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Baby names

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

Original poster

Names where one letter makes all the difference.

64 replies

Legionofboom · 27/08/2014 12:12

Prompted by a comment on another thread, I wonder if there are names that you like, but change one letter and you can't stand it?

I love Juliet but I don't like Julie at all.
I love Louisa while Louise does nothing for me.

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momb · 04/09/2014 10:22

Zing: i get that. I hadn't come across it in 'real life' but only through my job. Really put me off. A- means absent, hence Amelia, Acrania, Agnathia etc. Brachy- means shortened, hence brachymelia, brachygnathia etc.

mathanxiety · 01/09/2014 16:49

(at school in Ireland)

mathanxiety · 01/09/2014 16:49

I knew both a Heleena and a Helen-a in school. The Helen-a used a circumflex on the second e just for the heck of it.

Vintagejazz · 01/09/2014 16:44

Re Helena, here in Ireland it's always pronounced Heleena which I hate, but I think Helen-a is really lovely.

ZingOfSeven · 01/09/2014 16:41

I mean the greek medical term.
(gosh I'm tired)

ZingOfSeven · 01/09/2014 16:40

ha! I have only known it as a French name.
so do you reckon the latin meaning was there first math?

mathanxiety · 01/09/2014 16:30

Amelia is a corruption or variant of the Germanic Amalia and also possibly a corruption or variant of the Latin family name Aemilia.

mathanxiety · 01/09/2014 16:25

The original meaning was probably the Greek medical term.

mathanxiety · 01/09/2014 16:25

Sorry, strikeout unintentional there

mathanxiety · 01/09/2014 16:24

To my ear, Amelia sounds as if it's in the same family as amoeba.

A lot of zoological names or medical terms have Greek or Latin origins. In addition, many prefixes and suffixes from Greek or Latin are tacked onto words that are now in the English family. For example ment or anti.

A-melia comes from Greek A meaning without/not and melos meaning limb.

ZingOfSeven · 01/09/2014 15:56

momb

your point does come up on a lot of threads so here's the counter point: Amelia originally means "beloved"

I'd never heard about the other meaning in RL, only here on the baby bane threads.
I presume a lot of people don't have the association you mentioned.
I don't know why Amelia has that meaning you mentioned - as in why it was chosen or who decided on it.
it's a shame I think that an originally perfectly nice name is ruined for many

Vintagejazz · 01/09/2014 14:12

Like Jane, dislike June
Like Harry, dislike Larry
Like Polly, dislike Molly
Like Beth, dislike Bet
Like Helen, dislike Ellen (ok, 2 letter difference, but only 1 in pronunciation)

Twinklestar2 · 31/08/2014 05:26

I find Alice dull but love Alicia

Sara more classy than Sarah

Anna prettier than Anne which is old lady and boring

Agree with PP re Ella v Ellie

mathanxiety · 31/08/2014 05:20

OK/ Prefer:
Laura/ Lara
Jane/ Jayne
Aaron/ Arran - cheating here
Cora/ Nora
Rachael/ Rachel
Julianne/ Julianna
Amelia/ Emilia
Elodie / Melody
Catherine/ Katherine but I really prefer Kathryn
Sophia/ Sofia
Madeline/ Madeleine
Brandon/ Brendan - cheating again here

williaminajetfighter · 30/08/2014 21:06

My DDis Tilda which I love. But with an H it's Hilda -- yuck!!!

EyeoftheStorm · 30/08/2014 21:04

Rory - Roy

Kim82 · 30/08/2014 17:35

Yep, my daughter's name is Leah but I don't like any of the other names that rhyme with it - Mia, Tia, Ria etc.

Also love the name Megan but not Tegan.

mymummademelistentoshitmusic · 30/08/2014 17:30

Dolph and Adolph. Th voluptuous Mr. Lundgren and well, you get the picture.

Medibeagle · 30/08/2014 17:19

Fulk!

momb · 30/08/2014 13:19

I have a background in embryology/developmental toxicology.
Thus I quite like Emilia but don't like Amelia (which means absent limb).

HollyBen · 30/08/2014 13:11

I know these are not a letter different but...

I don't like Florence at all, but love Flora
I really really don't like George or Georgina but love Georgia

Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost · 30/08/2014 12:51

Interesting thread. I also find it quite fascinating that a name can be nice on one person but horrible on another. Some people children do not suit their names at all.

satintaupe · 30/08/2014 10:25

I like Isabelle but don't like Isabella.

telsa · 30/08/2014 10:18

Don't like Anne, like Anna. Hester not Esther. Jane not Jayne. Deborah not Debora. Alice not Alicia.

Gemerama82 · 30/08/2014 09:29

Interesting thread. Seems whether we like a name or not is less about it's sound and meaning and more about the associations we have with it.

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