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Baby names

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

Thoughts on Bertha

231 replies

Godwits · 29/08/2021 04:09

nickname Bertie, Thea, Bess?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
embolass · 29/08/2021 08:35

It’s bloody awful, get a grip.

Orchid18 · 29/08/2021 08:33

I immediately think of Black Pudding Bertha from The Goodies in the 70s 😂

ShingleBeach · 29/08/2021 08:30

No.

And she won’t want to spend her whole life saying ‘actually it’s pronounced the German way…’

Thea is nice.

Beatrice
Bridget
Beth

Eartha

PallasStrand · 29/08/2021 08:30

The WWII German howitzer and the first Mrs Rochester.

(And even then when Jean Rhys wrote the ‘prequel’ Wide Sargasso Sea, she decides that her suspicious, unfaithful new husband Rochester is the only one who calls her the stuffy, respectable ‘skirts on the piano legs’ Bertha, when her real name is Antoinette…)

MeredithGreyishblue · 29/08/2021 08:25

Bertha is either fat, mad or a machine.

And you can insist all you like but you'll get it pronounced Bertha more often than not! Unless you actually live in Germany / Austria/ Switzerland!

ShinyHappySummers · 29/08/2021 08:24

Bettina?

KaptainKaveman · 29/08/2021 08:24

Pretty unanimous then OP? Grin

elvis4nuts · 29/08/2021 08:24

Big Bertha.....

upaladderagain · 29/08/2021 08:23

Acorn Antiques

TeeBee · 29/08/2021 08:22

Good god no. Just don't.

MrsBertBibby · 29/08/2021 08:21

What about if I insist people pronounce it the germanic way: Berta?

Very Acorn Antiques.

Tinabn · 29/08/2021 08:20

Daughter of Charlemange, I think it peaked then. My DG was called Bertha and hated it. She was incensed that her parents used Louise as her middle name, tried to get them to use it when she was young, failed, tried to get everyone to call her Bee with limited success and then became known as Nan to everyone in the last twenty years of her life, which she loved!

YellowandGreenToBeSeen · 29/08/2021 08:20

Both versions are awful. AWFUL.

ShinyHappySummers · 29/08/2021 08:13

No. Just no.
How about Martha instead?

BritishSummertime · 29/08/2021 08:08

@Godwits

What about if I insist people pronounce it the germanic way: Berta?
But they won't as .you won't be there constantly (nursery, school etc)

Instantly thought Big Bertha. It's just an ugly sounding name to me

Godwits · 29/08/2021 08:06

What about if I insist people pronounce it the germanic way: Berta?

OP posts:
namechange7865 · 29/08/2021 08:04

I had a Grandma Bertha and I've always joked that's one name that could never make a come back....never had anyone disagree...

Gloschick · 29/08/2021 08:04
  • fond
Gloschick · 29/08/2021 08:03

I have v found memories of the kids tv show, but really wouldn't want to name a child that. How about Martha?

overnightangel · 29/08/2021 08:02

Another vote for my mind going straight to the cartoon 😂

Ffs 🤦🏻‍♀️

THisbackwithavengeance · 29/08/2021 08:01

OP, you are definitely taking the old lady chic name trend too far with this one.

Similar would be Bettina or Roberta. Both gorgeous.

JanglyBeads · 29/08/2021 08:00

First thing too come to my mind was Bathilda Bagshot in Harry Potter. OK a memory mix up, but no.

YukoandHiro · 29/08/2021 07:59

It's a machine on kids tv.

No.

silentpool · 29/08/2021 07:58

Awful. Please don't.

Heruka · 29/08/2021 07:56

I like the name itself and am surprised at the strong reactions, but I do agree it’s associated with ‘big’ in an unavoidable way and wouldn’t use it myself.