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Baby names

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

Original poster

Think we need to make a final decision today

37 replies

Fairypants · 01/09/2014 04:59

So we're down to 3 names for dd3 and will want to make a decision once she is born- and I'm contracting so that's likely to be today!
We already have an Elizabeth (Beth) and a Phoebe and her middle name will be Teresa.
What are your thoughts on this short list...

Athena (Thea)
Persephone (Persy)
Philippa (Phil / Pippa)

We have considered the issue of having 2 dds with the same initials but as there is a v large age gap, we don't feel this is likely to cause too much of an issue.

Any thoughts on these?

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LadyintheRadiator · 03/09/2014 11:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

minniemaus · 03/09/2014 09:13

Please look up the meaning of Pippa in Swedish or Italian before considering it. Not a good association !

Theonlyoneiknow · 03/09/2014 08:49

Why not just Pippa, great on its own!

zazie7 · 02/09/2014 22:56

Athena would be my choice. I think it's beautiful and well-known enough that I don't think you need Greek heritage to use it. No different really from other mythology names. I find Thea a bit awkward as a nickname for it though and if you are aiming for Thea would just go with that or a name that would give you Thea more organically eg Theodora.

I find Persephone a bit heavy and I think you would find people who would struggle with the pronunciation. And I think Persy is a really ugly nickname, sorry.

Philippa is nice but even with a large age gap I would want to avoid two daughters with the same initial. Especially quite an unusual initial like P. If you did go with it I think Pippa is a better nickname than Phil as at least then the starting sound are different.

minniemaus · 02/09/2014 22:39

Athena is beautiful.

DonkeysDontRideBicycles · 02/09/2014 18:40

I'd go for Athena or Thea.

Throwing in Jennifer as a wild card, meaning "the fair one".

Original poster
Fairypants · 02/09/2014 17:57

Close - it's bringer of spring Grin

OP posts:
squoosh · 02/09/2014 17:49

Doesn't Persephone mean 'bringer of doom' or something?

Jolly.

Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost · 02/09/2014 17:47

Anthea. What does Persephone mean.

ElephantsNeverForgive · 02/09/2014 09:26

I think at 11 I'd have just told DD2 it means something rude in another language. (She or big sister would then have googled exactly what it meant, but we would both have avoided Blush)

However, some wise cracking school peer can find a rude joke about almost any name or physical feature if they want to.

They even managed it for my idiotically common name.

Original poster
Fairypants · 02/09/2014 08:29

Thanks for the replies.
Unfortunately, we're going to have a bit longer to decide as everything stopped Angry
I do love Teresa as a first name but it was my mums name and I have 2 sisters - by keeping it as a middle name they have the option to do likewise if they ever have kids.
I think my primary concern with Athena us whether it is too Greek. I don't want her to have a name that suggests a heritage that she doesn't have (and is unlikely to look like she has given her two blonde sisters).
I'm not too worried about spelling - phoebe has found lots of people who can't spell her name and it just made her feel clever when her teachers at reception couldn't spell something she could! We also have a surname that people struggle to spell. It's welsh so not an instinctive spelling but vv common and well used on the high street so you'd think people would manage it.
I am concerned that people wouldn't be able to pronounce Persephone and she'd get called Percy-Phone all the time. Somehow I think it would be more annoying having people mispronouncing your name than misspelling it.
I'm not going to make a final decision until she here and I can see what suits but I do think that other meaning to pippa has put me off. Unfortunately that was dd2s (11) name suggestion and I don't want to explain to her why ive gone off it Confused

OP posts:
NineOhThirty · 01/09/2014 19:47

Thea

Nessalina · 01/09/2014 18:36

I would consider the fact that on this thread alone, Philippa has been spelled by PPs in four different ways.

If that stresses you out as much as it stresses me out then it's perhaps not a great choice!!

Orangeisthenewbanana · 01/09/2014 18:35

I also like Thea as a stand-alone name. Think Phillippa and Phoebe are a bit too similar (though Pippa is nice) and not sure Persephone really goes with the names of your other daughters.

burgatroyd · 01/09/2014 18:29

Athena! Its beautiful.

Lunastarfish · 01/09/2014 18:20

Athena & Persephone are beautiful names but I don't think it matches your other names.

I also personally love Philippa so Philippa!

TempsPerdu · 01/09/2014 18:04

Adore Athena - it's one of my favourites. Only thing that puts me off is that where I live (which has a large Greek community) people would assume you had Greek heritage, and I have no Greek connections whatsoever! Also like Thea as a stand alone name.

Persephone is lovely in theory, but I'd never be brave enough to use it (especially as our surname is a one-syllable, very 'British' name, and combined with Persephone it would sound like a Bond girl a la Christmas Jones!) Personally would use nn Sephy rather than Persy.

I've never been a fan of Philippa - it sounds horsey (probably because of the meaning!) and clunky to me.

I'd definitely go with Athena - think it also goes best with your existing DCs' names. Good luck with everything today!

Sophronia · 01/09/2014 16:09

Athena

squoosh · 01/09/2014 12:37

Thea is lovely.

Not keen on the others. Especially not keen on Pippa due to its very unfortunate meanings in other countries.

ElephantsNeverForgive · 01/09/2014 12:16

Athena or Phillippa

Much as Persephone rolls off the tongue, it's difficult to spell.

My curved ball would be Stephanie (Steph/ie) because it feels like a sister to Phoebe.

Cardriver · 01/09/2014 12:06

I also have a Beth and Phoebe plus a younger DD.

I like all your names but I think Philippa works best.

lottiegarbanzo · 01/09/2014 11:58

Thea

devoncreamtea · 01/09/2014 11:55

wow, good luck with everything!

I'm voting for Phillippa (Pippa - love this) - let us know what you choose x

LadyintheRadiator · 01/09/2014 11:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DramaAlpaca · 01/09/2014 10:58

Philippa Teresa is the nicest, IMO.

Just be aware that Pippa means something rude (can't remember what) in Italian!

I like Persephone, nn Sephy or Persy as well.

I'm not a fan of Athena or Thea, and Athena Teresa doesn't flow as well as the others.