Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

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:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
MaryMungo · 06/05/2011 17:38

I know you said no "A" endings, but you just can't have a strong historical female names thread without a mention for Hypatia of Alexandria....

weakhorse · 06/05/2011 11:38

chateaurouge i'm not alone in offering a names beginning with or ending in A . interstingly i think you actually offered Astrid .the op only stated she was trying to avoid A names not that they were a definite no.

while they may not be suitable for the op other people reading this post might find them useful .

apologies op if i misread your post , i was concentrating more on strong female characters than the names themselves .

ChateauRouge · 05/05/2011 22:29

weakhorse- the OP wanted to avoid names beginning with A, and names ending with A... sorry Grin

weakhorse · 05/05/2011 21:20

arabella arabella churchill grandaughter of winston and cofounder of the glastonbury festival
or arabella mansfield first female lawyer in the us in 1869 she was also active in the woman's suffrage movement

urbandaisy · 05/05/2011 19:30

Oh, good topic.

Rosalind (Franklin, after the biophysicist)
Eleanor (of Aquitaine, or Roosevelt)
Lilian (Baylis)

issy123 · 05/05/2011 15:41

Victoria love this name not so popular now.

CandiceMariePratt · 05/05/2011 13:58

Joan ( of arc)

NotJustKangaskhan · 05/05/2011 13:56

Salome Alexandra, Queen. Completely turned over the religious systems than her husband had put into place, strengthened her boarders, and was in general a well loved and respected ruler (named my daughter Alexandra Salome after her - my MIL threatened to call her Sally).

Mirabel(la) [depending on the writer], was an independent business woman money lender to King Richard. Also Eva Mirabel, one of the Navajo translators during WW2.

Irena (Sendler). Saved 2500 children by smuggling them outside of the Warsaw ghettos at great risk to her own life.

Zofia (Kossak-Szczucka) Founder of Zegota, writer, protester, and resistance fighter.

OTheHugeManatee · 05/05/2011 13:31

Clytemnestra? Wink

ChateauRouge · 05/05/2011 13:29

Astrid
Beatrix
Caroline
Charlotte
Dorothy
Eleanor
Florence
Hero (if you can abide the MykleeneAss associations)
Mary

weakhorse · 05/05/2011 13:18

esther old testament name stood up to the king ,her husband at considerable risk to her own life in order to save her own people

deborah a judge in the old testament who served israel when no men were willing to lead

2posh · 05/05/2011 11:46

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 Grin.

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

LittleWhiteWolf · 04/05/2011 23:11

Boudicca Wink

youngjoly · 04/05/2011 14:55

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!

Original poster
vvviola · 03/05/2011 22:27

DH is busy vetoing all of the names! Hmm (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)

OP posts:
specialknickers · 03/05/2011 22:03

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.

Emelene · 03/05/2011 21:27

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

bemybebe · 03/05/2011 18:14

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

mathanxiety · 03/05/2011 17:50

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

AberdeenAngusina · 03/05/2011 13:49

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

Original poster
vvviola · 02/05/2011 22:27

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 Hmm

OP posts:
SE13Mummy · 02/05/2011 22:14

Harriet (Tubman)
Hatshepsut
Rosalind (Franklin)

MelinaM · 02/05/2011 21:19

I forgot the lovely CocoGrin

MrClaypole · 02/05/2011 21:18

margaret (thatcher) Smile Smile

Just joking!

MelinaM · 02/05/2011 21:18

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