Astrid? My chum thinks it's chavvy.

[minouminou]

admittedly, he's in the minority (of one, as it happens), but he's being a bit strident about it.
Would have been DS' name, and now is back on the table.
It's the only girl's name i really like, apart from evangeline, but don't like the Evie-shortening.
Opinions welcome.

[minouminou]

oh yeah, and "chavvy" is his description
i'm switzerland

[CaptainKarvol]

I love it. I really do.

[ten10]

I like it but....

it also make me think of burly Scandinavian masseurs

[minouminou]

Oooh, do ya now?
OK, that's one in my camp!

[expatinscotland]

My ex h's SIL is an Astrid.

She's from northern Germany.

[minouminou]

snigger, ten10
nowt wrong with a bit of burly scandinavian, ya know......

[Twinkie1]

SOunds harsh - not a girly name and not feminine strength just harsh!

[Laugs]

I like it. It makes me think of Astrid Lingren, creator of Pippi Longstocking, probably the coolest female character in children's literature.

[CuckooClockWorkOrange]

I mean this kindly, but when I was about 17 I had a list of my favourite names, and Astrid was on it!

It's quite a strong name imo. Strong rather than pretty. But if you're in a german speaking area of Switzerland, I would have thought it would have worked well there.

BUT perhaps your friend has local knowledge? A Spanish girl said to me that she loved the name Brenda, and the way she said it, it was really pretty, but I talked her out of it by telling her that it wouldn't work here, even if it sounded interesting in Spain.

Hth

[MARGOsBeenPlayingWithMyNooNoo]

Ah, I was going to say it sounds German not chavtastic but you've beaten me to it.

[schneebly]

cool name not 'chavvy' in the slightest

[minouminou]

no, no, ccko...we're not in switzerland, sorry, when i said "i'm switzerland", i meant i was neutral about the chav issue

[Twinkie1]

Brenda LOL

[minouminou]

I can't see why he finds it so, but he's very eccentric at times

[Twinkie1]

Or Senorita Brenda ha ha ha ha!

[minouminou]

brenda...oh dear

[katiepotatie]

It's a lovely name, not chav at all

[minouminou]

i think it's a done deal, really
i can see why some find it harsh, as it's quite an abrupt-sounding word, but to me it evokes pippi laangstrump and astrid gilberto, who sang girl from ipanema

[3andnomore]

Well...it's not a name I ever liked, tbh....even though I used to love Astrid Lindgrens Books....never made me like the name better....
however, chavvy it isn't.....it really winds me up when people play the chavvy card for any name that isn't a name from their own origines, etc....totally ignorant, imo.

[minouminou]

oh, this chum, he's fab, but doesn't half get some odd bees in his bonnet

[wessexgirl]

I know a lovely 6 y.o. Astrid - not chavvy at all.

[minouminou]

well, oddly enough, he absolutely loved DS' name straight off, even though most everyone else was about it, so ya just never can tell

[Tigerschick]

Makes me think of Astrud Gilberto (yes I know it's spelt slightly differently) and there isn't anything remotely chavvy about her!