Brunhild - now bear with me!

[n0ne]

I'm expecting baby no 2 and really want to honour my dear departed Dad Bernard with the middle name. If it's a boy, we're golden. If it's a girl... eeeek! I hate Bernadette, Bernadine and Bernice. I've wracked my brains for a usable feminine form, but these were all I came up with. And it suddenly hit me - what about Brunhild? I know it won't be to everyone's taste, but I personally like Germanic/Scandi names and I think they're starting to make a comeback. I would never use it as a first name, but for a mn, I think it's pretty cool, actually. She was a Valkyrie and shield maiden according to Norse mythology. Also, kid will be half Dutch and live in the Netherlands so opportunities for British kids to take the piss will be few and far between.

Am I insane?

Sorry, I think it is dreadful.

Go for it - as a middle name she can hide it if she hates it anyway. I am a great believer in embarrassing middle names - both my kids have unusual ones.

I used to know a little Bruna: any good?

Bruna's actually not bad, thanks! Better than Bernadette etc. Still digging Brunhild, though

Sorry, I missed the bit about it being a middle name . I still dislike it though. What about taking the meaning of the name Bernard - brave - and chosing a girls name with the same meaning?

I like it a middle name, I also like Germanic/ Scandi names. I am on the same page as Jellywitch re middle names, I bloody love it when you are at a wedding and the vicar says "do you, Jennifer Jezebel Jones take Stephen Amadeus Martin to be your husband" when you have always known them as Jen and Steve.

We used to know a Swiss woman when I was a child she was simply Berne which was elegant.

How about Bernhild / Bernhilda? Can shorten to Bernie?

I'm sorry I really don't like Brunhild.

What about Briana (also means strong)?

Or Brenna (means strong or raven)

Actually I really like MrsMarigold's suggestion. Berne is nice and the connection to Bernard is more obvious too.

Huge Wagnerian here so I love it, but leaving that aside, I think it's perfectly fine as a middle name - frankly anything that you could legally put on a T shirt is OK as a middle name.

I always thought it was spelled & pronounced Brünnhilde - which softens it to my ear & I think sounds lovely being said in a Germanic accent. Brunhild sounds quite clipped and less poetic than Brünnhilde (I can only speak for my ear of course)... does that make any difference to you at all?!

Bruna is a chain of bookstores in Holland and the surname of the writer of Nijntje. I think Brunhild is fine for a middle name.

And of course, I'm a huge advocate of naming your child whatever you the hell want (within reason!).

How long until No 2 arrives? I hope you have a healthy & happy remainder of gestation!

Oh yeah, orangetoffee, Bruna the bookshop. Didn't think of that! Scrub that, then.

Bernadette▼, var. Bera2, Beradette, Berna, Bernadea, Bernadeena, Bernadet, Bernadene, Bernadett, Bernadetta, Bernadin, Bernadina, Bernadotte, Bernadine1▼, Bernadyna, Bernaetta, Bernarda, Bernardette, Bernardine, Bernardina1, Bernee1, Bernessa2, Berneta, Bernetta2, Bernie2, Bernette1, Bernina, Bernita1, Berny1

Based on French, Old German elements. "Strong, brave bear." Usage of Bernetta and forms was elevated during 1920-1929 and has become lower.

cdn.thinkbabynames.com/plot/0/2/Bernadine/M9AzMDCxjDcAUhZmIMrIAMwzNgGT5hDKyBREGZoZgxVaQtSbGoIpQ6AcORAA

Bernadine and variantsBernadine2▼, var. Bernie3, Berdine2, Bernardina2, Berneen
Derived fr. Old French, Old German. "Strong, brave bear." Bernie and forms peaked in popularity in the 1920s, but now, Bernadine has fallen out of fashion.

image: cdn.thinkbabynames.com/plot/0/2/Bernice/VY7BDcAwCAM3qgwYkkzT_bdogvtoX6cDy4ALA-vGZRnc8LmOZTI3yDgz8qwMyzfAaPgJwGAHqGrM0lA7jwaHIKspoyL1tVhCd1p-Ba4DOjdf6y6M3wtdhZRR-a5C7PiNBw

Bernice and variantsBernice▼, var. Beranice, Beraniece, Beranyce, Berenice2▼, Bereniece, Berneece, Berenyce, Bernelle, Bernetta3, Bernette2, Bernee2, Berni, Berneice, Bernicia, Bernie4, Berniece▼, Bernisha, Bernita2, Berniss, Berny2, Bernyce, Berri, Berrie1, Berry1

Read more at www.thinkbabynames.com/start/0/Ber#UASRUSl6pXEZqdVG.99

6 months yet, sunshine. Thanks for the kind words

Thanks for all the info, flora. Still looks like picking the least worst option! Bernicia's not bad, I guess.

Can't you use your maiden name to honour your dad. That seems preferable...

I like Berne. Or Berenika (I know a Polish lady called this).

I appreciate the sentiment behind it and the lack of great alternatives but I'm still not a fan of Brunhild. It sounds like a comedy butch German stereotype name to me (sorry - v harsh!) and wasn't it the name of Hitler's mother?

You can remember your dad without giving your daughter an awful name that doesn't resemble his in the first place!

You can put photos of him up in the house, talk to her about him and what he liked to do, toast him at Christmas time. Just don't give her his name!

If you really want to honour your dad in the name either use Bernadette or Bernardina (and honestly if you're ok with Bernard I can't see why you'd mind those so much) or find another way to remember him. If the name is only tangentially linked to Bernard anyway you might as well give any name that reminds you of your dad in another way e.g. his favourite singer or something. No one uses middle names really so it doesn't matter.

How about just Bee/Bea - his initial?

Or did he have a middle name you could use instead?

It's not a nice name. Sorry. I just think it means brown Hilda. Which I know it doesn't,,,I think..does it?.🤔

I think Berne is more recognizable as a honour to your dad however it will be the middle name so as long as you like it i wouldnt be too worried