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Baby names

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

Original poster

Josephine or Astrid

54 replies

ShutUpAlex · 19/03/2021 12:59

Stuck between these two for a girl.

Also some boy name suggestions as I haven’t seen a single boys name that ive liked!

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BurtonHouse · 21/03/2021 17:08

Josephine is beautiful and versatile.
Astrid is neither.

Twinkie01 · 21/03/2021 14:50

I like Astrid. It's different and there are none as far as I'm aware inDDs school.

TatianaBis · 21/03/2021 11:41

[quote ILoveStickers]@TatianaBis "Some languages are gendered right?"

Yes? I'm not sure what that has to do with the OP's question!

I just happen to like girls' names without a male equivalent, on the whole. So, in this case, I like Astrid more than Josephine.

It is also true (but irrelevant here) that I like Sofia, Eva and Caterina in Italian, and Sophie, Madeleine, Genevieve, Agathe and Chloé in French! (Just using my friends' names as examples, but I do like them!) Languages with grammatical gender have plenty of these kinds of names too.[/quote]
You’d be quite limited in a gendered language that’s all, - where masculine and feminine versions of names as well as words is standard part of the language structure.

Toddlerteaplease · 21/03/2021 10:03

Love Astrid.

May2021Mummy · 21/03/2021 10:02

Josephine

ThreeImaginaryBoys · 21/03/2021 01:11

Josephine

I am a Jo (Joanne) and therefore a bit biased towards the name. I have some friends who lengthen my name to Josephine and love it!

The 'Jo' names are also fairly uncommon these days having been wildly popular when I was a child.

Sorry but I think Astrid is quite clunky. It's like Gertrude.

dangerrabbit · 20/03/2021 20:50

Astrid! Lovely name

ILoveStickers · 20/03/2021 20:49

@TatianaBis "Some languages are gendered right?"

Yes? I'm not sure what that has to do with the OP's question!

I just happen to like girls' names without a male equivalent, on the whole. So, in this case, I like Astrid more than Josephine.

It is also true (but irrelevant here) that I like Sofia, Eva and Caterina in Italian, and Sophie, Madeleine, Genevieve, Agathe and Chloé in French! (Just using my friends' names as examples, but I do like them!) Languages with grammatical gender have plenty of these kinds of names too.

jellybe · 20/03/2021 20:49

Astrid is a divine name. Josephine is nice but feels a bit frumpy - sensible middle aged women.

Ninkanink · 20/03/2021 20:40

I’m Scandinavian, and it sounds fine in Scandinavian.

Doesn’t sound great in English.

Vallmo47 · 20/03/2021 20:40

Astrid, but then I’m Scandinavian and I love it.

This reminds me of a time my SIL suggested I name my dd Fanny, as I already had an Alexander. I was like ‘My poor child would be ridiculed”. So stay away from Fanny but Astrid is lovely.

TatianaBis · 20/03/2021 20:34

[quote ILoveStickers]@TatianaBis "How does this policy work with gendered language?"

How do you mean? Sorry, genuinely don't understand the question! Not a policy, just a personal preference?[/quote]
Some languages are gendered right?

TheFormidableMrsC · 20/03/2021 20:16

My mum was Josephine. Known as Jo or Josie. It's a lovely name. My daughter has it as a middle name.

Happenchance · 20/03/2021 20:08

Astrid

Boys name suggestions:
Josiah
Joel
Cosmo
Joss
Conrad
Hector
Ash
River

ILoveStickers · 20/03/2021 19:52

@TatianaBis "How does this policy work with gendered language?"

How do you mean? Sorry, genuinely don't understand the question! Not a policy, just a personal preference?

SirSamuelVimes · 20/03/2021 19:18

I love Josephine, I think it's beautiful and elegant.

Agree with pps about Astrid being very of the moment. I think it will be a name that is very obviously from this decade. Not necessarily a bad thing, but Josephine is timeless.

17caterpillars1mouse · 20/03/2021 19:15

I really like both but would probably go with Josephine as I feel Astrid may becoming a bit faddy and will date.

Josephine is lovely and I also love Josie, Sephie and Joey

TheChild · 20/03/2021 18:30

I like both names, although I would go for Josephine myself as I feel its the "safer" option. Astrid reminds me of Fringe so there is a positive connection 😁

Chillychangchoo · 20/03/2021 18:27

No, not Astrid, reminds me of an aliens name.
Probably the asteroid association my brain automatically does.

Smallonesaremorejuicy · 20/03/2021 13:39

Josephine for sure , Astrid too harsh .

ancientgran · 20/03/2021 13:09

I think Josephine is a lovely name. My view of Astrid might be coloured by my DHs thieving ex.

babbaloushka · 20/03/2021 13:06

Josephine definitely. Astrid will be the next Isla, they'll be everywhere and it'll lose it's attraction.

Theforest · 20/03/2021 10:03

Like them both

Josephine is a beautiful song by Chris Cornell. I think that would nudge it over the line for me.

ShipOfTheseus · 20/03/2021 09:59

Josephine by far. Not keen on Astrid at all.

LemonRoses · 20/03/2021 09:50

I think they’re both lovely. How refreshing to hear such normal, proper names spelt correctly.

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