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Baby names

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

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Original poster

Philomena

59 replies

Rickandmortified100 · 23/01/2023 06:28

Okay I know I’ve posted too many threads, but I’m reading about saints and keep discovering names that I have never heard of before! Interested in what others think of them (although not necessarily planning to use any, more curious). What do you think of Philomena? I can’t decide it’s it’s really pretty with lovely nickname options, or just a bit much!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

sashh · 24/03/2023 05:40

I went to school with one, she was ace.

But when she first started school she couldn't understand why she had not learned to write her name unlike the Mary and Anne in her class.

user1492757084 · 24/03/2023 05:17

Philomena is smart. My daughter has a friend named Philomena.
She is a scientist and an author.
She is called MIn

Elspethelf · 24/03/2023 03:06

I love it! Nickname Minnie is too cute!

SemperIdem · 23/03/2023 22:36

The only Philomena I have ever met is quite elderly now and has hated her name her entire life. Enough so that she has gone by another name entirely for her adult life.

It’s a no from me.

Friedonyourfarmstonight · 23/03/2023 21:51

I can't hear the name Philomena without thinking of Philomena Begley so it's a no from me. She may not be that famous outside of Ireland.

Ringaroundtheroses · 23/03/2023 21:48

I love Philomena, it’s fresh and cool, Ava, Evie and Elsie will be the Debbie’s and the Sharon’s in 50 years time. Philomena is timeless. She could also be Pom or Lo.

SageRosemary · 23/03/2023 20:07

I did meet a lovely lady once who rocked the name Philomena. She was the mother of Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy.

Other than that I would agree with other posters who lumped the names in with Assumpta, Attacta, Concepta, these names came to my mind too before I read the full thread. It's the kind of baby name that makes people assume things about the parents who named her- full on religious, or traveller ethnicity, or under huge pressure from grandparents to honour someone in the family.

If you love your baby, PLEASE don't name her Philomena, there are so many lovely biblical/religious names out there - here are a few to consider Abigail, Anne, Elizabeth, Eve, Hannah, Leah, Mary, Maria, Miriam, Naomi, Rachel, Ruth, Joan, Therese. Even Bernadette is better than Philomena. If you absolutely love the name Philomena then use it for a second or third name.

Can you hear yourself? "Philomena, Philomena, PHILOMENA, come in now, your dinner is poured out"

StephanieSuperpowers · 23/03/2023 19:31

I wouldn't choose Bernadette, though. My Dad had a cousin called Bernadette and he used to call her Burntodeath. He was fond of her and certainly didn't wish her any harm of any kind but it really appealed to his bizarre sense of humour when she'd look back at him thinking, "did he really call me that"?

StephanieSuperpowers · 23/03/2023 19:27

StrychnineInTheSandwiches · 23/03/2023 19:14

Please.

Leaving Colette and Fidelma out of that list is such a Philomena move. Philomenas are always jealous of the Colettes and Fidelmas. The true power movers of the Catholic name crew.

Show quote history

I can't believe I overlooked them. A genuine oversight. I mean no insult to the Colettes and Fidelmas.

HayleyBean · 23/03/2023 19:17

Philomena Cunk makes this a hard no for me, even though the character is funny af!

StrychnineInTheSandwiches · 23/03/2023 19:14

StephanieSuperpowers · 23/03/2023 19:04

If you like the general vibe, there's Carmel, Dolores, Bridget, Assumpta, Concepta, Maria, Goretti, Bernadette, Lucia, Mariah...

Please.

Leaving Colette and Fidelma out of that list is such a Philomena move. Philomenas are always jealous of the Colettes and Fidelmas. The true power movers of the Catholic name crew.

StephanieSuperpowers · 23/03/2023 19:04

If you like the general vibe, there's Carmel, Dolores, Bridget, Assumpta, Concepta, Maria, Goretti, Bernadette, Lucia, Mariah...

Deadringer · 23/03/2023 18:57

Cranky aul irish woman is what it summons up for me. Awful.

Ponderoveryonder · 23/03/2023 18:52

sorry where JOE takes Philomena on a date. Long day!

JoyPeaceHealth · 23/03/2023 18:43

Purificación, Encarnación, Remedios!

Don't they make Philomena and Bridie sound good?

Ponderoveryonder · 23/03/2023 18:43

Always reminds me of the classic Royle family episode where Jim metres Philomena for a date and calls her filet-o-fish 😂😂
genius

SusiePevensie · 23/03/2023 18:41

Well, Sophia Loren played Filumena Marturano opposite Marcello Mastroianni in Marriage Italian Style.

JoyPeaceHealth · 23/03/2023 18:39

They sound quite spanish, old ladies in spain have worse names, instead of Brenda, Breda, Philomena, you have Asunción, Inmaculada, Dolores, and, my favourite and the mother of a friend, brace yourself, sit down for this one Angustias

Omg, who would do that to their child. It makes Breda feel light and airy in comparison.

Nap1983 · 23/03/2023 18:34

Mittens1717 · 24/01/2023 14:26

God no, very old fashioned old Irish lady, reminds me of convents and rosary beads, same with Assumpta, Concepta and Attracta, those names need to disappear forever

Yup… my mum has a Friend Concepta Cepta for short 🥴

Nap1983 · 23/03/2023 18:32

Is your baby going to be born a 75 yr old catholic? If not then step away. Too much trying to hard…

doctorwhonerd · 23/03/2023 18:28

Beautiful!! I know a set of quintuplets online who are called Philomena, Evangeline, Gideon, Elliot and Meredith (passed away sadly). The Philomena there goes by Mena 😊

Luredbyapomegranate · 24/01/2023 19:47

It makes me think of the 50s and a sort of drab depressed era.

Philippa is lovely and Phyllida is alright.

Mittens1717 · 24/01/2023 14:26

God no, very old fashioned old Irish lady, reminds me of convents and rosary beads, same with Assumpta, Concepta and Attracta, those names need to disappear forever

SeaweedGarters · 24/01/2023 12:58

StrychnineInTheSandwiches · 23/01/2023 15:20

You could just call her Mina, like Mina Harker from Dracula. I like Mina. If I met a tiny Philomena I'd definitely be on the phone to my mother to tell her. Obviously all the elderly Philomenas I know were little Philomenas once upon a time, but it's hard to imagine that they weren't born as 84 year olds, rosary beads in one hand a copy of Ireland's Eye in the other.

They were, they emerged from the birth canal like that!

mimbleandlittlemy · 23/01/2023 15:54

Goes with the surname Cunk for me:

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