Jezebel?

[fairyteepee]

I love this name its so pretty, should i use it in spite of some of its negative associations? Its seems such a shame to bin a beautiful name! Thanks guys!

Actually there are sound feminist grounds for reclaiming Jezebel as a name but you'd have to be pretty brave / foolhardy.

Erm, I have 2 ponies who came to me with the names Jezabel and Floozie. My family call them Jez and Floo because we get odd looks from passing strangers if we use the full names...........and that's using them for animals.

Strongly recommend a rethink

Just because you're not religious doesn't mean your kid won't want to be.

And as others said, it is not only negative to religious people. Everyone knows the name and what it represents, and it has now come to represent prostitute. I can't imagine a cute little newborn being a synonym for a prostitute.

Jez is a truly awful nn too.

Jasmine along similar lines, although they are 2 a penny round here.

I'm not religious either OP but I wouldn't give a child a label like this unless I was able to rid the world of religion and all the inferences that have seeped into language and cultures from religion over the last few millennia before the birth.

And I do mean label as opposed to name because that's what it will be.

Your child will be bullied at school with this name- there's also a song called jesabelle listen to that you will soon change your mind

I know a Jezebel- she always goes by her middle name. I wouldn't do it!

I think the negative connotations of Jezebel are too great. If it was just the Bible story you might get away with it, but I agree with many pp that the fact it's used to mean a whore is just too much.

No no no.

I've always thought that Lilith is a rather pretty name but it's totally unusable for exactly the same reasons.

Lilith is a bit more obscure than Jezebel though, isn't it?

I love Lilith. Remember Lilith from Cheers? She was great. Anyway, if I didn't already know someone with that name, it would be high on my list; I don't think the connotations are as bad nor as secular as Jezebel. And ditto on the feminist reading of Jezebel, although it would indeed take guts using it.

Going against the flow here - I like it, and I think it's one of those names the connotations of which are only really obvious to adults - I think it's unlikely that kids would see it as a prostitute's name, and by the time her cohort are of an age to make the connection, they should be too old to use it against her.

What connotations does Lilith have please?

Lilith was Adam's first wife. Supposedly a witch/in league with the Devil.

Aha, I didn't know that.
Thanks!

I love it too! But absolutely wouldn't use it. I also was really tempted by Lilith but again couldn't do it. I think Sensimilia is pretty too, but another one that's just not on! Also Phaedra until I looked in it. I think I'm noticing a pattern here.

How come the devil gets all the best tunes names?

Furry but what about every single other person the poor girl met for her whole life. Image being a teacher, accountant, engineer, vicar, Police constable called Jezebel!!!?

I don't think the problem is religion - 'jezebel' has passed into common use. I am sure most people who use the noun/name 'jezebel' negatively couldn't tell you the bible story.

I like Jessica Isabel though.

This thread has made me want to purse my lips and hiss 'jezebel' at some brazen strumpet.

Well its a shame the bible has ruined a perfectly pretty name, as it is the bible story that has lead to the saying "shes such a jezebel"

Totally do not agree with whoever said it would be like calling your child hitler - he existed, there is no historical evidence that Jezebel ever did, shes entirely fictional. Im actually in my 20's and when i mentioned the name Jezebel to a group of same aged friends, whilst aware of the connotations they didn't actually think anyone would use that as an insult in current day. People are at lot harsher than that with their language. It sounds like an insult from my nans generation.

What's the backstory to Sensimilia? Never heard of that one.

Your other problem is that the bible has had quite a wide influence over the last few thousand years. Even if you thought Jezebel was acceptable in the UK, what happens when you go abroad?

It's like calling your daughter 'slag'. Really think hard before using it. Would you have liked to have been called Jezebel?

I'm not sure the registry office would allow it. I have heard of the odd name they have not allowed. They were nowhere near as bad as Jezebel.

It's a type of marijuana.