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Baby names

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

Original poster

honest opinions needed

42 replies

fanjodisfunction · 18/08/2012 16:07

I am trying for our DC 2, DD1 was stillborn last year, so we have been through a lot. I was pg last summer and unfortunatly also lost that baby to an early miscarriage. But while we were pg, DH suggested the name Odessa for a girl. It means journey, and well we thought it was pretty, strong and had a meaning that didn't completly take over.

So we still love this name but I wanted some honest opinions.

Does it mean anything bad to you, does it bring up any bad connotations? I don't really care if it sounds chavvy or too unsual. I just want to make sure we are not missing anything about the name.

Thanks

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Mama1980 · 19/08/2012 21:04

I'm so sorry for your losses. I don't mind the sound but the SS thing immediately sprung to mind for me there would be no getting away from that sorry.

EdithWeston · 19/08/2012 21:00

I thought of the city. And that it would be be parallel of a Ukrainian family call in their child Liverpool or Felixstowe.

CoteDAzur · 19/08/2012 20:59

Odessa is the name of a place. Odyssey means "journey".

Viviennemary · 19/08/2012 20:47

I'm not quite sure if I like it or not. Great help. Grin I think it would take some getting used to. But I can't say I don't like it.

Lannie33 · 19/08/2012 20:41

Sorry about your losses.
Odessa has no negative connotations for me. The only connection my mind made was it made me think of one of a character in a Ballet...don't even remember which one...possibly the white swan in the Black Swan ballet, not sure, but I think it was a good character not a villain type.
Good luck with everything and go with your gut when it comes to names, in the end the person makes the name, not the other way around.

crackcrackcrak · 18/08/2012 23:58

I love it, and I know all about Eisenstein

HenriettaChicken · 18/08/2012 23:50

I forgot about Odessa in the Color Purple. She's amazing!

SoozleQ · 18/08/2012 23:32

I have a colleague at work called Odessa and whilst I thought it was an unusual name when I first came across her I didn't make any of the associations others have made on this thread. I think in real life people take names more on face value than when considering them theoretically on threads like this.

Original poster
fanjodisfunction · 18/08/2012 22:19

Thanks for the feedback, just really wanted to know what associations people had with the name, what others think of the name or how it sounds doesn't really matter to me. Just wanted to know that we hadn't missed anything about its meaning to the world.

But it is interresting to know that not all of you thought of SS or Potemkin.

I think for us the meaning and the fact that we love the name still out weighs what has come to light on this thread. Who knows when we fall pg again we might have changed our minds, but thanks again.

OP posts:
RubyrooUK · 18/08/2012 22:07

Your baby's name is of course up to you, OP.

Have you thought about Odette? It's the name of the heroine in Swan Lake and doesn't have the SS connotations of Odessa that people have already mentioned. But it sounds very similar.

Or a more common name that sounds similar to Odessa is Vanessa.

Hope everything goes well for you from now.

nearlymumofone · 18/08/2012 21:56

.. and meant to say so sorry to hear about your losses. Best of luck x

nearlymumofone · 18/08/2012 21:56

I think it's a pretty name. I had never heard the name/word before so means nothing to me.

If you like it use it.

RillaBlythe · 18/08/2012 19:10

It just makes me think of the city rather than a female version of odyssey.

Chocaholics · 18/08/2012 18:43

Live? Love!!

Chocaholics · 18/08/2012 18:43

It made me think of the Odessa Files but then I have read the book and live Frederick Forsythe. No one else I know has heard of him let alone read his books. But it is a lovely name and has a meaning to you do I think you should use it and not worry about it

Puremince · 18/08/2012 18:41

I thought Odessa Files immediately, but I didn't know what ODESSA stood for. I think it sounds pretty. Perhaps more of a middle name?

getthecakeready · 18/08/2012 18:24

I am German but didn't know about the nazi connection.

I like the name, but the first thing that comes to my mind is that it is a city in the former Soviet Union.

I am sorry for your losses.

Badgerina · 18/08/2012 18:14

I think of Battleship Potemkin, The Odessa Files and Russian espionage. There are a LOT of lovelier names out there.

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 18/08/2012 18:05

So sorry about your babies.

I immediately thought of Odessa File and am not fond of it as a name, sorry.

IawnCont · 18/08/2012 18:04

The first thing that came to mind was the strong, no-nonsense Odessa from The Colour Purple. And because of her, to me it is a good strong name.
Good luck to you, and I'm sorry about all the sadness you've had x

monsterchild · 18/08/2012 18:01

It is a town in Texas, normally never said on its own, it's always Midland/Odessa. In the heart of oil country.

But it's a nice name, I like it. I thought of Odysseus. And then Ulysses, and then the US civil War, but I'm like that.

perplexedpirate · 18/08/2012 17:58

Yes, Odessa steps and Battleship Potemkin here too.

The films a classic as well, so it's not like it'll be forgotten.

HiHowAreYou · 18/08/2012 17:55

I just thought of the city. I've never heard of the Nazi thing.

It's quite a nice sounding word, and if it has a meaning to you, that's good too. :)

I didn't think the name being a city was a bad thing. I think it's meant to be quite a nice city actually!

EnjoyResponsibly · 18/08/2012 17:28

I immediately thought of the Odessa Files.

It's pretty, but I can imagine it being shortened to Odie, which instantly recalls the dog in Garfield.

LineRunner · 18/08/2012 17:18

I immediately thought of the city in Russia, but didn't think of 'journey' until you mentioned it (and then thought of Odyssey).

The city is a survivor. And a beautiful place. Also the sound of the word is inherently attractive, I think.

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