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Original poster

Vivienne or Vivian

27 replies

Umbrellasandladders · 20/08/2014 20:02

Which spelling so you prefer?

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Original poster
Umbrellasandladders · 24/08/2014 20:54

Thanks guys. Apreciate your thoughts

OP posts:
Castlemilk · 24/08/2014 16:03

Vivien, for reasons already stated above. Very classy.

miffybun73 · 23/08/2014 12:49

Vivien.

Vivian (man's name)

vivienne looks too frilly to me, but that's just personal preference. e.g. I love Isabel, but not keen on Isabelle at all.

KitKatClare · 23/08/2014 12:42

Vivienne is one of my favourite names! DH not keen on it though... Sad

KatherinaMinola · 22/08/2014 21:28

Neither - definitely Vivien (like Vivien Leigh). Vivian is the male version, and Vivienne is just not as classy.

summerberries · 22/08/2014 21:26

I prefer Vivienne too. It looks more feminine.

ralinax294 · 21/08/2014 21:46

Vivienne is much nicer.

Pebbles0934 · 21/08/2014 03:04

Vivienne looks more beautiful!

Sophronia · 20/08/2014 23:32

My favourite is Vivien, this is how my grandmother spells her name.

Linguaphile · 20/08/2014 23:20

I have a Vivienne, chosen because of the whole 'Vivian is male' thing. It is constantly mispronounced as 'Vivi-ENNE' and people often misspell it as well (often Vivien). If I could re-do it, I'd go with Vivien as you'd avoid the pronunciation/spelling issues. Bonus, it's more unusual and less fussy.

UnrelatedToElephants · 20/08/2014 21:46

Vivienne

TheCheeseAlarm · 20/08/2014 21:44

Historically there are fairly equal numbers of famous women and men spelled both Vivian and Vivien, no male Viviennes though. Vivian Leigh was originally a Vivian. The character in the Young Ones was Vyvyan.

I think it is beautiful either way. It is DS2's middle name, after his grandfather, spelled Vivian. I know two little girls who spell it Vivian and one who spells it Vivienne.

Ziggyzoom · 20/08/2014 21:42

My mum is Vivien.

DramaAlpaca · 20/08/2014 21:40

Vivienne or Vivien.

Not Vivian for a girl - as others have said, that's the male version of the name.

I think I prefer Vivienne, but it's a close call. It's a beautiful name.

HaroldLloyd · 20/08/2014 21:37

Vivienne, love it loads.

ginzillas · 20/08/2014 21:36

Vivienne. So beautiful.

senua · 20/08/2014 21:34

The cricketer you are thinking of is Sir Viv Richards. There was also Vivian Stanchall, late of the Bonzo Dog.
Vivian is usually a male name.

itsmecathy · 20/08/2014 21:34

definitely Vivienne

aubreye · 20/08/2014 21:30

Vivienne or Vivien

SpearmintLino · 20/08/2014 21:28

Vivian was male in The Young Ones Wink

VanitasVanitatum · 20/08/2014 21:28

Vivienne. I love it.

AlpacaYourThings · 20/08/2014 21:27

Vivienne by far.

HalfPintPickle · 20/08/2014 20:59

I like Vivienne either with one n or two.m

florascotia · 20/08/2014 20:54

Traditionlly, Vivian is a male name. Also spelled Vyvyan or Vivyan. Very occasionally used as a surname for both genders.

Vivien - as in actress Vivien Leigh -is the English female version; Vivienne the French version, widely used in the UK for girls since at least the 1950s,if not before.

springlamb · 20/08/2014 20:12

I thought Vivian was the male version. Wasn't there a West Indian cricketer with the name, and I was at school with a male Vivian.

I suppose you could end it with 'anne' but then I prefer the softer 'enne' anyway. Sort of French sounding.