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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To call my baby calliope?

414 replies

heathergray · 05/04/2017 17:41

Pronounced cal-y-oh-pee

Is it awful?

OP posts:
reuset · 06/04/2017 00:34

I'm hankering after a Callipo ice lolly now. Talk of them over on Baby Names on the 'Calypso' thread also! I think Calypso is better, personally.

reuset · 06/04/2017 00:39

Also, I was born in England but guess what, I learnt to spell my own name

Gosh, how clever of you, Jane. You sound rather angry, I must say Grin

Wtf is with some of these posters?
Text talk abbreviations? Hmm
Posters are simply pointing out the potential pitfalls, it's the done thing on these name threads, and very useful it has proved too.

Littledidsheknow · 06/04/2017 00:42

OP asked for others' opinions Jane. They gave them Hmm

Goldfishjane · 06/04/2017 00:44

Reuset, a poster gave that example about the kid spelling her name.

Yes I'm angry, it just seems like a lot of these criticisms are about it being a foreign name. It makes me wonder if people are taking the piss out of my name or just generally being racist about me and I don't know.

Then again, MN certainly feels more racist than real life, I guess because it's an anonymous board.

SailAwaySailAwaySailAway · 06/04/2017 00:45

I like it. Never seen the TV programme but I wouldn't have any difficulty pronouncing it. There are lots of more modern names that I find more difficult.

LassWiTheDelicateAir · 06/04/2017 00:46

Oh no. Never seen Gray's Anatomy so not getting the reference. I know it as one of the Muses.

If I were going for a Greek myth name I'd go for Phaedra, Callisto , Artemis, Athene, Ariadne, Thalia, Antigone or Demeter.

Littledidsheknow · 06/04/2017 00:54

What??? I have seen nothing remotely racist about this thread! A few posters thought that it may be a difficult name for some people to pronounce and spell, that's all.

reuset · 06/04/2017 00:54

Ok fair enough, but it's not worth getting cross about, honestly. Most names in the top 100 have foreign origins, more familiar, granted. I have a 'foreign' name myself. I don't think that's why it's receiving criticism. Many people, as I mentioned earlier, won't know it is Greek, won't know Greek 'rules' on how to pronounce, so will just see the difficulties.

Ask about the similar Persephone on Baby Names and that's a great favourite over there.

LassWiTheDelicateAir · 06/04/2017 00:56

Re pronunciation, I have a Persephone and after three years I can count the number of people who have mispronounced it on the fingers of one hand, which vaguely surprises me

Possibly the Persephone/ Hades myth is better known than 1 out of the 9 Muses ?

reuset · 06/04/2017 00:58

Persephone isn't very similar to Calliope actually Hmm Except that it's greek and follows similar pronunication pattern. There's a thread about Calypso, though, not a favourite of mine, but I bet that's doing better than Calliope because of Shakespeare and Camomile lawn!

LassWiTheDelicateAir · 06/04/2017 01:00

I much prefer Calypso or Callisto.

reuset · 06/04/2017 01:03

Possibly the Persephone/ Hades myth is better known than 1 out of the 9 Muses ?
Grin there was also the Persephone (Lady Persie) in the remake of Upstairs Downstairs. The name began to increase in popularity, in the stats, shortly after the series aired. Coincidence perhaps.

FairytalesAreBullshit · 06/04/2017 01:04

It's your baby OP so your choice Flowers

Hadenoughtoday · 06/04/2017 01:11

21 years ago my DH and I couldn't decide between Calandra or Calliope so we went for the shortened form and chose Cally. There weren't any others in her schools and it's unusual without being difficult to spell or pronounce

countrygirl55 · 06/04/2017 06:33

Is there a formula for working out how may posts it takes for someone to say racist/phobic?

Wando1986 · 06/04/2017 07:00

It's pronounced Cal-eye-oh-pea Hmm

Always reminds me of a Tropical Calippo.

user838383 · 06/04/2017 07:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Creampastry · 06/04/2017 07:04

I think you are opening the door to your kid being teased... YABU

Namechangearoo · 06/04/2017 07:29

As someone uncultured unaware of Greek muses and Grey's Anatomy, I would have pronounced that Cal-ee-ope (as in nope).
I wouldn't use it, but good learning opportunity for me Grin

Applebite · 06/04/2017 07:39

I am really confused by the melon references too. It sounds as much like cantaloupe as melon sounds like lemon - and presumably people have no problem with that!!

As i said upthread, it makes me think of eerie roundabouts turning by themselves in horror movie fairgrounds, so I wouldn't choose it, but I love Callie.

Deadsouls · 06/04/2017 07:43

It's a bit of a mouthful
Will be shorted to Cally I imagine

LassWiTheDelicateAir · 06/04/2017 08:22

As i said upthread, it makes me think of eerie roundabouts turning by themselves in horror movie fairgrounds

What is the reference there?

I don't like it. The sound is too close to calliper.

Littledidsheknow · 06/04/2017 08:24

Those old steam fairground organs are called calliopes, Lass

BarbarianMum · 06/04/2017 08:32

If you are going to give your child an unusual name you have to really love it because you will have to defend it a lot - esp in the early days (after which people get used to it).

I speak as one whose been there. We dont regret our choice of name and ds is perfectly happy with it but in the early days we did get the "that's asking for him to be bullied, what's wrong with George or Ben?" brigade.

LassWiTheDelicateAir · 06/04/2017 08:33

I didn't know that. I wonder why ? The only muse involving music is Terpsichore - for dance.

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