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Baby names

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Original poster

Agnes vs Astrid?

58 replies

NorseMum · 13/06/2025 17:29

Hey! 👋

Which girls name is nicest: Agnes or Astrid?

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JabbaTheBeachHut · 13/06/2025 21:14

Needmorelego · 13/06/2025 19:26

I think Astrid is a fantastic name.
(the "ass" at the beginning wouldn't really be an issue because we don't generally as "ass" as a rude word in the UK - we say "arse")

Edited

But even if that was true (and due to Americanisms being so popular, especially amongst the young, I don't really think it is), 'ass' still means donkey.

SuperGinger · 13/06/2025 19:44

Agnes is a beautiful name

MoistVonL · 13/06/2025 19:33

Agnes is a housemaid or a nun - Lamb Of God.

Astrid is what Andrea tells everyone her name was when she moves to a new city and wants to be fey B and interesting, once she realises she can’t quite pull off Star.

WhereTheBeeSucks · 13/06/2025 19:29

I love Astrid.

Agnes feels a little harder in the mouth, like a boiled sweet, while Astrid is sparkly and fizzes.
As a norse mum (snap) you'll get the lovely r and d sounds too.

Needmorelego · 13/06/2025 19:26

I think Astrid is a fantastic name.
(the "ass" at the beginning wouldn't really be an issue because we don't generally as "ass" as a rude word in the UK - we say "arse")

Heartbreaktuna · 13/06/2025 19:26

Agnes. But I'm American...I wouldn't put ass at the start of any child's name!

JazzyBBBG · 13/06/2025 19:25

Astrid.

There ms a beautiful lady called Astrid in Homeland reminds me of her.

RuthW · 13/06/2025 19:20

Both awful

BeautifulPeopleGo · 13/06/2025 19:19

I don’t like either but Agnes is awful.

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 13/06/2025 19:04

P.S. I know of an Agnes who must be about 30 now. So it's not exclusively an old lady name.

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 13/06/2025 19:02
  1. Why is it a problem for a girl to have a 'harsh-sounding' name? I'd rather have a strong name than a wishy washy name, and it will last well through adult life.
  2. Agnes for me is a name I associate with Terry Pratchett, so by definition a good association. Agnes Nutter in Good Omens, Agness Nitt in Discworld.
  3. Agatha means good in Greek. Agnes means holy. More good associations.
  4. Agatha Christie - world's best-selling author! Best crime writer ever! Another terrific association.
  5. Bertie Wooster's Aunt Agatha - the very definition of a strong woman. Aunt Dahlia is better, but nobody messed with Aunt Agatha. So there's another one.
JabbaTheBeachHut · 13/06/2025 18:30

AutumnVi · 13/06/2025 18:27

Why are ppl commenting if they hate both?

Because 'neither' is a valid answer to the question.

AutumnVi · 13/06/2025 18:27

Why are ppl commenting if they hate both?

Moreteaandchocolate · 13/06/2025 17:53

I voted for Astrid, but my only worry is it getting shortened to Ass… (kids seem to call each other by one syllable versions of their names in secondary school round here). I still prefer it to Agnes though and I don’t like Aggie.

Michele09 · 13/06/2025 17:50

Both sound harsh. Prefer Anya.

wordywitch · 13/06/2025 17:46

Astrid is lovely. Agnes is okay.

modgepodge · 13/06/2025 17:45

I really don’t like either, nor the other suggestion of Agatha. Something about the ag bit sounds horrible to me. Not sure why I don’t like Astrid, maybe cos I just don’t think it sounds feminine.

I do know a couple of Astrids aged 5-10 though, so that’s the more popular one at the moment in my opinion (though still uncommon!) if that’s important to you.

JDM625 · 13/06/2025 17:45

Astrid is better IMO.

Agnes is awful. Sorry but I hate the way it sounds. The words Angst, angry, aggrieved all come to mind and are all negative! I also think of a warty, old witch. Maybe because of Agnes Moorehead in the Bewitched.

summerscomingsoon · 13/06/2025 17:43

Neither. both are awful.

But if yiu are Scandinavian then astrud more suitable

Idontknowhatnametochoose · 13/06/2025 17:42

Agnes is a hideous name.

Astrid ok

IHateWasps · 13/06/2025 17:41

I really don’t like either but Astrid is an improvement on the incredibly ugly Agnes.

yestothat · 13/06/2025 17:41

I love Agnes, nicknames Aggie or Nessie.
there aren’t any nicknames I like from Astrid though I suppose kids might shorten it to Ass

GoldenRosebee · 13/06/2025 17:41

NorseMum · 13/06/2025 17:29

Hey! 👋

Which girls name is nicest: Agnes or Astrid?

I like both... I would probably choose Agnes over Astrid, but I think Astrid may work better IRL.

JabbaTheBeachHut · 13/06/2025 17:39

Hate them both.

But to me, Agnes is very much still an old ladies' name.

nameXname · 13/06/2025 17:39

I really, really like Agnes - especially if pronounced in the NE Scottish way = Ann-ess. That's closer to French and other European pronounciations, as well.

Astrid - though fine - is rather trendy at the moment perhaps because of Scandi detective TV shows etc etc.

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