Philomena

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DH likes Phili/Phily/Phil for a girl
I like Mena

And I think it goes with a french surname.

So what do you think?

I like it. Different but not irritating. It's a yes from me.

I'm not too keen and think it would always be shortened/ nn. Personally I don't see the point of having one name, if you are always going to be known by another.

I love it. There was a play years ago called Philomena, I think about an Italian family, a whole Italian meal was cooked on stage. Great name.

honestly?

Kid will be called Philadeplhia at school.

Philly - Filly = horse

good luck with the pregnancy though.

Where I live its a real granny name (and not in the cool way ) or a nuns name.

I like it, though I don't like Phili/Philly/Phil as a nn - sounds like the cheese (plus my DH is from just outside Philadelphia).

I like Philo (I have a friend who goes by this), Mena or Ena.

Though I'm Irish and it is a bit of a granny name (not in a cool way) or nun's name (my secondary school had a sister philomena) though I still like it.

I agree it's a bit of a nun's name. Apart from that, there's nothing wrong with it. I had a friend at university called Phil (short for ...) as for all the other nnames .... well, you can make connections to anything if you try hard enough - I'm just not buying the Phil-Philly-Filly-horse thing! Do kids really operate at that number of removes?

Love it. Brilliant name. I have only ever met one Philomena (she was Irish) and everyone called her Phil.

I know a Filomena ..... she's a very lovely Italian lady.

Love your suggestion of nn Mena - would never dare shorten it to anything with this lady though

I went to schoool with one, I like it, she haed it.

I think it's elegant - I know a woman in her 60s called this. She's very beautiful and is always called by her full name.

Hideous, just awful.

A religion teacher with a moustache who tells you sex before marriage is a sin.

Hmmm, thanks
(interesting about ireland- guess my granny will raise a few eyebrows but don't mind that)
The nun thing may be a sticking point- but then you get nuns called Mary (maybe we should just call DC Mary-Patrick and be done with it)

The hunt continues

I can't see beyond the tramp called Philomena Flanagan who "lived" around our hall of residence when we were students.

Trying to be objective.... think it would work well with a french surname, but you'd have to be happy with all the potential shortened versions... you can pick the one you both like now, but her pals will ultimately decide as she gets older.

My granny was Rose Ann Philomena. I now think they are all beautiful names. And Mena is very different.

I know a Filomena. She is early 20s and has Italian parents. Never had any problems at school and friends called her Fil but now is known by her full name. I am of Irish background and intend to use it if we have another girl. Will spell it with a Ph, not an F though. Yes I know a few Irish grannies with this name too but so what the name is still lovely in my opinion.

I?m Irish and I also think Philomena is a foul name.

If she?s not a nun then she?ll be a spinster who is ?very active in the church?. She goes to confession every day, climbs Croagh Patrick in her bare feet and has flthy dreams about the parish priest. She will have elaborate plans to bump off any other spinster ladies, i.e. Majella, Theresa and Assumpta who give ?her? priest the glad eye.

or filthy even

sorry no likey

I agree with Squoosh :)

I know it's not the same name exactly, but the Philomel myth would put me right off.

at Squoosh

Squoosh - you have summed it up beautifully. In all my years on MN that is one of only a very few posts that have actually made me Laugh Out Loud

I like Philomena a lot - classic, feminine, sounds good in most languages and has lots of nicknames. And not overused (as so many names are these days) - what's not to like?!