[ Baby Gertrude? ]

[Cinderella812]

We are to name our future daughter after my DH's grandmother, Gertrude.

Not a particularly pretty name in my opinion (so sorry if that offends some lovely Gertrudes out there!)

She went by "Trudy", which I think is sweet.

However, is Trudy enough of a first name in itself? Could we just name our daughter Trudy, or is that too nicknamey?

I'm thinking of her future career etc... and children whose first names are just nicknames can be harder to take seriously professionally, especially little girls.

Does anybody think Trudy is alright as a stand-alone forename? All suggestions welcome!

I would use Trudy as a nickname or a middle name but wouldn’t name the baby Gertrude.

Personally, I think Isabella is much nicer and I would go for it as a middle name if other cousins are already called Isabella.

Wasn’t Drew Barrymore’s character in ET a Gertie?

I have a cousin called Trudy. She is a strong, confident and independent woman. I like it.

Trudy is a name in its own right, but personally I much prefer Gertie, so I would call her Gertrude so that at least she has choices. You can call her Trudy as her nickname, of course.

Gertrude and Trudy are both just awful. There are SO many other beautiful names. Why saddle your daughter with such an ugly, clunky one? I know you love this grandmother but that doesn't mean you HAVE to use her name.

I knew 3 Trudys at school! Gertrude is a bit rough granted, but remember Gertie in ET? She made it sweet.

Well I like Gertrude, Gertie and Trudie. I think it's a nice-sounding name and don't understand all the negativity.

I actually love the name Gertrude, but not the English pronunciation.
'Hair-truud-a' with a soft G and slightly rolled R is pretty. Nicknames can also be Gerda, Gerdy, and Truus. It just doesn't work in the UK though.

God no. Awful. Trudy is horrendous and Gertrude must be the ugliest name ever.

Without sounding rude... Is the current Gertrude, er, living?

If not, fuck saddling a child with that name.

And if so, I bet she'd give you 99 reasons why it's a shite name to be saddled with.

I think Trudy is fine in its own right I can see Tru being used as a nn but that's nice too so I'd go for it. Although I actually like Gertrude.

I think your beautiful baby girl deserves a name that she can call her own. What about using Isabella or Isabel as a middle name so the link to your grandmother is still there.

Gertrude not a nice name sorry but LOVE Trudie/Truda/Trudy and they mean strength ... such cool names x

I wouldn't say that using the same name as cousins' child is too close. As family trees go, they're far enough apart to both be called Isabella. Particularly if one is called Izzy and the other Bella.

Trudy is ok, but nowhere near as nice as Isabella (or one of its many variations in spelling)

There are a handful of names out there that should never ever ever be revived and Gertrude is one of them.

Others, in case you are interested, are Enid, Edna and Doris.

Why can't it be her middle name? I honestly don't get the whole 'naming after family' thing .. especially if it's a name you don't even like

My great grandmother was called Gertrude and my DM and her sibs used to call her “Dirty Gertie at number thirty”

I wanted to name DD after my Grandma but was talked out if it. It was 100% for the best. My Grandma didn’t even like her name and I now firmly believe baby’s should have their own names. My friend named her DD after both DM’s and regrets it.

Trudy is nice, and perfectly ok on its own 😁

Gertrude is a definite no. Trudy is much better! x

Why does your daughter HAVE to be named after this grandmother? I understand you say she was wonderful etc but saddling your daughter with a god awful name just so you can say she's named after a grandmother is ridiculous and quite honestly selfish. Gertrude is an awful name which you know yourself hence asking for a usable nickname.

A cousin of mine whose mother was German gave her daughter the name Trudi. It was always perfectly fine in its own right. She is in her 20s now.

I would use Gertrude as a middle name only, to be frank.

Gertrude sounds like someone about to burp or regurgitate something.

I know a Trudy & a Trudie, neither of whom are Gertrudes. Both are professional adult women who carry their names well without it seeming nicknamey.

I can't say it's a name I like, but it's infinitely better than Gertrude.

There are some amazing Gertrudes who would be fabulous role models - think of Gertrude Bell who helped found the modern state of Iraq and Gertrude Ederle who was the first woman to swim the Channel (and faster than all the men who'd done it before her).