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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Persephone?

50 replies

Dimitiesofblue · 17/08/2013 17:34

Would love honest opinions on this name, please. Not sure how popular it is really, so if anybody knows of a Persephone that would be interesting to hear.
Apparently you can also spell it Persephonie to help others with pronunciation, but I think personally if you're going to have to spell it out anyway you may as well use the proper spelling.

And is Posy a far fetched nickname?

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Michellephant · 17/08/2013 17:38

I think Posy is an acceptable nickname from Persephone personally. I like the name as well but it would need a certain sort of surname to follow it to not sound too OTT! How many syllables is your surname?

Bakingtins · 17/08/2013 17:38

I know an "Effie" who I always assumed might be a Persephone (or possibly Josephine?) It's a bit of a mouthful for a baby, but certainly unusual. I doubt there would be another in her class.

Dimitiesofblue · 17/08/2013 17:38

Two syllables.

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Dimitiesofblue · 17/08/2013 17:39

Would two syllables work do you think?

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Michellephant · 17/08/2013 17:43

Possibly! Again, it would then come down to the sounds and whether they flow nicely or seem a bit overkill! I think it could work with a lot of two syllable names though.

I'd be concerned about the nickname Posy as she gets older though. I think it sounds quite baby-ish so she might want an older sounding shortened version of her name but I'm not sure what she would be able to get out of Persephone. She might just be happy with Persephone though and not be too bothered about it being such a mouthful!

Panzee · 17/08/2013 17:44

Percy is quite a funky nickname.

Meggymoodle · 17/08/2013 20:07

I love the name and would go with the proper spelling. Everyone managed Hermione after a while didn't they?! Percy would be the coolest nickname ever.
Posy...not so much.

Mumblyboo · 17/08/2013 21:12

Yes I know one. The name is gorgeous as is she! Persey for short.

PourquoiPas · 17/08/2013 21:16

I love it! I wanted touse it for DD but DH used his veto :( nn Sephy or Percy.

LeGavrOrf · 17/08/2013 21:19

I think it is a lovely name. Definitely don't change the spelling though, that would be awful IMO.

You never really know what nicknames you will use with your children. My dd is called Sophia yet her family nickname is Johnny for obscure reasons. Her friends call her Phia.

Percy is a very cool short version I think.

Go for it, I think it's a beautiful name.

tywysogesgymraeg · 17/08/2013 21:20

Persephone was queen of the underworld. I think it's a bit pretentious. Sorry.

Michellephant · 18/08/2013 11:04

I thought Percy would be a cool nickname but it isn't to everyone's taste. I think names seem cooler when you are an adult but a teenage girl being called Percy? Might not go down well at school :p

Pinupgirl · 18/08/2013 11:10

Unless you are old money,own horses and play polo then it is very try hard imo. Screams mc wannabe. Lovely name but I just cant imagine any child on a council estate being called Persephone.

But if you love it then use it.

Dimitiesofblue · 18/08/2013 11:22

So the middle classes, working classes and people on council estates (from various classes I'm guessing?) can't use classical/mythological names? I'm afraid I don't understand.

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Pinupgirl · 18/08/2013 12:21

Yes you do. You are just being disingenuous. I live on a largely council estate btw before I get accused of snobbery. Op asked for opinions and imo Persephone is a name that unless you live in a certain circle will drawHmm looks from people.

charleslingus · 18/08/2013 15:28

Looks from people are unimportant. If you go through life not doing things you want to in order to avoid 'looks from people' You're in for a boring time.

I think it's a beautiful name, I have a similar 'p' mythological name and always get a positive reaction. Each to their own and as long as you know people will have their own opinions about it go ahead and use it happily, confidently and unapologetically whilst not giving a stuff.

Dimitiesofblue · 18/08/2013 16:11

Hmm. I'm boringly middle class, lower middle if you like. It might make me seem aspiring to climb the rungs of the middle class ladder?

And I really am grateful for opinions, good or bad. Just mulling over some interesting points. It seems a bit old fashioned using names of the social class we belong to? Should we care?

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Alisvolatpropiis · 18/08/2013 18:20

I really like it.

Pinupgirl · 18/08/2013 19:33

As I said in my previous post I think its a lovely name. Its one I would use myself possibly if I had a lot more money and lived in a far more affluent area! But to suggest that people wont and do judge and that one of the first things they will judge is a name.

MelanieCheeks · 18/08/2013 19:36

I think it's gorgeous. As it's an old classical name, there's not as much "how do you spell that?" stuff, and agree - Perse or Percy for short is cool! Posy is fine too.

ViviDeBeauvoir · 18/08/2013 19:51

I love it and I love the nicknames too.
Far from being unusable, if you go by the baby name threads on here I believe it's getting quite popular.
(I mean that in relative terms, not that there will be 15 Persephones in her class at school)

LEMisdisappointed · 18/08/2013 19:59

Love love love it - i am working class with aspirations towards middle class Grin But that has nothing to do with it, i just love the name.

I haven't encountered any persephones, yet - i suspect it will be pretty popular!

Oriunda · 19/08/2013 12:14

If DS had been DD 'she' would have been called Persephone, with Percy/sie as her nn. Beautiful name. She is also the reason (in greek mythology) that we have spring and summer as well as autumn and winter, not just known as quen of the underworld.

Bowlersarm · 19/08/2013 12:21

I don't think you should not use the name you like because you don't want to appear aspirational (I think that is what Pinupgirl has basically said). Aspirational isn't bad.

If you like it, use it. I know of one shortened to Persy (unsure how she spells it). I think Sephie is a lovely nn for it. But Posy is fine.

TheBleedinObvious · 19/08/2013 12:56

I think it would be lovely for very rich, very bohemian or very eccentric families.

For just ordinary people of all other social classes it would be too much or too try hard in my opinion.

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