Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

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

Original poster

Shakespearean name - Desdemona?

89 replies

TitusAndromedon234 · 19/07/2018 14:29

We already have a 3 year old Hermione, and are expecting baby number 2, which we've just found out is another girl.

We'd like to use a Shakespearean name for dc2. I love Desdemona, and think the nn Desi is very cute.
However, we're not sure if it's a bit out there - Hermione is now also associated with Harry Potter, which normalises it a bit, but Desdemona doesn't really have any other connotations than the Shakespeare one.

Also on our shortlist are Isabella (but think it's a little too popular), Rosalind and Viola.

I like Imogen and Emilia, but don't think I can use either, as dd1's nickname is Mimi, so Imi/Millie would be too similar.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
AsleepAllDay · 21/07/2018 09:53

Hero & Ariel Thanks

GreenHatHacker · 21/07/2018 09:47

patricia I had 'Desda, Desda, Desdamona!' going through my brain all the way through this thread too!

TheBitchOfTheVicar · 21/07/2018 08:50

Beatrice!

BertrandRussell · 21/07/2018 08:36

Rosalind

SchadenfreudePersonified · 21/07/2018 00:53

Or Regan

PatriciaHolm · 20/07/2018 22:38

Am I the only one who immediately thought of the song from Fame?!

tararabumdeay · 20/07/2018 22:29

Ariel? Played by women and men. A beautiful loyal spirit, much like Puck, but more ethereal and self determined.

FogCutter · 20/07/2018 22:18

Absulove Rosalind and Cordelia

saratustra · 20/07/2018 22:14

My daughter is named Cordelia, and I only know the Shakespearean reference. Strong willed, misunderstood but morally superior :)

I liked Ophelia but I didn't want the suicide reference

AnElderlyLadyOfMediumHeight · 20/07/2018 22:09

Nobody's mentioned Paulina.

MrsBartlettforthewin · 20/07/2018 22:08

Call her Hero or Beatrice love that play and happy endings all round. Desdemona has too sad an ending for my liking same with Ophelia.

SoftSheen · 20/07/2018 22:07

Desdemona sounds ugly and clunky to my ear.

Isabella and Emilia are lovely, but very popular.

Viola is beautiful and a bit more unusual.

'Hermione and Viola' sounds nice.

Aozora13 · 20/07/2018 22:04

Hmm if I hadn’t heard it before I’d say it was a pretty name, but too much of a tragic association for me. Not Shakespearean but what about Demelza?

SchadenfreudePersonified · 20/07/2018 22:04

Nothing wrong with Titania if you want your daughter to have a nickname more closely associated with "Swallows and Amazons".

Syfychannel · 20/07/2018 22:03

Whats the problem with Titania?

Perdiesmum · 20/07/2018 22:02

I have a Perdita. I love the name, obviously, but reckon it's a bit much to use it when you have a Hermione already (given that H was P's mum in the play).

Olivia, Juliet, Miranda, Beatrice and Hero get my vote.

SchadenfreudePersonified · 20/07/2018 22:00

Beatrice
Viola
Juliet
Portia
Bianca

er . . NOT Titania . . .

raisedbyguineapigs · 20/07/2018 21:53

Is it Portia? Grin I love Portia, but it put me off naming a girl Portia because I thought people would think it was spelt like the car. I still love it though. Its beautiful.
Desdemona is by far the worst Shakesperean girls names- both the name and the unfortunate fate of the character. I think even Mona is asking for decades of being taken the piss out of 'Mona the Moaner'

heateallthebuns · 20/07/2018 20:41

I have one of the Shakespeare names people are suggesting. I know other people think it's a nice name, but I've always been a bit self conscious of it being a bit posh. Also people can't spell or pronounce it, which is annoying.

thethoughtfox · 20/07/2018 20:14

All your other suggestions are better.

daisypond · 20/07/2018 18:52

I don't like it. I think it sounds clunky, the meaning is not good and the character doesn't have a happy time of things. There are better Shakespeare names. Katharina - Taming of the Shrew - has that been mentioned?

RoseMartha · 20/07/2018 08:44

Miranda or Helena or Rosalind

MariaMadita · 20/07/2018 08:27

The literary association isn't the best but that probably wouldn't put me off a name I loved.

But it just isn't a nice name imo.
It actually sound rather demonic...

I like the nn Mona.

AjasLipstick · 20/07/2018 08:18

"Desda" sounds awful!

Marcipex · 20/07/2018 08:06

Desda is a gorgeous nn for Desdemona. It is a tragic story though. Hmmm. Dunno if I would use it or not.