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Original poster

Theodora Lainey

55 replies

CaitlinRo · 07/10/2026 09:38

What’s your thoughts?

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Ruthietuthie · 09/10/2026 01:26

LOVE IT. Gorgeous.
In fact, if I wasn't nearly 50 and people might think it odd, I would change my name. Who wouldn't want to BE Theodora Lainey? Cool, feminine, gorgeous.

SquirrelGG · 09/10/2026 03:52

Lovely, and they sound great together.

Philandbill · 09/10/2026 05:26

I like them both but don't think they go very well together. How about Dorothea rather than Theodora?

Empress13 · 09/10/2026 05:54

Calliopespa · 07/10/2026 16:56

I actually think some of the female versions of male names are among the most feminine and pretty names. Georgiana, Henrietta, Frederica, Caroline...

All very frilly and rather lovely.

It's names like Madison and Blake that sound like the parents wanted a boy to me.

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How is Caroline a male name? OP I don’t like Lainey but as it’s a family name then I understand why you’ve chosen it.

Calliopespa · 09/10/2026 18:08

Empress13 · 09/10/2026 05:54

How is Caroline a male name? OP I don’t like Lainey but as it’s a family name then I understand why you’ve chosen it.

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Caroline is a feminine form of Charles, just as Henrietta is a feminine form of Henry and Edwina of Edwin.

Empress13 · 09/10/2026 18:09

Calliopespa · 09/10/2026 18:08

Caroline is a feminine form of Charles, just as Henrietta is a feminine form of Henry and Edwina of Edwin.

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Well I never ! You learn something new everyday!

JustWalnut · 09/10/2026 18:15

It's awful, sorry. Lainey is surely a nickname rather than the grandmother's actual name?!

Calliopespa · 09/10/2026 18:17

Empress13 · 09/10/2026 18:09

Well I never ! You learn something new everyday!

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Yes, both Caroline and Charlotte are.

HugoThatway · 09/10/2026 19:27

Philandbill · 09/10/2026 05:26

I like them both but don't think they go very well together. How about Dorothea rather than Theodora?

They want Theodora

Daffodilsinthespring · 09/10/2026 21:04

Lovely

Denim4ever · 09/10/2026 21:44

Sorry I don't like either. Close family named Elaine was called Lainey by her mum. She really hated it but loves her proper name.

LiquoriceAllsorts2 · 09/10/2026 22:04

I like it, they sound good together

mellongoose · 10/10/2026 05:35

I don’t mind it at all. I know a Theodora that goes by Theo and she’s cool and confident.

Is Lainy short for Elaine?

SandSandwich · 10/10/2026 05:47

I thought you must be a Lainey Wilson fan til I read it was a family name. I’m not keen on Theodora, the one I know has always been called Dora.

Shloopie · 11/10/2026 01:07

I'd much rather be called Lainey than Theodora. Theodora is clunky and austere, and not appealing in any way to me. Thea if you must.

KingofQueens · 11/10/2026 01:14

I have a Theodora. She's fully Theodora at school (never shortened) but mainly Ted at home. I don't particularly like Lainey on its own, but it actually sounds lovely with Theodora.
I know an adult Teodora, known as Teo which I also love.

purpleblast · 11/10/2026 02:21

I would have happily disliked the name Laney, but I’ve met one now and it suits her so much and I love it. All names are weird and made up initially but once you get used to them they’re fine

Newname26 · 11/10/2026 02:35

Laney definitely sounds like a nickname. I think I'd be checking the Grannys birth cert before running with that.

Theodora is ripe for shorting Theo or Dora

Pinkychilla · 11/10/2026 04:24

I like Theadora better Thea for short

MonsteraDeliciosa · 15/10/2026 13:11

Theodora is an excellent name: strong and elegant.
It’s actually my mums middle name, and she always hated it and thought it stuffy. But she’s 79 now, things change and names come back around into fashion.

Theodora Lainey is a great name.

Crushed23 · 15/10/2026 13:16

I’ve never heard of the concept of giving a child a name because you wanted them to be the opposite sex? Do people really do this?!

Anyway, I actually prefer Lainey to Theodora, but I live in the US where Lainey is a lovely, no-so-uncommon name.

Calliopespa · 15/10/2026 13:54

Shloopie · 11/10/2026 01:07

I'd much rather be called Lainey than Theodora. Theodora is clunky and austere, and not appealing in any way to me. Thea if you must.

It's funny you say clunky because I don't like Dora, I don't much like Thea but wedge them together and I think they become something altogether far prettier and softer.

ToKittyornottoKitty · 15/10/2026 13:56

Calliopespa · 15/10/2026 13:54

It's funny you say clunky because I don't like Dora, I don't much like Thea but wedge them together and I think they become something altogether far prettier and softer.

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I think it sounds like the parents couldn’t make up their mind or wanted a ‘proper’ name for Thea and so made one up

StockingsByTheFire · 15/10/2026 14:06

Theodora is ok. Sounds quite pretentious, like the influx of Hugos and Ottilies. Historically more upper/ upper middle class name, so like it or not, if you aren't, and then give your child one of those type names, you look a bit image obsessed.

Isadora? Although that's a bit wizardy I guess. Eleanor?

Lainey reminds me of that thing that went viral from the American woman who wanted to choose from Kayleigh-Naveigh, McKartlynn-Leigh etc.

Calliopespa · 15/10/2026 14:10

ToKittyornottoKitty · 15/10/2026 13:56

I think it sounds like the parents couldn’t make up their mind or wanted a ‘proper’ name for Thea and so made one up

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Only it's been used since way back - eg Saint Theodora was a Byzantine empress, and the name means gift of God, so to me works more intuitively together than split. And there is also Theodore ... which doesn't sound slammed together.

Anyway, I'm not going to turn myself inside out defending it. I quite like it, but it isn't a great favourite of mine.