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Baby names

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

Original poster

Can I call my baby girl Teddy/Teddie?

155 replies

ems942 · 11/07/2015 11:07

My baby girl is due soon. Had previously thought I'd love to call her Autumn, would have used Teddy for a boy but I love it so much I want to call my little girl Teddy. Am I being ridiculous? I'm not keen on Thea and really not on Theodora.

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KatieScarlettreregged · 11/07/2015 11:52

Theodora is classic and beautiful. It has gravitas and history. You can also use Teddy as a nn, which is fine.
It's the non option of the child to lose the name/use the serious name if required if she is called Teddy off the bat.

Chchchchanging · 11/07/2015 11:49

It's Robbie Williams daughters name

Smooshface · 11/07/2015 11:48

Ooo I love Theodora as a name though. We considered Isadora... but ended up with something a lot rarer.

I would say Teddie is cute on a 3 year old, a 19 year old not so much.

Maybe Edina rather than Edwina? I liked the name Edith (nan's name), although would usually be Edie rather than Teddie you can do what you like in that regard I imagine!

here is interesting thread with a 75 year old woman called Teddy!
answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100423111919AAtLcLU

and from nameberry.com/babyname/Teddi
Famous People Named Teddi
Teddi Siddall, American actress and wife of actor Gary Cole
Teddi King, American jazz singer
Teddi Smith, American model
Teddi Jo Melloncamp, daughter of musician John "Cougar" Melloncamp

KatieScarlettreregged · 11/07/2015 11:47

You would be happy with your daughter being nicknamed "Bear"?
Really?
Can see it, have heard and used it for a chap but on a girl?

Creatureofthenight · 11/07/2015 11:47

I like siblings' names to be - I'm not sure how to express this - sort of equal? So if your first 2 DCs have 'normal' names, I think DC3 should be fairly normal too.
I also think of Teddy as a boys name.

Original poster
ems942 · 11/07/2015 11:43

I do love Bear Grylls Wink

OP posts:
Spintastic · 11/07/2015 11:43

But comments about being called 'teddy bear ' I wouldn't worry about one bit. My Teddy gets called that and he couldn't care less and we call him Bear a lot. It's never any issue

Spintastic · 11/07/2015 11:42

As my 9 year old is called Teddy - and called this on his birth certificate - it'd be a no from me for a girl because I purely see it as a boys name

JuniorMint · 11/07/2015 11:41

Robbie Williams' daughter is Teddy (Theodora)

KatieScarlettreregged · 11/07/2015 11:39

"Do you take this woman, Teddy to be your lawfully wedded wife?"
"Hi, I'm Teddy pleased to meet you, no my name isn't Theodora, no, I don't know what my parents were thinking..."
"Yes, like the bear, haha"
"Why has my nickname always been Bear? Well, my parents had the brilliant idea of..."

ButtonMoon88 · 11/07/2015 11:38

I love it!

TheHumourlessHarpy · 11/07/2015 11:37

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Sophronia · 11/07/2015 11:36

It's awful, sorry.

scrumpkin · 11/07/2015 11:33

I love it! Lots

Everythinghaschanged · 11/07/2015 11:30

I think a cool confident child could carry it off but if she turns out to be an introverted mouse she could be the laughing stock.

Original poster
ems942 · 11/07/2015 11:28

I don't really mind the lingerie association Confused. If shes anything like her older sister it would suit her really well.

Odette is a bit too loose of a connection.

OP posts:
timeforabrewnow · 11/07/2015 11:28

Erm - no. It sounds bad

daisydalrymple · 11/07/2015 11:25

You might find she feels different to her siblings as she grows. Ds1 has a one syllable name (think Ben, max etc) followed by traditional name. Dd and ds2 both have traditional type names. Ds1 wishes his mn was his first name as people tease his (honestly, one syllable not even out there name) and add ie to lengthen his name (and we chose it so it couldn't be shortened!).

If all three of your dcs had slightly different names it might work better, but she might wonder why she's different as she's older. Just a thought, but of course you must choose your favourite name!

Heck5897 · 11/07/2015 11:23

Tedra with nn teddie

RosaliesGinBottle · 11/07/2015 11:23

There's a lovely book from 1898 by Anna Chapin Ray called Teddy: Her Book. So it’s not a newfangled nickname for a girl :)

Chchchchangeabout · 11/07/2015 11:21

If you love it why not? Or if unsure it could be a middle name and/or nickname?

SunnyBaudelaire · 11/07/2015 11:21

it might be nice when she is small, as long as it was short for something more sensible like Theodora.
Plus it is an item of lingerie.

Heck5897 · 11/07/2015 11:20

What about Odette

It's got the word ted in it backwards

KatieScarlettreregged · 11/07/2015 11:19

No. Unless it is a nickname (thus giving your child a chance to disavow it the second she goes to Uni/secondary school)

Artandco · 11/07/2015 11:17

I like it but don't think you can use alone.

Theodora is the name name it is a nickname for but you could consider

Thadie
Thalia
Thandie
Dorothea