Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

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

Original poster

Athena, Adelaide or Xanthe?

36 replies

Disastronaut · 26/10/2013 19:44

These are our final short list for newborn DD1. Do people think Xanthe is a bit pretentious/Islington-y? Is Athena always going to be a poster shop?

She'll have a double-barrelled surname, half of which is 'foreign'.

Honest opinions welcome! Ta.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
JacqueslePeacock · 31/10/2013 12:59

Xanthe is lovely.

Spaghettinetti · 31/10/2013 12:59

Oooo just realised you've already decided! Pregnancy brain... D'oh! Good choice and congratulations! X

Spaghettinetti · 31/10/2013 12:57

Hi there!

I really don't like Adelaide, but Athena and Xanthe are both lovely names.

I particularly like Xanthe and if the foreign bit of your surname's Greek, I think it'll work particularly well.

I quite like Athena as a name, but you're right....in the UK, we tend to think goddess wearing a sheet or poster shop...

JimmyCorpseHell · 29/10/2013 08:43

I have helped you out OP and counted up the responses Grin. I took everyone's favourite choice even if they liked more than one. Here it is
Xanthe 14
Adelaide 8
Athena 6
So Xanthe wins, woo hoo!

smithwillsam · 29/10/2013 07:35

I am gonna go with Xanthe... However I personally prefer the Greek version, ' Golden Yellow '. But either way, it's still a good name.

EldritchCleavage · 28/10/2013 11:51

Love Xanthe, like Athene, not keen on Adelaide.

Have you thought of Zita, as well?

TenthMuse · 28/10/2013 11:46

Xanthe is beautiful and would be my top choice. Athena's lovely too, but would be seen as very Greek where I live, as there's a large Greek community here and it's used fairly frequently. Adelaide sounds a bit clunky and unwieldy to me (although Addie is cute).

AtiaoftheJulii · 28/10/2013 10:48

Love Adelaide, has always been one of my favourites. Love the shortening Addie. Xanthe is another favourite, very nice. I would have used these two happily but dh didn't want them.

I like Athena, and would think it was nice on another child, but I wouldn't have used it.

Looks like there's quite a spread of opinions on this thread!

Alisvolatpropiis · 28/10/2013 10:44

Athena is the only one I like. I don't see Xanthe as being terribly usable and Adelaide doesn't sound particularly nice.

I know an Athena,late 20's.

ReturnPlacenta · 28/10/2013 09:05

Xanthe for me. Adelaide feels neither sophisticated, cool or beautiful, it's a bit brassy I think. Maybe Guys & Dolls is to blame for that. Grin

lljkk · 28/10/2013 09:01

Athena is the only one I can stomach.

Fantail · 28/10/2013 08:41

Xanthe is very high up on list should any future child be a girl. Love Athena too.

Adelaide is pretty, but as a New Zealander the Australian connection would get me. I like Adele or Adela though.

curiousgeorgie · 27/10/2013 23:40

I love Athena, it was on my short list for DD2..

Would have used Athie as a nickname Smile

Can never have it though even if I have a DD3 one day as it rhymes with the name we did choose!

Allalonenow · 27/10/2013 13:02

I like Adelaide best from your list, I feel people will think of the royal connection rather than the Australian city.

aoife24 · 27/10/2013 12:54

I think I prefer Xanthe. As others have said, the name Adelaide pre-dates the city. The city was named in honour of Princess Adelaide, Queen Consort of William IV.

LondonNightmareInGhostlyBoots · 27/10/2013 12:45

Xanthe, its awesome! Way high up my list. I really like Athena too - I perfer Athene bit I'm very unkeen on -a names in general. Never heard of a card shop - would people really think of a card shop before the greek warrior goddess of wisdom?Hmm

Adelaide is fine, nothing wrong with it, but the other two are much better imo.

CordeliaRose · 27/10/2013 12:04

I love the name Xanthe - to me is beautiful, unusual but not 'way out'!

saintmerryweather · 27/10/2013 08:53

why does it matter if people think of australia when they hear the name? adelaide is beautiful

night1971 · 27/10/2013 08:50

I know of a few Athenas and it is one of my favourite names!

Also know an Adelaide known as Addie. Never once thought about Australia!

Xanthe is very pretty too.

MiniTheMinx · 26/10/2013 22:04

I used to know an Adelaide, I do actually like it and it can be shortened to Ada (ayda) which is quite nice. But how many people will just instantly think Australia?

Joycey29 · 26/10/2013 21:28

Love them all! Adelaide is family name - shortened to A-dee!
Off the three I d go Xanthe! But as an Anthea I have been Anthe all my life so love the similarity!

Frontdoorstep · 26/10/2013 20:56

Even though Adelaide is an ok name, I think most people will instantly think she was called after the Australian city.

They'll all ok as names I guess but not my cup of tea.

hoppinghare · 26/10/2013 20:51

Adelaide is really nice. I. don't like the other two.

TravelinColour · 26/10/2013 20:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Coupon · 26/10/2013 20:48

Adelaide = Australia
Athena = greetings cards

Xanthe is a lovely name, pretty and unusual.