Amelia or Temperance?

[TransatlanticCityGirl]

Hello!

I'm having a bit of an internal debate about two girl names I quite like...

I have always loved the name Amelia. I found it in my family tree many years ago before it became popular again.. one of the earliest female ancestors I could trace (back in the 1600s!) was called Amelia and I immediately fell in love with the name. I also like it because it makes me think of Amelia Earhart and I think it would be cool for my daughter to share a name with such an amazing woman. The husband loves this name too, so it sounds like a winner... except that in the last couple of years, it has become very popular in the UK, and I am not keen to give my child a name that will be very common. (How dare those other parents choose this name!! LOL)

The other name I like is Temperance. I came across it in the tv show 'Bones', where the lead character is called that, or Tempy for short. It's quite unusual / unique (a fairly important driver for me), and I think it sounds sweet. I also like it because then my daughter would share the same initials as me (as no matter which name we choose, her middle name will be Catherine, which is also my middle name).

So what would you go for?

Amelia
or
Temperance (Tempy for short)
???

I like both :)

Temperance is awful, please don't inflict it on your child

It may sound pretty but you can't ignore the meaning which is dreadful. I mean, Chlamydia sounds pretty, but you wouldn't call your child by that would you.

I find Amelia a bit dull.Perfectly nice name, just a bit pedestrian.

I like Temperance and Clemency is also very nice.

How about Serenity or Mercy?

temperance is ghastly as is tempy.you are trying too hard.as for copying name of the telly.yuck thats not sweet,is corny

temperance is probably the worst name I've ever heard on MN - and that's fucking saying something.

It's truly truly hideous - please don't ever burden/scar a child with it.

I have an Amelia and, obviously, I like it but it is very popular in the UK. However we have now moved abroad so it's not a problem.

I know you have a family connection to the name but just in case it's useful, I also liked Antonia and Claudia.

Temperence is an awful name, sorry.

Confession time: I like Temperance and wanted to use it if I ever have another DD. Might not now.

Amelia is lovely wouldn't be gone Temperance sorry just a bit of a mouthful and Tempy just doesn't make up for it... Sorry

In Bones, when Angela becomes pregnant,she says she would like Temperance to be the baby's godmother and that if it's a girl they will name her Temperance.

The she adds something like "only as a middle name, we would never use it obviously as it is horrible"

Oh please tell me you are joking about Temperance

Temperance is gorgeous.
Amelia very over used

I love temperance- wanted to use it if i'd had a DD.

Amelia

Temperance seems rather puritanical.

As others have said, you're tempting fate if you name your DD Temperance. Be like naming a daughter Chastity and her growing up to be a bit of a trollop floozy.

I like Amelia though

I just think of Temperance Brennan (Bones and Kathy Reichs books) when I see that name.

Temperance is awful, sorry.

Amelia may be 9th most popular in UK, but I don't know any Amelias.

Do you?

That is more important than s statistic, IMO.

i know loads and Amelies

Are you a 17th Century puritan? If not, steer clear of Temperance, please. It means something rather more obviously than most names and unless you are yourself a rabid teetotal, I can't imagine why you'd want to inflict it on a child.

Book uses it ironically and she's nicknamed Tempe, not Tempy. Since she's bilingual, I have a feeling it's pronounced 'Tem-peh' not Tem-pee, anyway.

I think Temperance has a nice meaning. What's wrong with a bit of restraint in a world full of the opposite? No-one is saying you have to be teetotal, any more than someone called Faith, Grace, Constance, Hope, Charity have to live up to their name precisely.

tempy or temp reminds me of tampon

I have an Amelia and have loved it for many years, didn't really know how popular it was when we named DD (didn't no any small children then) but didn't care when I found out.

It is popular round here - 3 Amelias in our dance class, DD also has 3 friends called Amelie.

Doesn't bother me in the SLIGHTEST that it's popular. We mostly shorten in to Amy though which I never really hear.