Honour - Opinions plz

[M1985]

I liked the name Honour for DD1 (now 39 wks with DC3) I went off it when having DD2 but have come back to it lately.

Is it classic & beautiful or silly/awful?

My two DD's names are both classic/olden names, would it go?

[FeijoaSundae]

I think, because it is such an old name, it has become greater than the sum of its parts and very much a separate entity.

Honor is a class girls' name, whereas 'honour' means ... honour.

They're two two entirely separate things. A girl called Honour should expect people to misspell her name, because it's not the generally accepted spelling. Not a big deal, if you don't mind that. My own name has 4 accepted variations (Anglo/Scots, French, Spanish and Italian), and I always have to spell it. To be honest, unless your name is Emma, most people probably do have to spell their name out from time to time.

[mintygrip]

flora: I had not looked at the 'family tree' relating to Honor--fascinating. I will now be looking up the family tree for all my favourite names!

The tree does seem to suggest that when it first became Honor (i.e., with no 'a' at the end), the name was initially spelt 'Honour'. At the very least, it seems to put Honour on an even footing with Honor. The OP was made the feel her choice was entirely incorrect and it would seem it wasn't. Having said that, I actually love 'Honor'--so elegant looking! And that spelling, as the dominant one, would save OP's daughter always having to correct others.

[florascotia]

Minty - you've probably done this already, so please excuse me, but, if not, you might like to look at Behind the Name's 'family tree' relating to Honor/Honour: www.behindthename.com/name/honorius/tree

That shows that the word Honor (that spelling) has been used to form names since Roman times, with gender-appropriate endings: Honorius (boy)/Honoria (girl). It's the original. It is also the origin of names like Honora and Nora(h).

However, the name Honor was also, centuries later, brought into fashion by strict Protestants, who admired virtue names. And, in English, the virtue spelling had become 'Honour', and so both spellings became possible.

However, Honor is, I think, the more usual spelling today in the UK, as an earlier poster showed by quoting recent goverment name statistics.

[mintygrip]

Where is the idea that 'Honor' is the correct spelling coming from, I wonder.

Interestingly, the excellent behindthename.com gives 'Honour' as the principal spelling and 'Honor' as a variant.

[puthyjip43]

I think you need to give your friends 'where you are from' more credit- I'm sure most people know that the name is spelt Honor and not Honour?

It would be like calling a girl Page instead of Paige because it looks like a more familiar word to you..

[heliotrope]

Checked for you on names dark greener. Honor is 725th and Honour is in the 3000s somewhere. In case you care (I love these stats!)

[heliotrope]

I think Honour would be fine as a name. Think some people might write that anyway as it is the English spelling of the word.
So I'm going against the flow but call her Honour!

[Bue]

Hearts I'm Canadian and I grew up with an Honor and it's spelt Honor! I've never seen the spelling Honour for the name in any country. It's just not correct.

OP, it's a bit ridiculous to go on and on about how it "looks wrong" and people would think you were spelling it wrong, when almost every single person on this thread has explained that it is an uncommon but widely known name that is always spelt Honor. Your kid, your choice, but she will get people frequently misspelling her name because you have chosen an alternate spelling. Anyway you're not using it now so it's a moot point.

[TheChickenSituation]

I would silently judge someone for spelling their name 'Honour'. Not big, not clever, but in all honesty, I would.

Honor is a classic, timeless name. I think, if the 6-letter thing is a deal-breaker, then just go for another name.

[manicinsomniac]

Personally, I don't like the name Honor, however it's spelt.

But, like OP, I thought that it was a virtue name that used an American spelling of the word. I didn't realise it was unconnected to the word Honour.

Other 6 letter names you might like, OP:
Ariana, Alexia, Alicia, Angela, Andrea, Annika, Bryony, Bonnie, Bronte, Connie, Callie, Carrie, Cassie, Claire, Daphne, Darcey, Esther, Gracie, Hannah, Hallie, Isabel, Juliet, Joelle, Louisa, Leonie, Martha, Maisie, Monica, Nicole, Olivia, Pamela, Rachel, Rowena, Ramona, Serena, Saskia, Selina, Stella, Summer, Sophia, Tamsin, Teresa, Verity, Violet, Willow, Xanthe, Yasmin

[Choccyhobnob]

It's a beautiful name, it's my back up. Pretty set on name for DC1 but Honor is my second choice! I get what you mean about the spelling and really don't think it's an outrageous yoonique alteration which will have you labelled as illiterate, you are well aware of the usual spelling it seems!

[HmmAnOxfordComma]

That's a shame, OP.

I think you should use it if you loved it so much.

I think people really were just trying to point out that it is likely to be the other way around, that you/she will have to (sometimes) correct people who assume it's spelt the 'correct' way.

It's a beautiful sounding name.

[M1985]

Having 6 letters for both my daughters was unintentional too but now they have I want the same for #3

& that's exactly my thinking with regards to the spelling. I've never come across one (besides celebs) & I don't think anyone where I live would have either so I think everyone would assume Honor was spelt wrong & that it should be spelt Honour.

Suffice to say this thread has put me off the name altogether. Some people take names wayyyyyy too seriously!

[HmmAnOxfordComma]

I know a few Honors of all different ages.

Really beautiful, classic name.

[shitebag]

FWIW OP both my kids have 4 letter, 2 syllable names and if I had a third I would probably try and accommodate the same although it was totally unintentional in the first place so I don't think you're crazy :o

I wouldn't bat an eyelid at Honor/Honour because tbh its not a name I've came across so would be none the wiser!

[M1985]

Dear god.

[Cassieyellow]

Hi, this was my favourite name for DDC1. I did a 'test' at Starbucks when they write your name on the cup. He wrote Honor.
Sorry to be repetitive but it is Honor wherever you are, not because American. Look at Latin origin (honoria or something).
It is beautiful!

[JohnFarleysRuskin]

So 6 letters is an actual theme? Okayyy.

[M1985]

How is it peculiar to not want one child to seem like the odd one out?

Exactly caughtinthemoment if you have a 'theme' with the names I think it needs to include all the children

[caughtinthemoment]

I agree OP that Honor looks American and it's not how it's spelled here so I wouldn't be surprised or horrified to come across a little Honour in this country. If you like it go for it.

I understand the 6 letter thing too if your other DC are the same. DP has two brothers whose names both start with S and two sisters whose names both start with A. DP's name starts with a completely different letter to all of them and even now he feels like the odd one out because of it and wishes he had the same initial as his brothers.

[JohnFarleysRuskin]

Honor is a lovely name.

The six letter thing is ... Peculiar.

[florascotia]

If you are still considering Honor, then Honora (nn Nora) has six letters.
There is also Honoria, but that has seven....

[M1985]

I quite like Imogen, not overly keen on the others.

I don't think my husband will go for Honour anyway, but just wanted to gauge some opinion before putting it to him.

[Mamafratelli]

Or Sylvie.

[Mamafratelli]

I can understand that. I thought it might have been something to do with numerology.

What about Stella?
Helena
Imogen
Daphne

Or if you love it go with Honour.