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)
???

[panettoinydog]

Tempah is quite in just now

[SoupDragon]

Holy crap, why would you call a child Temperance??

[CheckeredFlag]

See, this is why Amelia is very over-used, along with Mia, Eva, Grace, Isla, etc...because lots of the genersl population really like these names. But you say you want a unique name, which means choosing one that the general population don't all love. So therefore if you want a unique name choose the opposite of the one that all the people on an internet forum tell you to!

[SoupDragon]

You can have an unusual name without saddling a child with a horror.

[panettoinydog]

Temperance has such grim connotations.

[GoldFrakkincenseAndMyrrh]

Not Temperance. I like the sound, DH too, but the meaning/connotations put me off. Both big Bones fans btw! DH not being English doesn't get why I object and just goes on the name, which I'd agree is pretty, but people will almost always do a double take and she will probably hate you in later life. Sorry :(

Plenty of other lovely unique names out there.

Imogen is lovely (but I'm not allowed it).

[SpringHeeledJack]

Temperance- booze hound

by the same token

Grace- stompy
Verity- fibber
Chastity- you know what
Charity- stingy
Faith- cynical
Joy- grumpy

[FrustratedHippy]

Ruby - pale hair/face
Dawn - never gets up
Goldie- a goth
Hope- a depressive

the list is endless

Temperance rocks

[A1980]

Temperance is horrendous as the nn Tempy.

If you like names that sound like that though, how about Clemency with Clemmie as a nn.

[frazzledmama]

I like Amelia - it's my choice for my baba god willing (due June).
Just a thought about Temperance - if it's mainly the sound you're after and not the actual virtue, how about Tiempe - (pronounced Ti-em-pay) - which is Italian for time.
xxx

[Hatterbox]

Temperance is beautiful.

I hate, hate, hate, hate the name Amelia. It's the name of the birth defect for babies born without limbs, so why it's used as a name, I'll never know!

[greenzebra]

I dont mind it considering the names I have just read on the worst names thread. But tempy is not a nice nn how about 'temmy' i think thats better.
It is a name after all, temperance.

[LaTristesse]

Definitely Amelia. Sorry, I think Temperance is awful.

[GabySolis]

I agree with the majority on here, and have to say Temperance is a truly awful name. Just sounds so harsh.
Amelia is nice, and Imogen is a lovely name - I'd go with Imogen, it's beautiful.

[BeatriceLaBranche]

Just go for Bones. Catchy.

[MrsAlanKey]

Amelia reminds me of a bucket full of meal worms for some reason. I quite like Temperance but I don't like it enough to put up with everyone thinking I'm nuts iykwim. What about Constance?

[ensure]

I don't think Temperance is that bad!
Amelia is too common for me.

[womma]

Amelia is a lovely name. The shortened forms are great too - Mille, Minnie etc.

My gran was christened Amelia but known as Min, which I love. I wanted to use it for DD but the awful Minnie Driver put me off (don't let it put you off though!!)

[Stars22]

Sorry i dont like either name at all. I would definatley go for Imogen, much nicer and where i am its not very common atall.

[IwishIwasmoreorganised]

Tempy

Imi

Why don't you just choose a name that you like in the first place?

I'm not saying that children shouldn't have shortened names but this seems to be an overriding factor in the name that you're going to choose. If you like short and snappy just go for it.

[Sequins]

Amelia.

[womma]

Temperance has got a booze connection - why would you want to do that do a child?!

[Beer2013]

Can't believe all the awful comments about the name temperance. I love the name Temperance so much I called my youngest daughter Temperance. Born 6/4/14 Temperance Olivia Lydia Beer. 8lb5oz. Her nicknames are Tempy...yes spelt with a Y. Templetoonie. Templeton are the nicknames her brother and sister call her. She is an amazing little girl.

[Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost]

I think you're a bit OOD, Beer. This thread is 5 years old.

[Sophronia]

I'm definitely in the minority but I prefer Temperance to Amelia