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Baby names

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

Original poster

What do you think o fSylvia as a girl's name?

53 replies

mosaica · 17/04/2012 10:59

Hi,

I am pregnant with a baby girl and I am considering the name Sylvia for her. I am not British and one of the reasons I like this name is because it also sounds great in my language. But when my husband told our next door neighbour this was the name we had in mind, she bursted out laughing, I think she thought we were joking...

Is this perhaps a hideous name in English? I know how all names have connotations and in my language it sounds lovely. I know it sounds a bit old-fashioned in English, but I thought it was in a good way?

Please be honest, do say it is horrible if that's the case. I don't want my little girl to be picked on at school!

Thanks.

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Lookingforperspective · 17/04/2012 16:40

I like Sylvia and love, love, love Sylvie - somehow seems much softer and feminine.

pluckingupcourage · 17/04/2012 16:34

I like Sylvia: a very lovely, elegant woman called Sylvia once helped me out when I went into labour with DC2: I wasn't due for weeks and I had just pulled up in a motorway service station on my own, in the middle of nowhere. She seemed to have a weird intuition as to what was happening and asked me if I was OK and then dropped everything to help me. So for me the name has angelic qualities.

doctordwt · 17/04/2012 16:33

It's a lovely name, and one of the group which is just coming back into fashion now - think Jean, Maude, Ruby, Pearl. So to someone on their 50s it sounds like a granny name! That's why she will have laughed. If you wanted something a little more unusual without any age connotation, go for Sylvie (I actually prefer that)

GRW · 17/04/2012 16:25

It's lovely, and unusual for a baby. I prefer it to Sylvie.

sonniboo · 17/04/2012 15:20

Sylvia is beautiful. It is a very elegant, beautiful name in German. I don't understand the 'dinner lady' connotation at all...

yellowflowers · 17/04/2012 15:11

love it

lynniep · 17/04/2012 15:08

I like Sylvie, but Sylvia is not bad - it just sounds a bit middle aged to my ears. However I think it could grow on me as a baby name

snapcruncher · 17/04/2012 15:06

i like it. i know a very nice Spanish girl called Sylvia and it reminds me of her. :)

the only other one i know is probably around 50 too.

Pixieonthemoor · 17/04/2012 14:48

I think it's lovely and Sylvie is also fab. I suppose it is a little too recent to be due for a revival yet poss hence the neighbours laughter and the dinner lady comment - I know a couple and they are both in their 50's/60's so not falling into the old lady category yet iykwim.

maples · 17/04/2012 14:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SoFarWeAreEqual · 17/04/2012 14:03

I think Sylvia is a really pretty name. Sylvie is also lovely

louisdog · 17/04/2012 13:29

I think it's really pretty, and nice and unusual as well.

HandMadeTail · 17/04/2012 13:19

I love it, and wish I had used it!

eyeeyeippy · 17/04/2012 13:16

I love this name, and would have it on the shortlist for dc3, but I KNOW my husband wouldn't go for it. The problem you may encounter is that people from our mothers' generation will associate it with old ladies, but I think it is gorgeous and has a lovely meaning too.

night1971 · 17/04/2012 13:09

It's a really pretty name, some might find it a bit "adventurous" but then they choose boring safe names. I have it on my list and have yet to meet a little Sylvia. It looks pretty written down too. Take no notice of your neighbour, ask her what her children are called, you may not like her taste! Lovely name.

minipie · 17/04/2012 12:42

It's lovely, and has no horrid connotations. I can't think why your neighbour would have laughed Confused.

It's a little bit old fashioned but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

Agamumnon · 17/04/2012 12:32

I think it's beautiful and due a revival. It's great in lots of languages.

flipflopper · 17/04/2012 12:29

It is lovely, really pretty, love Sylvie too.
My dh wouldnt consider it though.

BBQJuly · 17/04/2012 12:12

Sylvia is a lovely name :)

squoosh · 17/04/2012 11:47

I love Sylvia. I think it's quite glamorous without being frilly (I hate frilly). It will travel well too, always a positive.

It's a strong beautiful name. Do it! I'd love to meet a little girl called Sylvia.

Original poster
mosaica · 17/04/2012 11:36

Risisphere, why the association? Is it a "dinner lady"-type of name?

OP posts:
Jess850 · 17/04/2012 11:34

I actually really like it :-)

ripsishere · 17/04/2012 11:25

I don't like it, but I have associations of horrible dinner ladies.

MagsAloof · 17/04/2012 11:13

I love it. It is an old fashioned name but I bet it will come back in to fashion, as it is such a lovely name.

I know a few baby girls called Sylvie.

HollyGoHeavily · 17/04/2012 11:03

Sylvie is also a gorgeous name and possible a bit more contemporary (if you are worried about that sort of thing)...

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