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Original poster

Polly or Pauline?

80 replies

MommaAddie · 25/12/2024 21:21

Really struggling because meaning is important to me and Pauline means humble whereas Polly traditionally is a nickname for Mary which means bitter. I will call her Polly anyway but I love both so much can't decide.

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yipyipyop · 05/01/2025 06:44

Unless it's a family name I wouldn't bother with either. Both not very nice

WWY · 05/01/2025 06:41

This has to be a wind up 😆

RogueFemale · 05/01/2025 02:13

I dislike both Pauline and Polly, but Pauline is worse than Polly.

user1492757084 · 05/01/2025 00:57

Mary Paulina - Polly
Paula Mary Ellen - Polly
Polly Mietta - Mietta has a similar meaning to Pauline. Sweet little thing.

spectaclereceptacle · 04/01/2025 19:14

MommaAddie · 03/01/2025 23:04

I actually seriously considered Pollyanna But thought the Pollyanna novel persona would be too hard for her to live with. What do you think?

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I know two Pollyannas in their twenties and someone called Polly with Anna as her middle name.

I doubt very much it's a book that will be read by your child's generation, so her friends are unlikely to make any link.

Emanwenym · 04/01/2025 18:56

Moreteaandchocolate · 03/01/2025 23:23

Do you like Penelope nn Polly?

But why do that?

Pipsquiggle · 04/01/2025 18:41

MommaAddie · 03/01/2025 23:04

I actually seriously considered Pollyanna But thought the Pollyanna novel persona would be too hard for her to live with. What do you think?

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@MommaAddie

Why are you focussing on all these 'P' mawkish names?

There are hundreds if not thousands of beautiful girls names but you seem fixated on these 'P' names - why?

Moreteaandchocolate · 03/01/2025 23:23

Do you like Penelope nn Polly?

BESTAUNTB · 03/01/2025 23:12

Polly or Paulina. Or Mary.

hideawayforever · 03/01/2025 23:10

I don't think Pauline is ready for a comeback yet, it's awful. Definitely go with Polly

pollypocket90 · 03/01/2025 23:09

My middle name is Pauline as it's my grandmothers name and I've always hated it and used to tell people I didn't have a middle name! All family called me Polly though!

saltandvinegarchipsticks · 03/01/2025 23:07

I hate my old lady name but my god it’s not as bad as Pauline. You can’t do that to a baby in 2025.

Polly isn’t my cup of tea but it’s nowhere near as awful as Pauline. I do absolutely hate Pollyanna though, so twee.

Emanwenym · 03/01/2025 23:06

She'll be glad you didn't

Original poster
MommaAddie · 03/01/2025 23:04

FloofPaws · 25/12/2024 22:14

Polly for sure, Pauline isn't going to make a come back - Pollyanna maybe if you want something longer?

I actually seriously considered Pollyanna But thought the Pollyanna novel persona would be too hard for her to live with. What do you think?

OP posts:
OrchardBlack · 02/01/2025 17:16

My names Polly and I'm a bad ass.

moonshinepoursthroughmywindow · 31/12/2024 22:00

I like Polly a lot. If anyone doesn't think it sounds like a complete, adult name, I will just tell you that I used to know someone with that name who was adult enough to have a responsible, professional job, get married, have children and run marathons! (And I know it was her full name because I saw the wedding invitations.)

I don't dislike Pauline, but it feels a bit nothingy to me. For some reason Paulina looks and sounds much more interesting - international and free of associations with any one particular age group. Polly has been used as a short form of Paulina (including in the novel Villette by Charlotte Brontë) so don't let anyone tell you it can't be. But I also think Polly makes a perfectly good name in its own right. I wouldn't worry too much about the meanings as they haven't stopped people from using Mary and Paul (maybe not so much the feminine forms of Paul until more recently) a lot for hundreds of years.

Alleycat321 · 29/12/2024 15:58

My great-grandmother was named Polina.

VenusClapTrap · 29/12/2024 15:39

Polly is a great name.

Plus you could wind her up endlessly as a teenager by saying “Polly put the kettle on” to her when she’s a teenager, and watch those eyes roll while you laugh like a drain at your own joke, every single morning.

BootballJoy · 29/12/2024 13:21

Polly for sure. Paulina if you need a longer version, like the character in Villette.

Brodpit · 28/12/2024 21:35

Polly all the way.

IamnotwhouthinkIam · 26/12/2024 21:26

Pauline is very dated and has a slightly unpleasant sound to boot imo.Unfortunately it’s up there with Doreen and Maureen in style, rather than the bit more classic Kathleen, Christine and Jacqueline of the 50’s/60’s names. Paula isn’t that much better - the sound is slightly nicer, but it’s still quite dated (just to a decade or two later than Pauline).

I’d at least go for something like Appoline or even Paulina (the A makes all the difference) - they are still used by younger women elsewhere in Europe so don’t sound quite as dated to me, more “Euro Chic” (at least from a UK perspective)

Nothing wrong with Polly, just not my personal taste as I can’t get past the parrot and children’s nursery rhymes. It’s probably a popular hipster type name though - I’m not very trendy 🤣

MrsCarson · 26/12/2024 16:02

Pauline means small, still not a good name, nor is Polly.

BettyBardMacDonald · 26/12/2024 15:27

Mum2jenny · 25/12/2024 21:53

I prefer Pauline, Polly is a name for a parrot. Pauline is a proper name for a child, Polly is a nickname.

Exactly this.

Give her options for when she's an adult.

SoySaucy · 26/12/2024 15:24

Pauline is a hideous name. Polly is lovely but growing in popularity (don’t know wether that bothers you particularly)

Waterboatlass · 26/12/2024 15:24

Pauline!!! I love mid century names and you'll be ahead of the curve. Polly for short.