Henrietta?

[Mum2B36]

I think DH and I have settled on Henrietta for a girls name. However, I am aware Henrietta is very much a marmite name and I hate to think people will be disliking the name behind our backs. My gran will probably tell me to my face 🙈.

Most likely we will shorten it to Hettie or Etta.

DH vetoed Emilia which was my favourite and I vetoed Darcie which was his favourite. We both liked Matilda but this has been recently “taken” by a close friend and it wouldn’t be appropriate to copy. We have discussed Otillie but think it might be one step too far for us.

What’s everyone’s thoughts? Do some people really hate Henrietta and think we should re-think?

DH says I shouldn’t care what other people think when we like the name but it’s such an important decision.

Thanks

LOVE IT.

Many people here hate it. Haters gonna hate tossers hair use it. Well-known, established, doesn't have six different ways to say or spell it, plenty of NN options if that matters to you, not over-used. Otillie is like half a word to me and sounds awful in quite a few regional accents.

I like it!

I like Henrietta, it has wonderful nn possibilities too. Would I use it? No. But you probably wouldn't use the name I will likely use (Naima) either.

Ultimately your OH is right- F what we or anyone thinks if it feels like the one!

Another thumbs up from me 😊 Pretty name, and love Hettie too.

To me it sorta feels like the parents were expecting a Henry and it turned out to be a girl so rather than giving them a new name they just elongated Henry. I might assume they had a Henry in the family and were set on naming the kid after them.

Not that it's a bad name or anything.

I also love it. The diminutive would have to be Hettie or Hattie for me, I don't like Etta. But Henrietta is great.

Think they will get called Zheng rather than your choice as a nickname but I like it. I do prefer Ottilie though

Hen FFS not Zheng!

I love it! Hetty and Etta are lovely nicknames too. I don't find Ottilie too much though ; if anything I'd say Henrietta is more marmite than Ottilie! Emilia also my favourite so we have similar taste

I also like Octavia, Isabella, Seraphina, Ophelia and Antonia but apart from Isabella I don't know if I'm bold enough to use any of them

I know (an adult) one who goes by Henry.

Love it! Lots of great nickname possibilities.

I love Henrietta! I really like names with gravitas such a refreshing change from all the sickly sweet names around at the moment. When The Duchess of Cambridge was expecting her first child I remember hoping it was a girl and that they would name her Henrietta, Queen Henrietta the 1st would have been magnificent!

I don't like it but I'm not even sure why.
My first thought was Thomas the tank engine but it's a really minor character and I don't think of it when I hear Thomas or James which is bizarre.
I don't like the name Henry either though.
It must just be a personal taste thing because there is nothing obviously wrong with the name itself.

Not keen but I love Hetty/Hettie, which is my cat's name shortened from Heather.

Theres nothing wrong with any name, really. It's just a matter of opinion.
I think it's horrible. One of the worse if not the worse girls names there is, , but Its not my circus nor my monkeys.

I think it's the new Harriet 😍. Go for it, has such great nicknames like Hettie and Etta 👍.

Any fuss over baby names is always quickly dispersed. Prejudices are attached to other (often more distant or nebulous) associations and when there's a baby with that name in your life, an immediate close connection, those associations change immediately and the name takes on new characteristics.

So yeah. Go for it. If that's what you feel :)

Sorry but I always found it a really long and clunky name. Harriet is so much nicer.

I hate it (and marmite ) but you will never find a name that everyone likes. You would probably hate the names that I love. Just because I dont like a name, I would never judge someone because of it and you get used to names over time and if you love the person you dont think anything more about the name!

Gorgeous. Love it.

Do you like it? That is all that matters.

Awul (sorry). Harriet is also bad but not quite as bad.

But OP, this is your daughter. Call her what you like. If you love the name, use it.

I would say about Matilda, use it if you love it. No one can 'take' a name. Matilda is a very popular name now, your friend's Matilda will meet countless others. Friends come and go. Your daughter will have her name for life.

I knew a Henrietta. She was amazing!!
She was my chicken!!

Go for it op!!

One of the most amazing little girls I've worked with was called Henrietta, Hettie for short. I've always loved her name ❤️

Thanks guys I think we will go for it and use Hettie for short. Probably have a DS anyway after all this!

Thanks again for the reassurance everyone. I also know one Henrietta and she is super cool and nice.

I agree that people tend to just become their name and those around you forget any negative views they had.

Xx