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Baby names

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

Original poster

Hephzibah

86 replies

Flangelica · 09/07/2022 05:34

Is this name outrageous? I've always loved it - knew one, nicknamed 'Ephy' which is also one of my favorite nicknames. And the meaning is lovely. But it's too much, isn't it?

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ElEmEnOhPee · 09/07/2022 11:38

DrDetriment · 09/07/2022 08:19

If you are Jewish then why not. It's quite pretty. Bit of an odd name to choose if you are not though.

Is it really an odd choice for someone who isn't Jewish? I've come across the name a few times in my family tree and they were Welsh Methodists 🤔

EarringsandLipstick · 09/07/2022 11:27

It's terrible. The fact you've to think of NN ti make it work.

I could only imagine someone like Jacob Rees-Mogg using it.

EarringsandLipstick · 09/07/2022 11:26

Snog · 09/07/2022 08:15

I once had a sheep called this.

😂😂😂

Jessbow · 09/07/2022 11:24

its a biblical name. Hep-zee-baa.

I like it. lots of nicknames could be derrived from it

Hep/Heppy
Zizi/Zaza
Baba
ZeeBee

iklboo · 09/07/2022 11:24

I've loved it since reading Carrie's War.

Wormwoodgal · 09/07/2022 11:21

Nice name, but it might be shortened to Hep or Heppie by her friends - or Zib or Zibbie? Or Bah?

KirstenBlest · 09/07/2022 11:20

I like it but it's very Silas Marner. I always want to spell it Hepzibah and have to remind myself that it's Hephzibah

OttersMayHaveShiftedInTransit · 09/07/2022 11:19

For people saying it will be misspelled all the time - Amy is misspelled all the time.
Yep never see the spelling argument used against Cla(i)r(e) or Steven/Stephen.

OttersMayHaveShiftedInTransit · 09/07/2022 11:14

Would never have used it (don't have a girl so could never have used it) but I secretly love it - Silas Marner is one of my favourite books so Eppie is on my list of love it but know it would have been vetoed by DH character names (also see Silas, Gilbert, Marilla, Bathsheba, Perdita etc). I don't regard it as hard to pronounce and lots of old testament names are popular at the moment without a need to be Jewish. Plus the meaning is lovely.

Quirkycarrot · 09/07/2022 11:10

I haven't met one in real life but first came across the name in Silas Marner. Also there was one in Harry Potter if my memory serves me correctly. So it's unusual but not outlandish.

barelyfunctional · 09/07/2022 11:09

I love it! I came across it in a book when I was little (Carrie’s war, I think) and have loved it ever since!

puddingandsun · 09/07/2022 11:03

*non- outrageous

puddingandsun · 09/07/2022 11:01

It's the first I've heard of it today and I really like it.

You know someone and so do other people on the thread so surely that makes it non-outrages.

For people saying it will be misspelled all the time - Amy is misspelled all the time.

Also, I think people are perfectly able to manage longer names and you don't know which names will be the coolest by the time baby is five - may be the next Disney princess will be named that!

elenacampana · 09/07/2022 10:50

Maireas · 09/07/2022 05:41

I rather like it. It's no worse than Hermione or Penelope.
I once went to a Yehudi Menuhin concert and his sister Hephzibah was accompanying. I thought it was a lovely name.

You’re seriously comparing this name with Hermione and Penelope? Get real.

RaspberryChouxBuns · 09/07/2022 10:48

Ooh I love it OP, I wouldn't be brave enough to use it though.

Luredbyapomegranate · 09/07/2022 10:44

I like it.

I don’t see an issue - I mean Persephone and Ophelia are quite popular - I don’t see a difference. The days of everyone being called Claire or Rachel are long gone.

Go for it. Just give her a simple middle name so she revert to that if she wants.

HouseofHolbein · 09/07/2022 09:38

ILoveYoga · 09/07/2022 08:40

I suppose if your family belongs to a community that would understand the name, know how to pronounce it etc. then go for it.

im not in that type of community so to me, I dint know how to pronounce it, (will go google it) and think you’d be lumbering a child with a name that would forever be an issue having to repeatedly pronounce it for people,, spell it out , put up with misspelling and wierd pronunciation, potentially being made fun of school

It's no more out there than Klowy of Feebee or Kodeyii all of which I have known personally...

Don't reckon kids get teased for names anymore 🤷‍♀️

ILoveYoga · 09/07/2022 08:40

I suppose if your family belongs to a community that would understand the name, know how to pronounce it etc. then go for it.

im not in that type of community so to me, I dint know how to pronounce it, (will go google it) and think you’d be lumbering a child with a name that would forever be an issue having to repeatedly pronounce it for people,, spell it out , put up with misspelling and wierd pronunciation, potentially being made fun of school

Flippettyflip · 09/07/2022 08:31

Awesome. Zibah for short.

RJnomore1 · 09/07/2022 08:29

I love it but I would not be brave enough to use it. See also Bathsheba.

Luckingfovely · 09/07/2022 08:28

I think it's a great name!

DrDetriment · 09/07/2022 08:19

If you are Jewish then why not. It's quite pretty. Bit of an odd name to choose if you are not though.

Snog · 09/07/2022 08:15

I once had a sheep called this.

olympicsrock · 09/07/2022 08:15

I think it’s a tricky name to be honest

Soontobe60 · 09/07/2022 08:13

No, it’s awful. How do you pronounce it? Give the kid a break and choose a less hippy name!