Hortense?

[Moopsy]

Hello,

I am French and dh is English. Dd is called Josephine and we are expecting another little girl.

Being French, I aboslutely LOVE the name Hortense (pronounced "hor-tawns"), and only get compliments from French people on the name and how graceful, feminine and elegant it is and what a beautiful choice it is for our new arrival. In France, this was the name of the adopted daughter of Napoleon who was very beautiful and kind, and Hortense Mancini another woman famous for her beauty and intelligence. It is a very classic name and quite popular back home.

However whenever I mention it to english speakers they look simply horrified.

So obviously some sort of cultural shock here...

As we will be living mostly in English speaking countries I don't want the little one to be bullied but I just don't quite understand where the issue is... I spot the word game with wh*re, which doesn't disturb me too much as kids will always find something. But what about the name itself? Why do I get such bad reactions from people?

Thanks for your help.

That's how I pronounced my maiden name

Houghton

I love your French pronunciation of it, ie Ortawnse its lovely - but I'm afraid I'm with your DH - if your are bringing her up in the UK there is no good NN to this name & she will get ridiculed because it - Whore being the most obvious

Can you perhaps go for an Anglicised respelling of it that keeps the beautiful French pronunciation, but without the awful English connotations - Ortanse perhaps ??

Moopsy., consider the lusophone form Hortensia, which sounds more feminine, and can be nicknamed tesinha, or tess. Is also pronounced with silent h. It is used for the flower we call hydrangea.

Don't like it at all I'm afraid. It is a harsh sounding name in the English language I think.

It doesn't sound nice pronounced in the English way, and in an Anglophone country that's how it will be pronounced, despite your best efforts. It's one of those names that just doesn't work in English, I'm afraid. Sorry.

Some of you need to practise your delivery. The OP was asking for an opinion, not a kicking.
The world is a big place and the op's child won't be tied down to a bunch of people who giggle at the slightest hint of a rude name. Where I live there are kids of every nationality and nobody would blink at a 'different' name.

Hortense is a lovely old name OP.

There hasn't been a kicking.

Reminds me of a Kenny Everett Sketch

"Is that Hortense?"
"No she's just hunching her shoulders"

Sorry OP but I am a-gen it.... if anyone has ever read 'Lace', Aunty Hortense was nick named 'Horse Sense'.

She was a wise ol' bird. Allegedly.

Hortense rhymes with Florence no?
I am French too, but I pn the same in English or French...

I think it's fine if you're going to live in France. In England, however, I don't think it works well. The pronunciation is nowhere near as nice and the meanings of the two separate sounds (whore tense), just aren't very nice. I think I'd pick something else if it was me - after all there are lots of beautiful French names for girls that sound good in either language.

Hortense Mancini. Didn't she have it away with Charles ii?

Don't like it, sorry.

My first name sounded very pretty in its original form but sounded like nails down a blackboard when pronounced in English. I was not happy about this & gave my mother a hard time about it as a teenager (why did you name me THAT?? My poor mum! Lol) so I switched to my middle name which was prettier & easier to say as it is an English name.

My advice would be to choose a different name. Sorry. If you are having to maybe talk yourself into choosing this name despite your doubts, it may not be the right one, no matter how much you want it to be. After all you are not the one who has to go through life with this name. Or if not, at least give her a middle name she can switch to if she grows up to feel the first name doesn't feel right for her.

Hortense is the name of the spotty girl with bad manners in Roald Dahl's 'Matilda'.
Bad connotations for me. And they don't say it right in this country either.

Horrrrtehns

Blimey, LookBehindYou, if you think that is a kicking, you ain't seen NOTHING yet. Just saying.

Well, quite! Everyone has been a model of politeness as far as I can see. If someone asks for opinions, we do them a disservice if we don't give honest ones.

I really like it, though would not have the guts to use it. A bit bold for me (and it pronounces better in languages other than English). It's a lovely old european name.

I would never have made the 'whore' connection without reading the above comments.

I don't like it, at all.

It sort of sits with Gertrude. Old fashioned, harsh sounding with english accents. Something like Amelie crosses the channel more intact.

Surely the reason people ask opinions on MN (rather than asking their RL friends) is because they want an honest opinion not a tactful one?

If we all gave tactful responses this board would be rather quiet

I've heard of Hortensia before but not Hortense.

I dont like it, sorry. But then I dont have to like it

I think it's a no no personally.

Hor = whore

Tense whore?!

Thank you so much for all your messages. It all gives me food for thought. While I love that name in France (pronounced or-tawns but I was trying to anglicise it), I wouldn't want her to taunted over it..

It was interesting to understand better how people would react to her name and why.

Hortensia wouldn't work. She would be mocked...in France!

Amelie is very 80s and quite common in France. Luckily I have 3 months to think again, loads of other bilingual names to consider until the birth. Probably 1 or 2 more threads on mumsnet to come.

Thanks again!

Fabienne?

Ahem - I like it.