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Original poster

Does Thea have to have to be nickname for something longer or just Thea?

27 replies

emmyloo2 · 03/04/2013 23:43

Hi, one of the names of our shortlist is Thea. I am just wondering whiter it needs to be Dorothea or Theodora on the birth certificate? I am a big stickler for full names not nicknames as the "proper" name. I.e. I love Betty but would only ever have Elizabeth on the birth certificate. However, I am not sure I can pull Theodora or Dorothea off, if you know what I mean? For example, I am imagining family asking her name just after she is born and I would feel a little silly saying theodora but would feel quite happy saying Thea. Is it a proper name in it's own right?
Thanks!

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bruffin · 03/04/2013 23:55

I know a Thea who is just a Thea. Its Greek origin meaning goddess so a namein its own right.

UnnamedFemaleProtagonist · 03/04/2013 23:58

I love Thea and Theo. BUT fee-ah puts me off. It's more of a likely occurrence than you would expect. IME

Devora · 04/04/2013 00:00

Thea is a name in itself. A beautiful name.

LapsedPacifist · 04/04/2013 00:01

How about Anthea?

mumnosbest · 04/04/2013 00:02

I knew a Christothea and Georgiathea. Both greek girls shortened ti Thea. Also Althea but i prefer Thea on its own.

KittenOfDoom · 04/04/2013 00:12

Thea sounds a bit unfinished to me, although I know its derivation. The longer names are all beautiful so I would go for one of those anyway.

BackforGood · 04/04/2013 00:28

I don't know the "history" of the name, but I know a 19 yr old and an 8 yr old who are both "just" called Thea.

MidnightMasquerader · 04/04/2013 01:56

It is a name in its own right but it does seem very unfinished to me, plus the 'th' sound is notoriously difficult for some non-English speakers. Sort of like getting non-Spanish speakers to say 'Jorge' in anything approaching the right way. Grin To me it's more like a sound than a name ... but, it is a name of its own.

I likewise, definitely prefer full names on BC, but this is one you could get away with, like Kate.

BrittaPie · 04/04/2013 01:59

I know an Althea, lovely name and a lovely baby :-)

Only issue is, I have a bit of a lisp and find it hard to say. Now, obviously, some random person not being able to say your childs name is neither here or there, but I have a name myself with a sound in that I struggle to say, and that is very hard to live with.

anonymosity · 04/04/2013 03:57

I met a Thea who was just that, and it was I thought a very cool name.

bigbluebump · 04/04/2013 07:35

I love Theodora! Agree about the pronunciation of th but think that Teodora sounds just as nice (while Tea sounds a little unfinished).

Wishfulmakeupping · 04/04/2013 09:15

Yy to Althea also Athea is nice as well

lockets · 04/04/2013 09:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

HilaryM · 13/04/2013 21:35

We have a Bethea in our family

Fifi2406 · 20/04/2013 14:35

I like just Thea!

squoosh · 20/04/2013 15:12

I think Thea is lovely and doesn't need a longer version at all.

Theodora? Eeeeek.

LittleDonkin · 20/04/2013 19:29

I have always loved the name Thea and I was going to use it for my DD but my sister had a DD 3 months before I gave birth and she called her daughter Sophia which gets shortened to Fia and it sounds too similar Sad

Theas18 · 20/04/2013 19:35

Thea is just Thea here Smile

The Feeee yah thing lasted a little while in primary but it blew over fast really.

Rarely a new person will call her taya but that's not often.

massagegirl · 21/04/2013 07:40

Thea is what this bump is going to be. Love it. Have had nothing but positive feedback. Name is its own right... We love it!

BrienneOfTarth · 21/04/2013 07:50

I know a Thea who is just a Thea so you certainly could do that - but I think it's nice to give a longer name that can be shortened in a number of ways so that a child can choose their own identity later.

I like Anthea, also Cynthia.

cece · 21/04/2013 07:52

DS1 was going to be Thea.

We were unsure whether to just have Thea or Alethea/Althea but in the end it didn't matter as he was a he.

TheFowlAndThePussycat · 21/04/2013 08:01

My Thea is just Thea! We do get Feee-Aaaa but then I have a TH in my name too, so I'm used to it. Plus, our Thea is a bit 'bull-in-a-china-shop' about life, so some family members call her 'no fear'. Grin.

For what it's worth it is one of those names that she has grown into, when she was a baby I occasionally thought perhaps we should have gone for Rosie, or Daisy or something (just because she's petite and pink-cheeked and button-nosed) but I'm glad we stuck with Thea, I think it will serve her well as an adult.

DD1 has shortened it to Fifi though, which drives DH nuts, but I think is quite cute.

TheFowlAndThePussycat · 21/04/2013 08:05

If I'd have had to choose, I'd have gone with Theodora, as Dora is a lovely name too. However, I heard a woman shouting 'Theeeeooodooooraaaaaah' across a soft play once, and it was pretty hard not to cringe Grin.

Joycey29 · 21/04/2013 08:07

I'm an Anthea and my niece is just Thea.
Love both - up to you whether Thea feels unfinished...... :)

mamaduckbone · 21/04/2013 08:10

My ds goes to school with a Thea and she's a very cool feisty little girl-lovely name.

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