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Baby names

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

strong historical female names?

42 replies

sunshineandshowers21 · 17/11/2018 13:27

my beautiful baby girl was born six days ago and is still nameless! my partner is happy for me to choose the name so here i am asking for help. i’m thinking maybe a historical name? maybe a strong female from history? the names we liked are georgiana, evangeline, and lola - but none of them are sticking out to us now! her middle name will be charlotte, and we’ll maybe squeeze poppy in there as she was born on armistice day. any suggestions are welcome - doesn’t need to be historical!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
FairfaxAikman · 17/11/2018 17:04

Edith , as in Cavell for a further WW1 link

midsomermurderess · 17/11/2018 16:56

Joan.

LadyMonicaBaddingham · 17/11/2018 14:51

Mary. As in Mary Shelley.

Mary Charlotte is lovely and I absolutely love the idea of Poppy because of her birthday!!

MenstruatorExtraordinaire · 17/11/2018 14:30

Catherine is very strong and traditional
Elizabeth ditto

TheCraicDealer · 17/11/2018 14:30

Ada (Lovelace)
Aphra (Behn- one of the first women to earn her living by writing)
Diana (the goddess, obvs)
Emmeline (Pankhurst, natch)
Eleanor (plenty of canny English/French queens or Roosevelt)
Florence (Nightingale)
Frida (Kahlo)
Gaia (mother of all life in Greek mythology
Maya (Angelou)
Nancy (first female MP to take her seat in parliament. Also -Wake, badass WW2 ambulance driver/resistance operative)
Odette (Hallowes- amazing British spy in WW2. ^ "She was condemned to death on two counts in June 1943, to which she responded, "Then you will have to make up your mind on what count I am to be executed, because I can only die once."^)
Tamara (Łempicka, fabulous Art Deco painter)
Valentina (Tereshkova, first woman in space)

I had fun doing this you know! Thanks op!

PurpleFlowersInMyHair · 17/11/2018 14:28

Emmeline- love the name - it’s so beautiful

UtterlyDesperate · 17/11/2018 14:26

Melisende - Queen of the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem

CountFosco · 17/11/2018 14:21

Mary (Somerville)
Caroline (Hershal)
Dorothy (Hodgkin)

Also love Aphra, Emmeline, and Eleanor.

KellyMarieTunstall2 · 17/11/2018 14:10

Elizabeth
Victoria
Eleanor
Lileth
Florence
Joan
Margaret

FogCutter · 17/11/2018 14:07

Love Cleo (could be short for Cleopatra as PP suggested)

PushItRealGood · 17/11/2018 14:02

Cleopatra

TwoGinScentedTears · 17/11/2018 13:59

Lileth. The first woman. She was so much trouble that she got kicked out of Eden. Which is why Eve was made from one of Adams bones, so she wouldn't be so much trouble. Ha!

CoolCarrie · 17/11/2018 13:57

Eleanor (of Aquitaine), Florence ( Nightingale ) Mary (Seacole) Elizabeth (various strong women have had this name) Jennie(Lee) Mairi ( Chisholm)

Bloomini · 17/11/2018 13:52

Catherine
Anne
Mary

MikeUniformMike · 17/11/2018 13:47

Boudicca is rather nice, nn Boo?
Victoria, Elizabeth...

FogCutter · 17/11/2018 13:46

Aphra (Behn)
Eleanor (Roosevelt)
Rosa (Parks, Luxembourg)
Emmeline (Pankhurst)
Rosalind (Franklin's- scientist)

cariadlet · 17/11/2018 13:45

One of dd's friends is named Emmeline after Emmeline Pankhurst and is known as Emmie. I think both the long and short versions sound pretty.