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Original poster

Will Ophelia be perceived as pretentious?

67 replies

RTchoke · 04/11/2012 08:48

I love the name Ophelia but am worried that people will think it's pretentious. DDs 1&2 have much more common names, both only 4 letters, but I want to go more unusual for DC3.

I also love Dora (Dorothea) and Juno.

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herhonesty · 05/11/2012 09:01

a lovely name. not pretentious. pretty. only draw back is likely to be shortened. which is a shame, given its a pretty name.

SomersetONeil · 05/11/2012 01:07

So what about Shakespeare's Ophelia?

That's just one character - not even a real person - with the name. And it's not even the meaning of the name - it's just someone with the name! It's hardly as if your Ophelia will be destined for the same fate?! Grin

Fair enough if someone would choose to avoid it for their own reasons with the Will S connection, but to assume that other people are 'odd' for using it simply because of the connection is taking things a little too literally and a little too far.

Personally, it's not to my taste, but I don't think it's pretentious.

beatricequimby · 04/11/2012 22:44

Oh dear, x-posted with people who have already used the name. If I'd known I would have given this thread a miss.

manicinsomniac · 04/11/2012 22:34

I don't think it's especially pretentious, it's just a long classic name.

There was one in my year at school and I went to a very bog standard comprehensive in the North. Mind you, she was also the only black child in the school and as someone mentioned that Octavia is often used by African families maybe it was more of a cultural thing. The rest of us were certainly all called Emma, Sarah, Laura, Rebecca and Hannah!

Geranium3 · 04/11/2012 22:34

go for it as ophelia is a beautiful name, certainly more interesting than bethany megan!!! Prefer dorothy and how about vivienne or nancy?
Best of luck!

Elkieb · 04/11/2012 22:28

My sister goes by Liv. Or should we call her Olivia all the time? It's not being pretentious. Just affectionate. Fifi is 3, if she prefers ophelia when she is older I'm sure that will be respected. Jeez!

tammytoby · 04/11/2012 21:49

Ophelia is beautiful, classic and underused!

What does 'pretentious' mean? What is one 'pretending' by being called Ophelia Confused?

rachel234 · 04/11/2012 21:30

Love Ophelia. I seem to love 'pretentious' names, whatever they mean Smile.

Frikadellen · 04/11/2012 21:28

love it and I always have we had it as a possible for our dd's

WinkyWinkola · 04/11/2012 21:27

I'm starting to think not many actually know what pretentious means.

WinkyWinkola · 04/11/2012 21:26

I have a friend called Fiona who is also called FiFi by her family and friends.

WinkyWinkola · 04/11/2012 21:25

Demented, what's the point of nicknames then? Family pet names and nicknames evolve from real names. Or isn't that allowed?

LifeIsBetterInFlipFlops · 04/11/2012 21:23

Ophelia is beautiful, I don't like Dora or Juno.

So you can see from the responses that it's a mixture of opinions...so just go with what you like.

I don't see that siblings names should 'go' with each other.

StrawWars · 04/11/2012 21:22

Someone's already noted the "Ophelia tits" potential. To add to that Ophelia Balls is a drag artiste.

LemonBreeland · 04/11/2012 21:16

I think it is a lovely name. Very pretty sounding. I don't care about people thinking names are pretentious either.

I know of one who is known as Phe.

LoveYouForeverMyBaby · 04/11/2012 21:07

I think its a beautiful name, go with ophelia!

forevergreek · 04/11/2012 21:06

I love Ophelia with Thea as a nn

dementedma · 04/11/2012 20:52

Why call her Ophelia if she is going to be known as Fifi? Just call the child Fifi in the first place.
Ophelia is pretentious and hideous IMO

hzgreen · 04/11/2012 20:40

If you love it choose that name and don't let anyone ruin it for you. i have made the mistake of asking too many people's opinion of my favourite names before i realised that you'll never find one that everyone likes.

I think it's a lovely name, not that that really matters.

Elkieb · 04/11/2012 20:39

I know an ophelia, she is lovely and goes by fifi.

beatricequimby · 04/11/2012 20:39

Ophelia would be pretentious where I live. I think it is one of those names that might be hard to carry off as a teenager - fine if she is confident and flamboyant but a bit of millstone if she is shy and not one of the 'beautiful people.'

Like Dora though.

Yika · 04/11/2012 20:34

Well I'm probably a bit pretentious myself :) but I think it's a lovely pretty name!

AlexanderS · 04/11/2012 20:34

I know a baby Ophelia and initially I was a bit Hmm about it as a name but it soon just 'became' her and it's really not that different to the other somewhat frilly names that are popular at the minute - Amelia, Isabella, Olivia etc. Her family call her Fifi for short.

SufferingLampreys · 04/11/2012 20:32

I know someone with one. It's lovely

(Wondering if its winky I know as they use the same nickname)

MaryAstor · 04/11/2012 20:29

Juno is great - really kickarse and take-no-shit.

Dora is nice too.

I like the way Ophelia sounds, and I don't think it's pretentious. No more than Hermione or Cordelia, anyway. I know a few Ophelias and no-one has laughed in their faces yet, to my knowledge.

I am put off by the Hamlet thing though. Pretty bad literary association there, and tbh, that is the first connection most folk make. That said, I know a little Perdita and I got over the whole chased-by-a-bear thing ages ago.

So anyway - Juno.