Thoughts on Mildred?

[Iwantalonglie]

Trying to agree a name for DD expected in a few months.

DH thinks old-fashioned names like this are making a comeback. I think over my dead body. He points out that we know an Agatha, Florence, Dulcie, Edith and Pamela. I'm not fond of any of these but I don't think any of them are as bad as Mildred?

AIBU? Or is he?

Apparently, the original 18th century pronunciation was "Pa-MEE-la". So much nicer. And allows "Mela" as a short form, rather than the dreadful "Pam."

"PAM-uh-luh" and "Pam" make me think of the words "Ham" and "Pummel". Not so nice.

Maybe we will have to wait for the name to die out altogether (about 2050?) so that our grandkids can then revive it with the original pronunciation.

Ha ha! Loving all the comments on here (which confirm a lot of what I'd thought myself).

Today DH has suggested Evadne, Berenice and Mercy. Just waiting for Deirdre to make an appearance!

I like Pamela.
Mercy is awful and reminds me of The Crucible, which if you don’t know it, don’t bother.
Clemency is beautiful though, if you like virtue names.

Mildred is awful.
Never heard of Evadne. Bernice will get Bernie which is awful. Mercy, is he serious?

Mildred. Don't do it to your daughter.

Thanks for all your helpful comments - very much appreciated. I have added Millicent and Clemency to the list as two names I could actually tolerate.

Further suggestions have been Eurydice, Thomasina, Joyce and, wait for it....Bunnie (he thinks this would be cute ).

I am beginning to wonder whether we have a future.

I have countered with Alethea and Cordelia.

Please don't

Thomasina? Does he have North of Scotland heritage? My brother's kids have traditional male names with "ina" appended

@BeyondMyWits. Interesting....no his heritage is north of England. I'm part Scottish, though . I assume you're talking names like Edwina, Davina (?), Georgina, Christina?

Surely not Alexandrina, Andrewina, Adamina, Gavina, Jamesina? I didn't know people really used those anymore.

Roberta was another DH suggestion, but I vetoed that one early on. It's growing on me, compared to the others he's suggested, though.

I really like Thomasina and Roberta.

I hate old lady names, but Mildred is one of the worst - anything with 'dread' or such like in it can be a misery at school with name calling kids

He's joking with you.

Some Edwardian names have been popular for the last 10-15 years (not becoming popular) e.g. Florence, Violet, Beatrice.

Others have not returned, because they were horrible e.g. Ethel, Mildred, Gertrude.

The Worst Witch is a pretty good guide to what not to go for.

Your list is much better, Though, if you choose Victoria, you could use the ironic retro nn Queenie. (Or you could update that, playfully, as a nn for Elizabeth).

Evadne Hinge. You must counter with Hilda.

In all seriousness, don't play your best hand while he's still messing around. He'll dismiss them and you'll have nothing left.

Wait til playtime is over, then agree to draw up a long list each. You each have power of veto over the other's list. From what's left, draw up a shortlist of 5 to ten, then discuss, ponder, consider with middle names and whittle down.

And tell him, if he wants to be fashionable, he needs to move to the 1940s-50s, hence Barbara and Pamela.

Of that era, I'd suggest Jennifer, Susannah, Marianne and Rosemary as being ripe for revival.

Or, you could consider the slightly overlooked 1920s with Lilian, Lettice, Phyllis, Daphne, Agnes, Audrey, Bridget, Winifred, Muriel, Marguerite (nn Daisy) and the already very popular Evelyn.

i think he is teasing you.
he's probably got a quite reasonable compromise up his sleeve.
i think the worst name ever is, gretchen. try that on him, say you really like it, see how he reacts.
millicent is nice, and millicent martin a real classy woman, great actress/singer; look up that was the week that was, opening music.
would you consider, kathleen, elizabeth, charlotte, sophia, clementine, patricia, christobel, seraphina, louisa, leonora, petronella, rosina.

Fucking awful name! Sorry. I'd feel sorry for the poor sod.

Evadne, Berenice and Mercy

Does he think you're having a puppy?

Ooh, I've just looked up some early C20th names. If you want to win this, before getting onto the real conversation, some suggestions would be:

Fanny
Minnie
Bertha
Blanche
Hilda
Doris
Gladys
Vera

Joan
Nellie
Edna
Gertrude
Beryl
Enid
Thelma
Shirley
Sheila
Doreen
Mavis
Norma

It contains the word dred, sounds like mildew. It is truly a very ugly name.
Yes old names are back but not the very ugly ones. Nobody could be this cruel to a child?

Some 1940s ones I think are interesting are:

Diana
Sylvia
Carol
Caroline / Carolyn
Cynthia
Christina
Julia
Muriel
Vivienne
Angela
Heather
Patricia
Penelope
Judith

I think I'd be adding Dorothy, Janice, Denise and Rita to the 'avoid' list.

I'm clearly in the minority but I love it. And Millie is a mainstream nickname if it's a bit much for her. Definitely think it will make a comeback.

Sorry but I don't like it at all

Millicent is better I think.