Minerva

[mrscatmad31]

I absolutely love this name before I realised it was in harry potter (I'm not a fan!) does it remind people of Harry potter or the goddess?
not sure if we are having a boy or girl yet but this is still my favourite girl name so far

[Peppaismyhomegirl]

I loved it. Minnie for short. Everyone else in the world hated it and I had a boy.
5 years later and I'm so glad I didn't have a girl called Minerva. One of those better left to fiction I think. I think I loved the idea more than actually really calling a child Minerva

[TheoriginalLEM]

Im sorry but when i saw the thread title i thought it was about a contraceptive pill

[Mrsmorton]

It's a big supplier/manufacturer of dental equipment. May even be a goddess of teeth from some mythology.

It's a nice name but possibly a bit too much for most people...

[WoweeZowee]

Have to say McGonagle / Harry Potter was my first thought - sorry! But it's kind of a cool name

[AuntieStella]

Minerva is the Roman goddess of wisdom (counterpart of the Greek Athena), which I think is why is was used for the wise, competent HP teacher.

I like it, but think it'll only work if you're in fairly erudite circles.

[Steph1502]

I'm so so sorry but when I read it I had to double take as I thought it said mirena (as in the contraceptive coil) I hate writing negatives on these things but that was genuinely my first thought. Sorry x

[TheoriginalLEM]

steph i googled it and there is actually a pill called minerva. i think i may have taken it years ago. Shame because its a lovely nwme actually

[Steph1502]

Now I think of it I think I may have took Minerva many moons ago too... Before having DC. x

[girliefriend]

I think Minerva is a brand name of contraception, Minnie means vagina around here!!

[vitaminC]

It's also another name for a neck brace/surgical collar

I think you can do much better, OP...

[Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost]

Sorry I hate to piss on your parade but it sounds like a contraceptive pill or anti biotic, really don't like it but it's your baby

[WindMeUpAndLetMeGo]

Sorry, I thought "coil" too.

[Babayaggatheboneylegged]

How about Microgynon or Cileste instead?!

[Sophronia]

I do like it, it reminds me of the goddess.

[TheFillyjonk]

I thought of the Roman goddess, if that helps!

It seems a little bit pretentious though.

[mrscatmad31]

I didn't actually ask for opinions on the name itself btw...
yeah would be Minnie for short, this is the tamer of my choices to be honest!

[CPtart]

Minerva is the name of a large health centre in our city.

[silveroldie2]

Neither, it reminds me of the contraceptive pill.

[TheoriginalLEM]

You asked what it reminded people of, it reminded me of neither harry potter or greek goddesses as it seems to been hijacked by commercial companies.

Tame is good, please don't saddle your DD with an "out there" name, she wont thank you for it

[SylvaniansAtEase]

I know two, one a teenager one a toddler.

I think it's lovely. Older one is Minnie or Min, younger is generally shortened to Mimi.

Minnie is slang for girls' genitalia in lots of areas, but I've never known either have that reference made- certainly the teenager has never had that as an issue. I think in practice it's like a boy being called Will - not a problem.

I suppose it might depend whether you move in Roman goddess circles or health centre/contraceptive pill circles!

[mrspremise]

No. Just no.

[reuset]

As an adult I think of classical reference first rather than Harry Potter. I can't imagine it suiting or fitting in most average families in the UK though. There;s also the problem with the most natural and likely shortening of Minnie, as somebody has already pointed out.

[reuset]

'Will ' isn't derogatory alone.

[scarlettsmummy2]

Made me immediately think of contraception. Sorry.

[Becles]

I thought of the goddess in the first instance. Love the name.