Joanne what do you think?

[sarahwho]

I'm having a dd so need a strong but pretty name to go with Alexander. I've fallen in love with the name Joanne. What do you all think?

Oh right, I'm now quite confused as to why you asked.

There are many, many nice but not popular names. Why go back to one that had its day being popular - then failed to become a classic for a good reason?

I quite like it. But I prefer Joanna.

There is so a MN list of approved names.

Don't worry, OP, it certainly won't be making it into the top names any time soon.

Dull and boring.

Alexander is very lucky to have such a great name.

Joanne will be very.......unlucky....

I quite like it but then I like the 70s/80s names like Peter and Susan etc.
I never understand the 'on an adult but not a baby' comments. You know babies eventually become adults right?! Much better than a daft cutsie name that will sound absurd on a 45 year old.

I like Samantha but apparently that is still in the dustbin of popularity too.

Peter and Susan are 1950's names to me. Very Shopping with Mother.

Lovely name - classic enough for everyone to have heard of it, no-one will have trouble pronouncing it, everyone will be able to spell it, and there won't be dozens of them around in every class and group you go to. Also nice 'shortened' names from it.
Just about ticks all my criteria when choosing a name

Joanna is classic and has been around for ages. I think we even had a Queen Joanna (wife of Henry the Fourth?). It has a strong sound to it. Even has a song:

(yes I know he's really singing about the South African government).

Whereas Joanne was an invention of the 1960s (I think)? And although popular for a few years, it hasn't come back because it's dull, dull, dull.

Joanna is better, fact.

Scott Walker has an ace song called Joanna too.

It's related the the german name Johannes.

It's a very nice name, but I think Josephine goes better with Alexander.

I rather like it.

Joanna is a classic.

I'm surprised at this thread.

MN usually loves a dull name.

It's vile and dreary (and my sodding middle name).

In the interests of fairness I should say that google tells me that Mike Nesmith from the Monkees had a song called Joanne.

In Scotland, there is a centuries-old name 'Johann' pronounced 'Joanne'. Name of a current leading female politician, in fact: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Lamont

But if you like Joanne - and why not? - there's a pretty good role-model in JK Rowling. Her name is Joanne...

It was dull even when it was fashionable! A solid, dull girl's name. Sorry to/ for all Joannes.

I like it as well, we used Josephine as a second name, and its no big deal ,but I kind of prefer Joanne now.

It's my sister's name and she hates it. Absolutely hates it. I don't think she has ever forgiven my mum. She goes by Jo. I think she would have preferred Joanna or Josephine.

Phoebe?

My dds have similar sorts of names, and LOVE the fact that they never come across other people (certainly never children, do sometimes come across the odd adult) with "their" name, but that everyone has heard the name, and no-one gets the spelling wrong.
They can also usually find their names in those places that sell keyrings/mugs/doorplates with people's names on, which they like.