'm Irish, so while I've plenty of respect for her as a woman and as a politician, it wouldn't be my favourite choice (and it would be quite an interesting discussion with my family!)

Thankfully, DH was discouraged with a well placed

[AberdeenAngusina]

Elizabeth; lots of strong Elizabeths, including Elizabeth Fry, Elizabeth I, Elizabeth Barret Browning, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, the fictional but strong Elizabeth Bennet,

[mathanxiety]

Maeve (legendary queen)
Danu (ancient Irish goddess)
Fionnuala (daughter of king Lir)
Niamh
Cliodhna
Iseult/ Isolde

[bemybebe]

I would seriously think of these two:

Aliénor or can be Eleanor (of Aquitaine, 12c) - mother of Richard the Lionheart, one of the most beautiful, powerful and rich women of her time, crusader,an absolutely amazing character

Catherine (the Great) - a German princess, who became the Russian empress, highly educated, decisive and free-spirited woman, admired by her people

[Emelene]

Elizabeth springs to mind straight away...
I also like the others suggested like Eleanor and Katherine. :)

[specialknickers]

Rosalind (Franklin - discovered DNA - and had her discovery knicked by men)

Shortens to Rosa too, so you'd get three rocking good historical references for the price of one.

[vvviola]

DH is busy vetoing all of the names! (Although Charlotte hasn't got a complete veto yet).

I love Elizabeth - it's my middle name and DDs already though, so I'm not sure it would be fair.

Maybe I should just do what I did when DD arrived (early). Decide on a fairly innocuous name, and then 10 minutes later announce that I'd changed my mind and that she should have strong female from history's name instead. Poor DH - fast labour, early arrival - I think he would have agreed to anything! (Although he's glad I did it now, and loves the name, meaning and connections)

[youngjoly]

My DD1 is named after Heloise (and Abelard). She was a strong, independent woman who wouldn't be bullied into doing the 'done thing'. Unfortunately, my DD1 has those traits too.

My DD2 is a Katherine - after another strong woman!

[LittleWhiteWolf]

Boudicca

[2posh]

youngjoly

Heloise was seduced by her much older (by 22 years) predatory private tutor who tricked his way into living in her house and then impregnated her. She was then effectively imprisoned by her family for the rest of her life. Beautiful and clever, as she undoubtedly was, imo she was in fact one of life's victims rather than a "strong woman"?

Um, it's still a lovely name though .

Funny, not many Abelards.......(perhaps nobody wants to name their son after someone who was emasculated)