Xanthe yes or no?

[Frankiefarr]

I love Xanthe OH not so sold on it. What are people’s experiences? Any pitfalls? Any alternatives?

It's lovely!

Yes

It's lovely. I have a friend with this name and she likes it.

I had to check how to say it but yes, lovely name :)

Love it!

Thanks everyone. It’s the name I keep coming back to.

Is it a diminutive of Chrysanthemum?

Yes, I like it. Taught a lovely one once which helps!

I like it. I’ve only ever met 2. One will be in her early 50s, one is nearly 2.

I think it's pretty, but I think you'd be telling people how to spell it out often - would that bother you?

Yes this pronounced Zanthay?

Always wondered!

Love it

Yes

I have a Xanthe

Pitfalls mostly I'm afraid.

A LOT of people struggle with it and when she was a baby I had a lot of 'sorry?' when at playgroups etc.

Even if I introduce her as 'Zanth-ee' people will respond 12 seconds later with 'zan-tee' or 'sanfee' or some other bizarre proncounciation which sounds absolutely nothing like her name. People seem to hear what they want to hear rather than what I say.

My family still send dd cards addressed to 'Zanthe' despite her being around for a few years!!

People are always very complimentary about her name, however, most people are polite and wouldn't say 'eugh' even if they hated it.

I love her name, and so does she, but sometimes I wish we'd gone for something simpler like Lucy or uncommon but established like Erica.

There is another Xanthe at her ballet class so don't count on it being unique

I love it! It's on my list

Thanks everyone. I know what you mean Xanthemum my name is Frankie but most people hear it and seem to translate it to Jackie and invariably that’s what I get called!

Yes, very nice name!

Absolutely love 💞

I love it! I considered it but it's too close in sound to my own name

It's lovely.

It's also actually very easy to say.

Spelling - yes you'll get Zanthee etc. But - I know a Sofia who always gets Sophia, and a Mollie who gets Molly... etc. You'll correct them - the end!

I think it will also depend where you live as to whether it will be seen as madly unusual.

But generally...my experience has been 1. when you get them to school stage, you'll be astonished at how varied and all over the place the names in the class will be - they'll really span the spectrum of out there to super trad, so if you want to go for something, do it - you won't be as unusual as you fear - and 2. names get familiar really really quickly. I've never heard a child comment on a name being unusual. To them, it's just X's name (literally)

Finally. You say OH. Is the baby having his surname, even though you're not married? If so, it's your choice, and Xanthe it is!

A lovely name

Love it

I know two under 8s called Xanthe. Good name.

I like it and a friend (in her 30s) called it as well as knowing of two others.

Yes!