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Original poster

Ethel?

38 replies

courgettetrees · 14/12/2018 17:09

Good Saxon name

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Thesnobbymiddleclassone · 18/12/2018 10:49

It's a lovely name. Pretty, sensible, feminine. Love it.

Wooooooooaaaaaaaahhhhhhh · 18/12/2018 10:45

Makes me wonder what names the nay-sayers like? To me, Ethel is quirky and feminine, fresh and a pleasure to say.

If Ethel was a colour it would be brown. It’s drab. There is nothing nice or pretty about it. It’s on a level with Vera or Maud or Doreen or Barbara. Names that make me think ‘poor child’ when I hear them.

I’m not a fan of vintage names. It’s like a competition to find the worse name possible and name your child it.

LordPickle · 18/12/2018 09:48

I just can't imagine a little baby Ethel Confused

stellarfox · 18/12/2018 09:44

Reminds me of the show the worst witch. What about Greta?

GoodHeavensNoImAChicken · 17/12/2018 00:51

Please don’t.

Joinourclub · 16/12/2018 21:25

It’s so very much Eastenders for me, but I still like it, I just couldn’t bring myself to use it!

AdultHumanFemale · 16/12/2018 21:18

Do it!
Such a pretty name. Makes me wonder what names the nay-sayers like? To me, Ethel is quirky and feminine, fresh and a pleasure to say.

rosydreams · 16/12/2018 21:10

makes me think of alice coopers song cold ethel =/

YK84 · 16/12/2018 20:55

I dislike it so much I had to express this again in a second comment Sad

DramaAlpaca · 15/12/2018 23:05

Hideous, just awful.

GreatDuckCookery6211 · 15/12/2018 22:07

Dreadful, ugly name.

Wooooooooaaaaaaaahhhhhhh · 15/12/2018 21:49

Awful.

n0ne · 15/12/2018 21:39

Love it

Tartyflette · 15/12/2018 20:30

Has a slightly 'under parlour-maid' feel, but if you like it ...(shrug)

daisypond · 15/12/2018 20:25

I can see the appeal. I like its ancientness. But it really does have an old lady vibe that I'm finding hard to overlook.

moredoll · 15/12/2018 20:25

I don't like it at all, sorry.
We're not living in Saxon times.

dapplegrey · 15/12/2018 20:21

Love it. Wish I’d called my dd that.

Ethel36 · 15/12/2018 20:18

Love it!

OrdinaryGirl · 15/12/2018 20:14

I love the meaning too. 'Diminutive of Etheldreda, from the Old English name Aethelthryth, meaning noble and strength.'
Such a strong name, but with softness too. It'll never be widely used but for me that's a plus point. There are oodles of the traditionally 'pretty' old lady named. Pick a shrewish one! And your daughter will make it her own.

Whyareallthegoodnamesgone · 15/12/2018 01:04

I think it sounds lovely and I don't understand where the negative connotation comes from (I didn't like it almost instinctively until I really thought about it after seeing someone name their baby it on a TV show). I think people associate it with elderly women but I don't see why that's a bad thing and loads of vintage names are making a comeback

OrdinaryGirl · 14/12/2018 23:01

Love! Do it. ❤️

YK84 · 14/12/2018 22:56

I really dislike it

Grannyannex · 14/12/2018 22:52

Mabel

Picknickers · 14/12/2018 22:48

Yikes it's horrid...and that's from someone who loves Vera!

Pemba · 14/12/2018 18:40

Objectively it does have a nice sound, but the old lady and comedy name associations are just too strong. Edith?

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