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Baby names

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Original poster

Thoughts on Winifred?

67 replies

ScarletOak · 25/06/2010 15:30

I really like it, which Winnie as a nickname.

What do you think?

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SlinkingOutsideInSocks · 26/09/2011 09:04

I have a great aunt Winnie (Winifred, Win), although she died long before I was born. I've only ever seen photos of her, but she looked extremely chic, in an Ethel from Just William sort of way. Her sister, my grandmother, was an Isobel. They were both very glamourous, so it has positive associations for me.

sonniebonnie · 26/09/2011 08:50

I thought it is a boys' name. I have an uncle called Winfred. Don't like it for either sex though.

loveabab · 25/09/2011 22:22

Think it's an awful name. Here in Ireland it's a name that's very common among our travelling gypsies - lots and lots of Winnie's. I agree that it's an old woman's name that shouldn't be revived and certainly doesn't evoke images of a beautiful looking girl or woman in the way other names do.

NadiaWadia · 25/09/2011 21:21

Around the turn of the last century my great-grandmother had three daughters and she named them Clara, Lily and Winifred.

Both Clara and Lily are now back in fashion, because now the old-lady association has faded a bit people can appreciate they are both pretty names.

Winifred however is not, and I'd suggest there's a reason for that. Even Gladys or Ermintrude would be better, and that's saying something!

(poor old Auntie Winnie)

NadiaWadia · 25/09/2011 21:09

Just no. The fact that it has 'fred' in it doesn't help either.

ceeceeanne · 25/09/2011 14:14

love and am considering although my other daughter hates it. She is 12 and has an old lady name but its now in vogue which she doesnt understand will probably happen with Winifred/Winnie too

flopsy1974 · 29/06/2010 09:34

Not keen - sorry.

nooka · 29/06/2010 07:07

I worked with a Winifred, known as Freda. She was lovely and seemed happy with her name. My dd has Frieda as a middle name after my grandmother, although she didn't like it much, mainly because she felt it reminded people that she was half German, which wasn't great during the War.

GnocchiGnocchiWhosThere · 29/06/2010 03:07

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GnocchiGnocchiWhosThere · 29/06/2010 03:06

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LaRagazzaInglese · 29/06/2010 02:01

Prefer Gwyneth, with nn Winnie.

Lonnie · 28/06/2010 21:35

I love it Dh's gran was Winni (not Winnifred) and I wanted to use it as a mn for one of our girls but dh said no

HerHonesty · 28/06/2010 20:34

one of daughters middle names... love it.

Firawla · 28/06/2010 20:20

quite cute it makes me think of a teddy cos of winnie the pooh, so it would be cute for a baby, i dont know whether embarrasing as they grow up though, but these days a lot of people are using old fashioned names so might just fit in?

Wonderstuff · 27/06/2010 22:36

My grandmother is a Winifred. Story goes she was the fifth child, her grandmother came to help her mother and got charged with registering the birth and picking a name! (I'm guessing that my poor great grandmother had pnd - being unable to muster the energy to name your daughter seems extreme) Anyway Great great granny picked her own name - Winifred - everyone else hated it. My grandmother never forgave her mother.

Down the pub my great-grandfather was asked what they had got (boy or girl) he replied 'Another Mary' My grandmother was always and still is called Mary.

mememe30 · 27/06/2010 22:34

I really really wanted my daughter to be called Winifred but have a long surname beginning with W and it would have sounded awful. Winifred is my grandmothers name.

SmellsLikeTeenSweat · 27/06/2010 22:29

No. It's not horrendous, but no. It sounds like beige comfy slacks to me, and who wants them when they could have something beautiful?

belledechocolatefluffybunny · 27/06/2010 22:27

Don't like it, there's too much scope for bullying (weener etc)

seenyertoeslately · 27/06/2010 22:26

Really don't like it, sorry.

LiquoriceLila · 27/06/2010 22:14

Awful sorry

EricNorthmansmistress · 27/06/2010 21:36

Don't do it. My mum is Winifred - it was old fashioned when she was a girl and she hated it. She got called Fred and Winnie the Pooh and still doesn't like it much (though she goes by Wini - I prefer it to Winnie if you really must)

LifeOfKate · 27/06/2010 21:00

I like it. My grandmother was called Winefred and if we ever have a DD, it will be her middle name

riojaguzzler · 27/06/2010 20:54

Sorry- don't like it!! It screams 'old lady' and agree with the Pooh jokes

AlfredaMantolini · 25/06/2010 21:53

'T'was my gran's name. She hated it. She would have been 98 yesterday. I was going to give it to DD as a middle name, but Mum and Gran both talked me out of it!

marriednotdead · 25/06/2010 21:52

Noooooooo. Agree with rockbird.

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