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Baby names

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

Original poster

'Serpent' - Do name meanings matter?

67 replies

MiniEdwards · 20/08/2019 15:20

I have fallen in love with a name, but the meaning of it isn't great... it
means 'serpent' Confused.

What do people think about choosing a baby name which doesn't mean something wonderful, glorious, and perfect etc!?

Does anyone in life really actually care what your name means?

Or would I be jinxing them from birth?!

OP posts:
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stucknoue · 20/08/2019 18:15

A relative of mine chose a name meaning devil in another language, she was advised not to be she didn't listen

CheckingOutTheQuantocks · 20/08/2019 18:15

Of course a word that is actually the name of an STI is different from a common name which has an obscure meaning. My middle name, Mary, means "bitter", as do all the variations in different countries, but it doesn't stop it from being a hugely popular name nonetheless. People are thinking of Jesus' mum, not bitterness!

User10fuckingmillion · 20/08/2019 18:15

Also if it’s Rosalind or Drake I like both so crack on

User10fuckingmillion · 20/08/2019 18:14

Nagini Wink

Sexy90 · 20/08/2019 18:13

Names and there actual meanings/origins ARE important, regardless of what we think. I seem to remember years ago a woman who named her sprog 'chlamydia', because she liked the sound of it
That’s nothing like what the OP’s suggestion is. She’s not actually naming her kid Serpent. Just a name that supposedly means Serpent.

User10fuckingmillion · 20/08/2019 18:11

Belinda? Drake? Rosalind?

QueenofCBA · 20/08/2019 18:09

I think it makes a difference whether the meaning is obvious to everybody with half a brain (Chlamydia) or whether it is more obscure than that.

AuntieStella · 20/08/2019 18:07

I was at school with a Candida, who is English.

It was a perfectly normal name in Britain, though became considerably less common after about the 1970s

I also know a Fanny who is about my age - but her full name is Frances and she chose her nn completely on purpose

Ethelswith · 20/08/2019 18:04

The serpent name is Linda, or anything including -lind

The horse-serpent one is not widely known to have that meaning. People are more likely to think it's a flowery name

Brooksay · 20/08/2019 18:01

Names and there actual meanings/origins ARE important, regardless of what we think. I seem to remember years ago a woman who named her sprog 'chlamydia', because she liked the sound of it..

NeverSayFreelance · 20/08/2019 17:51

Tanith means snake?? I know a few Taniths myself - had no idea!

Sexy90 · 20/08/2019 17:49

My DD’s name means ‘bitter’. She’s the sweetest girl. Of course it’s a load of rubbish

bridgetreilly · 20/08/2019 17:32

I once came across someone who called her daughter, "Antimony", not realising that one of the meanings is 'poison'. Then of course there's 'Jade'.

I think there's a difference between using an English word with a negative meaning as a name, and using a name which is derived from a word which has a negative meaning in a dead language such as Anglo-Saxon or Latin or whatever.

bridgetreilly · 20/08/2019 17:30

My name means 'horse serpent' but is beautiful and it's never been a problem. To be fair, it sounds as though it means something else and most people probably assume it does. But honestly, no one else is googling the meanings of your children's names.

StockTakeFucks · 20/08/2019 17:29

Orange was she British out of curiosity?

These name and meanings threads sometimes are full of ignorance when it comes to real,accepted,used "forrin" names.

It means white,pure,innocent. It's common in latin derived speaking countries.

OrangeSwoosh · 20/08/2019 17:18

Name meanings definitely do matter

I once met a Candida Blush

Rachelover40 · 20/08/2019 16:40

Name meanings definitely do matter!

I once came across someone who called her daughter, "Antimony", not realising that one of the meanings is 'poison'.
Then of course there's 'Jade'.

What word were you going to use? Ophidia? Please don't, your child is no reptile.

Shplot · 20/08/2019 16:30

I love name meanings but I know I’m in the minority. I know a Bear, Tiger and Wolfie so a name meaning serpent is ok I think!

CheckingOutTheQuantocks · 20/08/2019 16:27

Yes, I love snakes. I would actually like a name more if I found out it meant 'serpent'.

Aquamarine1029 · 20/08/2019 16:07

What's wrong with snakes? I love them. The world would be a nightmare without them and they're beautiful. Sounds like you've picked a great name to me!

bellinisurge · 20/08/2019 16:04

Guthrie?

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 20/08/2019 15:58

Phew. I thought you were calling your baby SerpentGrin. Unless it’s very unusual I don’t think anyone is going to google the meaning.
My dd is Molly which apparently means bitter.

Original poster
MiniEdwards · 20/08/2019 15:51

Thanks for your thoughts everyone, really helpful! xx

OP posts:
LarkDescending · 20/08/2019 15:48

Drake means "male duck" in English, which I imagine people are far more likely to think of than the Old Norse "dragon" or the Latin/Ancient Greek roots ("dragon/serpent") of that.

If this is the sort of territory we are in then I don't think you need to worry about the serpent aspect.

PastTippingPoint · 20/08/2019 15:48

I really liked a name for our DD but one of the meanings on Hebrew was "bitter" and it put me off. Like PP said, now I'm not pg it seems silly but at the time I just didn't think it was a nice meaning.

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