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Baby names

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Original poster

Strong historical female names

61 replies

vvviola · 02/05/2011 20:52

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?

OP posts:
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SurfsUp1 · 25/11/2014 01:05

Jane Digby was pretty amazing, but Jane is a bit meh really.

Canyouforgiveher · 25/11/2014 00:32

If you are Irish why not Constance after Constance Gore-Booth the first woman elected to the British parliament. She was also the woman (with her sister Eva) referenced in yeats' poem

"Two girls in silk kimonos, both

Beautiful, one a gazelle."

LionsTeeth · 25/11/2014 00:03

Anna? As in Comnena; historiographer, physician, daughter of Byzantine emperor Alexius, and also apparently an expert on gout Grin

acharmofgoldfinches · 24/11/2014 09:30

Clementine (Churchill)

LaceyLee · 23/11/2014 23:57

Jane (Austen)
Amy (Johnson)
Beatrix (potter)
Frida (kahlo)

thecaroline · 23/11/2014 23:55

I'm going to do a literary/feminist list.
Charlotte, Emily, or Anne (Bronte) (or Emily Dickinson)
Virginia (Woolf)
Gertrude (Stein) (should this be revived?)
Hannah (Arendt)
Jane (Austen)
Rebecca (West)
Agatha (Christie)
Louisa (May Alcott)
Susan (B. Anthony) (this names NEEDS to be revived)
Emma (Goldman)
Anna and or Julia (Cooper)
Elizabeth (Cady Stanton)
Betty (Friedan)

avocadotoast · 23/11/2014 23:21

It's a shame you're avoiding A names, because Ada Lovelace was a total badass. Lovely name Smile

BillMilkshakespeare1 · 23/11/2014 22:38

With my two DDs I have a Shakespearean name and an historical name which considering both DH and I are both history nerds is unsurprising, but they did also have familial significance as well. Eldest is Elizabeth Mary (ironic) and the youngest is Helena Jane.

Original poster
vvviola · 10/05/2011 09:43

PilgrimSoul & Maybeitsbecause I love the name Grace (having admitted that DHs family would be completely stumped by Grainne), but DH is having none of it. It's a great name and a great story "I was named after a famous Irish pirate".

scribbles 'Grace' down on list anyway in casee DH changes his mind!

Zoe is a great name too - but seeing as my dog was called that, I don't think it would work. Grin (It's bad enough that my friend's daughter has the same name as my parents dog!)

OP posts:
Maybeitsbecause · 09/05/2011 20:47

Oh, forgot about Grace O'Malley (or Grainne!). Constance Markeviez was the Rebel Countess or something, wasnt she? Fabulous name.

Valentina (Tereshkova - first woman in space)

MercurySoccer · 09/05/2011 17:22

Delia - Delia Haskett Rawson - the first (and possibly the only) woman to carry the U.S. Mail as a stagecoach driver!

zozzle · 09/05/2011 17:08

Zoe - after some v. ancient Zoes (greek name meaning "life")

Zoe of Rome (died ca. 286) martyred saint
Zoe Karbonopsina (died ca. 920), Byzantine empress
Zoe Porphyrogenita (ca. 978 ? 1050), Byzantine empress
Zoe Palaiologina (ca. 1455 - 1503), wife of Tsar Ivan III of Russia

Don't know much about their characters, although I'd imagine the saint was of good virtue!!

Love all the biblical O.T. names: Ruth, Leah, Naomi etc.

NightLark · 09/05/2011 15:46

Rosa (Parks)?

PilgrimSoul · 08/05/2011 16:56

Some Irish names

Maud (gonne)
Grace (o'malley)
Constance (markeviez)
Sarah (curran)

GrendelsMum · 07/05/2011 01:22

Harriet, as in Harriet Beecher Stowe, the little woman who started the great war?
Gertrude, as in Gertrude Stein?
Marlene, as in Marlene Dietrich?

Italiangreyhound · 07/05/2011 00:52

Personally I like Emmeline, you could shorten to Emma if you wished.

www.handbag.com/celebrity/events/movies/inspiring-women-through-history-67004

Love Coco,

Have a look at www.biographyonline.net/people/women-who-changed-world.html

TruthSweet · 06/05/2011 23:04

May I submit DD1's name?

Lilith

I know a lot of people associate Lilith with a demon/succubus but in Jewish mythology she was the first female, and the first feminist too as she refused to submit to Adam (who she was created from the dust with as an equal) so was cast out of Eden with her children. She was one of the Suffragettes 'mascots' and is the name of a feminist festival in the US (Lilith Fair).

Original poster
vvviola · 06/05/2011 22:20

I'm really loving this thread! Some great names - and we've had some great fun reading up on some of the people who I didn't quite recognise.

Top of the list so far are Charlotte and Celine (the Celine is coming from Odette Hallows, whose middle name was Celine - and has the kind of historical story that appeals to the military history nerd in both DH & I!)

Ending in 'a' isn't such a bad thing - but as DDs begins and ends with A, we're just trying to avoid having too similar names....

Thanks again everyone! Looking forward to seeing if there are any more suggestions.

OP posts:
freesias · 06/05/2011 20:57

names not ending in a are hard to find
how about
octavie as a nod to octavia hill the social reformer

freesias · 06/05/2011 18:48

cornelia (corrie) ten boom

blondepinhead · 06/05/2011 18:16

(admittedly a little obscure, and most likely people will annoy you by asking if she's named after that actress from Lost).

blondepinhead · 06/05/2011 18:15

Evangeline (Cory Booth)? First female general of the Salvation Army.

Saltire · 06/05/2011 17:56

Florence?

Saltire · 06/05/2011 17:54

Odette. After Odette Sansom hallowes

here

Maybeitsbecause · 06/05/2011 17:48

Aphra (Benn)
Clementina (Black)
Mary (Wollstonecroft)
Sojourner (Truth)
Abigail (Adams - 18th century feminist thinker)
Alice (Paul - suffragette)

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