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Baby names

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

Original poster

Bracing myself... Hero?

143 replies

Auxence · 13/05/2021 16:07

For a girl. Tell me your honest thoughts please, I am bracing myself!

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YellowPenPinkPen · 13/05/2021 17:51

I knew a girl a Hero at school. She was lovely. Very ordinary comprehensive, 1990s.

UntilYourNextHairBrainedScheme · 13/05/2021 17:51

Hera is a different goddess though, and has slightly more to her despite marrying her brother after he raped her, and having a fairly unhappy story than Hero.

TuvoknotSpock · 13/05/2021 17:48

Hero no
Hera yes

AnxiousAnnie86 · 13/05/2021 17:48

@Auxence Love it!!!! I had Hera on our list! But husband said no!! X

UntilYourNextHairBrainedScheme · 13/05/2021 17:47

If your reasoning is the Shakespeare reference then the character matters. If your reason is the goddess, then the goddess matters. Hero the Shakespeare character is lovelorn, shy, quiet, the standard obedient rather bland woman of Shakespeare's time. The goddess Hero is also only really known for the fact she was essentially tricked into sleeping with a man and killed herself when he died.

What about Artemis if you want a less used goddess name?

Cordelia, Rosalind, Viola and Portia are great female Shakespearean charachters if you don't like the name Beatrice.

daisypond · 13/05/2021 17:42

I like it a lot. Greek myths is what I think of first. And then Shakespeare. I think it’s fab. But...would I use it in real life? Not sure. It’s clear a lot of people just won’t know it’s a real female name with a long pedigree.

CustardyCreams · 13/05/2021 17:41

It’s not the worst name ever, but I’d hate to be called Hero.

TheBitchOfTheVicar · 13/05/2021 17:30

@NaturalBlondeYeahRight

I’ve always liked it but just couldn’t be bothered with all the comments you know are going to come. Can you? I love Santa too but same reasons
I like Nan Shock

I like Hero but agree it is likely to invite comments forever if you choose it.

Original poster
Auxence · 13/05/2021 17:29

Beatrice is definitely the better character but I’m just not such a fan of the name. I do like Beatrix though!

OP posts:
UntilYourNextHairBrainedScheme · 13/05/2021 17:26

If you are going to name uour daughter after a character from Much Ado About Nothing wouldn't Beatrice be a better choice? Hero (the character) is a bit insipid... Hero the goddess isn't actually very inspiring either ...

Original poster
Auxence · 13/05/2021 17:22

Appreciate all the opinions! It seems to be very Marmite. I’ve always loved it, ever once we studied Much Ado at school many moons ago, but I can imagine the reactions of some of my friends and family Shock

OP posts:
BettyUnderswoob · 13/05/2021 17:09

Truly awful.

Serpenta · 13/05/2021 17:07

I have no doubt that the vast majority of people will just think super hero rather than Ancient Greece or Much Ado.

I feel like it's a name that could be a bit bothersome. Drunken bores crooning all the songs with 'hero' in the title etc. It's just a bit much for me.

JustCatting · 13/05/2021 17:01

I'd think you were on Teen Mom UK.

AdaColeman · 13/05/2021 16:49

I absolutely love this name for a girl, but then I'm a huge fan of Shakespeare's plays, and immediately thought of Much Ado.

jakalaka · 13/05/2021 16:41

Love it for a girl. LOVE it.

Ingridla · 13/05/2021 16:40

I love it. There's a Hero in my sons class (boy) but I think it works well with either sex.

NotReallyFeelingIt · 13/05/2021 16:40

I really really dislike it. Only barely scrapes through as a 'real' name and is masculine.

Honor?

SallySycamore · 13/05/2021 16:37

I'd think you were a big Shakespeare fan. I think this book would put me off a bit though (it has a character called Hero who gets teased about her name).

Stevearnottsbeard · 13/05/2021 16:29

I know it's from Shakespeare but I don't like it as a name I'm sorry, but I'm sure myleen klass named one of her daughters Hero

Orphlids · 13/05/2021 16:29

I love it, and our DD2 was nearly a Hero. I’d like to think most people would immediately think of the Greek myth, or Shakespeare, but unfortunately, there are more people who won’t know of either of those. We told a few people we were thinking of using the name Hero, and they looked absolutely baffled. Most of them thought it was a boys’ name. I’m sure some of them thought we’d got it from Big Hero 6, that Disney film. We chose another name in the end, but not because of people’s reactions. This name leaves people similarly baffled, but I use their reactions as a useful tool to discover who has ever read a book in their lives.

The name Hero itself is so lovely and pretty in its simplicity. That unusual ‘o’ at the end is so nice. I’d be excited to meet a little Hero. I think you should go for it!

Twinkie01 · 13/05/2021 16:23

Love it but I have to admit Bonnie Tyler is screeching in the far reaches of my brain as soon as I hear it.

imanorangemoon · 13/05/2021 16:22

I wouldn't. What if they fail to save someone in the future "Pft, what a hero you are Hero "

Kotatsu · 13/05/2021 16:21

I love it. And I would instantly think of Much Ado About Nothing (I must admit, not the play, but the movie version... with Keanu Reeves..)

bridgetreilly · 13/05/2021 16:20

I like it.

But most people won't know the references.