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Baby names

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

Strong girl names

94 replies

Embracethechaos · 27/04/2018 22:33

As it's the centenary of women getting the vote I'd like a strong female name for my daughter political, musical or scientific name but not too unusual. My list included matilda Lydia Elza Jane Olivia Marie, aurora, lilly, lyra Anne, bess... Bodica? Too radical... I don't like the sound of matilda, could be tilly I suppose... I could have multiple middle names, but only want one, a family member as a middle name. Maybe I'll look up historical events around the due date, mid July and pick a name based on that.. Need to do some history homework...

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Octopus37 · 28/04/2018 18:29

Rosa after Rosa Park, my friend called her daughter Rosa.

elQuintoConyo · 28/04/2018 18:12

Zora Neale Hurston amazing author, amazing woman.

Embracethechaos · 28/04/2018 14:54

I'm a fan of plain speaking and also love a good nutcase. I think psychiatry has a terrible past and has been very oppressive of women so Fitzgerald does not put me off. Nutcase = strong willed. Grin

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rach01pink · 28/04/2018 10:36

I like Matilda and Zelda!

WaxOnFeckOff · 28/04/2018 10:17

Fatima Whitbread was strong...

LoveInTokyo · 28/04/2018 10:14

I love Rosa, Josephine, Emmeline and Katherine.

lottiegarbanzo · 28/04/2018 10:08

No but what I mean is that, as well as being at the milder end of the general category of 'not nice pejorative terms', 'nutcase' as the one thing being said about her, does Zelda F a huge disservice, as she was an impressive novelist, amongst other things. Achieving that despite her health problems might be regarded as all the more impressive. It's the dismissiveness that bothers me.

Anyway, I think Zelda is a fab name. Quite like Zora too, though only came across it as a character, who wasn't especially awe-inspiring, in one of Zadie Smith's novels.

Scabbersley · 28/04/2018 09:49

Zelda Fitzgerald is an historical figure so I don't feel too bad about the word. She's not an actual poster on here.

Enko · 28/04/2018 09:32

Zelda is great. Strong and everyone will know the name but few will actually know a Zelda.

flowermug2 · 28/04/2018 09:19

Eve
Lara
Valentina
Leda
Cara/Kara
Natalia
Sophia
Zola
Kendra
Rosa

MissMarplesKnitting · 28/04/2018 09:09

Saskia
Freya
Bess (from Elizabeth)
Harriet
Greta
Lois

lottiegarbanzo · 28/04/2018 09:08

I think 'nutcase' is more than the usual MH slur there Scabbersley.

Zelda Fitzgerald wrote 'Save Me the Waltz' in about six weeks while experiencing a mental breakdown, during the period, of many years, when husband F. Scott was writing and refining 'Tender is the Night'. Unsurprisingly his book is more polished but hers is really very good.

RunningjustasfastasIcan99 · 28/04/2018 09:08

Helen
Joan

AvonCallingBarksdale · 28/04/2018 09:04

Alice (Walker)

AvonCallingBarksdale · 28/04/2018 09:04

Alice, as in Wonderland? Independent, sticks up for others (well, a pack of cards, anyway Grin)

elQuintoConyo · 28/04/2018 09:04

Mathilda = Tilda = Tilda Swinton = awesome actress.

Margaret - of Atwood fame
Jane (Campion)
Judith (Kerr)
Zola (Bud)

Thousands out there!

Sugarpiehoneyeye · 28/04/2018 09:02

Zelda Kathryn is very nice !

Scabbersley · 28/04/2018 09:00

I love the name zelda but zelda Fitzgerald was a nutcase

Embracethechaos · 28/04/2018 08:58

'ee' names are OK for some children but some suit more old names. I know an Albert who's parents tried to call bertie, but he's a little old man and I think definitely more of an Albert. Grin I like names that can be shortered.

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lottiegarbanzo · 28/04/2018 08:55

Also Iseult and Anouk for interesting non 'a or y' names. Eleanor, Nancy for more usual ones.

lottiegarbanzo · 28/04/2018 08:51

Adele Katherine is great. I love Kate and also Kitty as a nn for Katherine. Somehow it sounds more serious than most 'y' ending names.

Matilda nn Tilly is incredibly popular at the moment, to the point I'd avoid for that reason.

Evelyn is another nice, non-cutesie name.

VileyRose · 28/04/2018 06:57

Lilith
Violet
Hazel
Isolde
Elizabeth

Embracethechaos · 28/04/2018 06:33

A boy would be easy, we'd name him after both our grandads, boy baby names don't change much over time, I think they get passed down families more and men get recognised for their contribution. So much harder and more fun to chose a female name...

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Embracethechaos · 28/04/2018 06:27

Lilly is because I'm a lilly Allen fan... I know a family of girls who have all been shortened to lilly mily and tilly. Grin

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Embracethechaos · 28/04/2018 06:11

I'm loving Adele Katherine, lots of notable Adele/adela and there are matching dates in her life and patterns is something my geeky family get excited about. And katz is nice if Adele doesn't suit, and kath was the name of a relative. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adele_Goldstine

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