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Baby names

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Original poster

[ Baby Gertrude? ]

108 replies

Cinderella812 · 20/04/2019 16:08

We are to name our future daughter after my DH's grandmother, Gertrude.

Not a particularly pretty name in my opinion (so sorry if that offends some lovely Gertrudes out there!)

She went by "Trudy", which I think is sweet.

However, is Trudy enough of a first name in itself? Could we just name our daughter Trudy, or is that too nicknamey?

I'm thinking of her future career etc... and children whose first names are just nicknames can be harder to take seriously professionally, especially little girls.

Does anybody think Trudy is alright as a stand-alone forename? All suggestions welcome!

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Bumblebeesmum · 20/04/2019 21:31

My Grandma was named after her Grandmother & hated the name so much she refused to answer to it. In the end her family had to accept she wouldn’t respond to it & she became known by her middle name.

stellarfox · 20/04/2019 21:11

I know one Gertrude nn Trudy and she’s about 9. I do think Trudy is sweet and could be used standalone! Gertrude isn’t particularly attractive to me

MooBaaLaLaLa · 20/04/2019 20:49

I like Gertrude but I prefer Gertie to Trudy. Gertie is gorgeous!

StarJumpsandaHalf · 20/04/2019 20:29

You could take either Elizabeth or Isla from Isabella
www.babynamespedia.com/meaning/Isabella but I think I'd go for Truda 'warrior woman' rather than Trudy.

Gertrude to me isn't very pleasant on the ear and I think of Hamlet's mother.

Steamfan · 20/04/2019 20:26

Dreadful name - it was my mothers middle name, and it was given because it was her mothers first name, Happily it stopped with my mother. She hated the name

Ohhellothereladyface · 20/04/2019 20:18

If you don’t like the name why don’t you have it as a middle name instead?

megrichardson · 20/04/2019 20:13

I love Gertrude, and Trudy

ReginaGeorgeous · 20/04/2019 20:01

Honestly, my first thought was that the poor child will probably go through school being called Dirty Gertie. Sorry OP!

bakingdemon · 20/04/2019 19:39

There are some amazing Gertrudes who would be fabulous role models - think of Gertrude Bell who helped found the modern state of Iraq and Gertrude Ederle who was the first woman to swim the Channel (and faster than all the men who'd done it before her).

DramaAlpaca · 20/04/2019 19:38

I know a Trudy & a Trudie, neither of whom are Gertrudes. Both are professional adult women who carry their names well without it seeming nicknamey.

I can't say it's a name I like, but it's infinitely better than Gertrude.

RussellSprout · 20/04/2019 19:33

Gertrude sounds like someone about to burp or regurgitate something.

mathanxiety · 20/04/2019 19:32

A cousin of mine whose mother was German gave her daughter the name Trudi. It was always perfectly fine in its own right. She is in her 20s now.

I would use Gertrude as a middle name only, to be frank.

WakeUpFromYourDreamAndScream · 20/04/2019 19:29

Why does your daughter HAVE to be named after this grandmother? I understand you say she was wonderful etc but saddling your daughter with a god awful name just so you can say she's named after a grandmother is ridiculous and quite honestly selfish. Gertrude is an awful name which you know yourself hence asking for a usable nickname.

LittleMissMummaBear · 20/04/2019 19:27

Gertrude is a definite no. Trudy is much better! x

ItsInTheSpoon · 20/04/2019 19:23

Trudy is nice, and perfectly ok on its own 😁

BelulahBlanca · 20/04/2019 19:18

I wanted to name DD after my Grandma but was talked out if it. It was 100% for the best. My Grandma didn’t even like her name and I now firmly believe baby’s should have their own names. My friend named her DD after both DM’s and regrets it.

BelulahBlanca · 20/04/2019 19:16

My great grandmother was called Gertrude and my DM and her sibs used to call her “Dirty Gertie at number thirty”

SherlockSays · 20/04/2019 19:12

Why can't it be her middle name? I honestly don't get the whole 'naming after family' thing .. especially if it's a name you don't even like Confused

Ellenborough · 20/04/2019 19:08

There are a handful of names out there that should never ever ever be revived and Gertrude is one of them.

Others, in case you are interested, are Enid, Edna and Doris.

pisspawpatrol · 20/04/2019 19:07

I wouldn't say that using the same name as cousins' child is too close. As family trees go, they're far enough apart to both be called Isabella. Particularly if one is called Izzy and the other Bella.

Trudy is ok, but nowhere near as nice as Isabella (or one of its many variations in spelling)

mrst3 · 20/04/2019 19:04

Gertrude not a nice name sorry but LOVE Trudie/Truda/Trudy and they mean strength ... such cool names x

Jb291 · 20/04/2019 19:03

I think your beautiful baby girl deserves a name that she can call her own. What about using Isabella or Isabel as a middle name so the link to your grandmother is still there.

MumUnderTheMoon · 20/04/2019 19:01

I think Trudy is fine in its own right I can see Tru being used as a nn but that's nice too so I'd go for it. Although I actually like Gertrude.

HopeMatters · 20/04/2019 18:59

Without sounding rude... Is the current Gertrude, er, living?

If not, fuck saddling a child with that name.

And if so, I bet she'd give you 99 reasons why it's a shite name to be saddled with.

EdWinchester · 20/04/2019 18:53

God no. Awful. Trudy is horrendous and Gertrude must be the ugliest name ever.

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