Would you?

[upsidedownroundabout]

Found some fabulous names in one of my DCs books... which of these would you use?

Minnie
Esmerelda
Millicent
Flossie
Tansy
Pansy
Ernestine

Decimus
Philbert
Dorkin
Rufus
Jerome
Phoenix
Balthazar
Lysander

Balthazar & Millicent

Tansy.

Millicent and Lysander

I quite like Esmerelda and decimus!

I love Balthazar knew a lovely black cat called that once. Also used to know a Tansy (human) and had a gerbil called Pansy.
My goldfish is called Rufus.

I know an Ernestine, who is a deeply cool teenager, a pain in the arse Millicent, who goes by 'Plum', several Rufuses, and a toddler Balthazar in France -- and have an Uncle Jerome.

I like Ernestine, actually.

Minnie = slang for vagina
Esmerelda =Frilly not in a good way
Millicent= awful
Flossie= God awful
Tansy= Nothingy
Pansy= Old fashioned slang for a gay man
Ernestine = Nice

Decimus= Tenth man
Philbert= Blend of two dull names Phillip and Robert
Dorkin= Dork
Rufus= Woof
Jerome= Blah
Phoenix= common
Balthazar= like it
Lysander= Reminds me of something to kill malice headlice

I have a cousin who’s daughter is named Millicent

I know brothers called Lysander and Agamemnon

My son has a Phoenix in his class

I like the name Balthazar

Minnie and Flossie are sweet as shortenings for Minerva and Florence/Flora. Tansy's history as an abortifacient puts me off, the rest are fine but not my favourites.

Lysander is my favourite boys name, and I love Rufus also. The name Balthazar has nothing at all appealing about it.

Tansy and Jerome are the nicest.

I know a teenage Phoenix (but she's a girl) and an Ernestine in her 70s.

Millicent and Jerome

Not Minnie, for the slang reason, although actually nice name.

Pansy - was an old name for name for gay man, but so was Nancy-boy, and that’s become back in favour again, so I quite like this.

The other girls names are fine.

Balthazar - met an adult one (would be in 50s now)
Lysander - very Jilly Cooper

Phoenix - hasn’t scary Spice got a daughter called Phoenix?

Can I throw in:

Oregon
Trinity
Merle
Rowena

Jaybez
Hereward
Cree
Devereaux

I love Phoenix

Rufus was on my shortlist but I had a girl. Not that keen on the others.

Rufus is completely useable imo, probably Millicent too (thanks to the Millie nn).

Balthazar and Lysander are useable but only in some circles (I love them but they are a bit too U for me to use I think).

Tansy could be okay, or maybe even used as a nn for Tamsin. Flossie and Minnie are fine if used as nn's too.

The others are either a bit too "out there" or sound too dated for me.

Millicent and Rufus. I don’t like nicknames as given names (Flossie, Minnie) and I honestly think naming a child Dorkin or Balthazar would be cruel. Melchior is also out but Caspar is ok

Esmerelda and Tansy

Rufus and Balthazar (although the latter makes me think of Balthazar Getty so it feels unlucky).

I have a huge soft spot for Esmerelda but would never be brave enough to use it. Esme would work as a nickname too.

I absolutely love flossie, I’m just not a fan of Florence and can’t use felicity so it rules it out 😔

Tansy, Rufus and Lysander (nn Sandy) all fine.

I love Tansy. Not sure I'd be brave enough to use it in real life.

Esmeralda is the correct Spanish spelling and I like it but I wouldn't use it as it's a bit too long for my tastes. Esme is nice though.

I know a Dutch lady in her 60s called Ernestine.

Jerome is one of the few boys French names I like (similar to Guillaume), it's quite nice.

Minnie: as a nn for Minerva, yes.
Esmerelda: nope
Millicent: maybe
Flossie: nn for Florence, yes.
Tansy: Not my style
Pansy: Nor this
Ernestine: Possibly, though there are a lot of names in a similar style that I prefer.

Decimus: Nope
Philbert: Nope
Dorkin: Definite nope
Rufus: Sure, why not?
Jerome: Yes! Some friends of mine have a Jerome and it's a great name.
Phoenix: Nope
Balthazar: Nope
Lysander: Maybe, but it's a bit too Jilly Cooper for me

Two of my DDs have names on your list

Esmerelda - love

Rufus - cute and not particularly uncommon
Balthazar - on our list but we chickened out. It's amazing
Lysander - fine bar NN Lyse