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Baby names

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

Original poster

Genevieve

55 replies

Thefaceofboe · 31/05/2021 10:40

What are your first thoughts when you hear this name? We have decided on it (I think) for our baby girl, but now the more I say it I’m becoming unsure and don’t know whether to go for a ‘safer’ name.

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Lemur12 · 02/06/2021 16:42

I think it's ok, but loses something with an English accent. I know of two. One uses her full name, the other goes by Gevi (Jevi).

Greendaisydays · 02/06/2021 16:27

Just to add to the confusion it can be pronounced two ways in French. My godmother is French and it is her name but pronounced Je-ne-vee-ev

KirstenBlest · 02/06/2021 11:45

I only know two IRL, one French, one English.

It's probably popular on here because of the -eve ending.

cariadlet · 02/06/2021 10:53

I've never met one in real life and can't think of any apart from the vintage car in the old film. I think it's a lovely name.

Marcipex · 02/06/2021 10:40

I love it and don’t know any.
I would assume Genie was Jeanie though.

Original poster
Thefaceofboe · 02/06/2021 10:37

Definitely won’t be pronounced the french way, we are way to common and English to pull that off Grin

OP posts:
KirstenBlest · 01/06/2021 12:27

Pretty if pronounced the french way but clumsy sounding in an english accent. Prefer Jennifer.

DramaAlpaca · 31/05/2021 22:50

It's lovely, very sophisticated.

RosesAndHellebores · 31/05/2021 21:04

I think it's lovely and with Madeleine and Imogen it was on our shortlist for dd. Except our surname has *** letters and it would have been cruel.

So we went with an Anna/Eliza genre name.

TigerDroveAgain · 31/05/2021 20:56

I think of the film. Genevieve is a vintage car

Silkiecats · 31/05/2021 20:55

I love it as a name.

partyatthepalace · 31/05/2021 20:52

I really like it. Don’t think it’s that unusual. I do think you would have to be happy with Gen/Jenny as a short form though - also Evie, and there are A LOT of Evies.
Gwendoline nn Gwen or Gwyneth could be alternatives

xprincessxjanetx · 31/05/2021 17:02

I like it but couldn't imagine myself using it but if I met someone else with a baby Genevieve I would think it was different and lovely.

honeylou42 · 31/05/2021 14:47

Not heard of it much, but think it is beautiful 😍

HelenaJustina · 31/05/2021 13:20

I have one, love it. Geni (pronounced Jenny) as a short is the one she prefers.

tabulahrasa · 31/05/2021 13:19

It’s a very pretty name - but in case it makes a difference at all

The only one I know found it very hard to write for a very long time. Obviously long names are always going to do that, but she really did find it frustrating.

wanderedlonelyasacloud · 31/05/2021 13:16

Love it! I'd choose it but my DH has vetoed it.

I went to school with a Genevieve who went by Gen/Jen but I've never known another.

TatianaBis · 31/05/2021 11:11

The typical dim is Genny as genie is pronounced differently.

ditavonteesed · 31/05/2021 11:03

She started as genie because she was a tiny baby and Genevieve seemed to big for her, it just stuck.

Skyla2005 · 31/05/2021 10:58

It's lovely Smile

TatianaBis · 31/05/2021 10:55

Works much better with the French pronunciation.

In English I prefer Guinevere.

Original poster
Thefaceofboe · 31/05/2021 10:55

@ditavonteesed I love Genie but when I said to my partner he said it doesn’t sound like a natural shortening of Genevieve, so feel like we’d have to push for it. Such a cute nn though!

OP posts:
Original poster
Thefaceofboe · 31/05/2021 10:53

@Branleuse Jenna-Veev Smile

OP posts:
ditavonteesed · 31/05/2021 10:53

I have a Genevieve, she goes by Genie.

Branleuse · 31/05/2021 10:48

My first thoughts when i read it are always " which way is it pronounced" as ive heard both Jenna-veeve and Jon-vee-ev.

I prefer the first way, but i think the second way is more correct

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