Elisabeth, Tabitha or Bethany?

[brightwave]

Really stuck on these 3! I’m finding it hard to decide so help would be greatly appreciated

@HeelsHandbagPerfumeCoffee

Predictable, well yes because it is a pet cat name. That’s the immediate association. Pussy cat Bit like Rex for a boy and then vehemently arguing it’s not a dog name, and don’t dare say it is By all means call a baby Tabitha, nn tabbie and fight your corner protesting that it's not a cat name Reassure yourself you’re soooo right, it’s not a cat name. Keep saying it. And meanwhile everyone is thinking Tabbie?that’s a cat name

That's such an old fashioned view. I know pets called Charlotte, Louise and Steven (!) not everyone calls their pet by a stereotypical name like Tabitha for a cat or Rex for a dog these days!

It’s a predictable response because it’s such a strong association
Dismissing it as stereotypical doesn't diminish the immediate cat name association
Are people going to tell you that in real life after Tabitha is chosen name,unlikely
Are you going to hear it online,yes because it’s not a done deed yet, I don’t know you and I don’t have to pander to your sensibilities or worry about potential offence

That’s why name threads primarily exist, test out a name,it’s association, subjective opinion.

And protestations of I know a cat/dog called
Tallulah
Grace
Jack
Eve
Ava
Steven
Joe
Charlotte
Louise
In no way diminishes or detracts from Tabitha being a cat name

I love Tabitha. It's beautiful and all the ones I've met have been stunning and lovely people as well.
I like Elisabeth though I do prefer the Elizabeth spelling.
I'm not a fan of Bethany which I've always found a rather meh name.

I have a Tabitha so that's my favourite! She's mainly referred to as Tabs or "Tee". Obviously it's used as a cat's name too, no denying that, but it doesn't bother us... we like cats! and she loves it whenever we find any books with cats called Tabitha/Tabby in them! It's a great name, Tabby is very cute for a little girl, and Tabitha sounds elegant and "grown up" on an adult.

I disagree that the first cultural association with Tabitha is a cat. Maybe for people who haven't moved on from Beatrix Potter, in which case Jeremy is a frog name, Jemima a duck name and Mrs a hedgehog name.
Mumsnet is full of dated references I think. When Felix is mentioned on here people say it's a cat name too. My children must know about 10 Felixes at school and not once have they ever mentioned a cat. They also know a Tabitha, several Jemimas and 3 Jeremys and again it's not mentioned. There are very few cultural associations which persist for generations - Adolf maybe but even then that's probably just because it's never been a common name - we don't tar Joseph with the same brush despite Stalin being an equally evil leader. But I think Mumsnet gives a skewed small-town perspective that isn't reality.

Completely spot on @Happynewtier
You chose that name knowing the cat association but it’s no biggie for you, so not a problem
Protestations of it’s not a cat name, that’s stereotypical doesn’t diminish the obvious association

I'm team Elisabeth. Had it on my list with that spelling, I like Bethany and Tabitha too in that order but Elisabeth is so elegant, so traditional and perfect.

@Chilldonaldchill of course no ones going to say in real life,that’s a cat name
They’ll think it though. Just because no ones actually blurted it out in rl doesn’t diminish the obvious association
It’s not a geographical thing, it’s an immediate association thing.
The point of a name thread is testing a name,scope out what do people think. You’ll get an honest response as people are strangers and don’t need to mind real life consequences or tippy toe around sensibilities. Don’t need to be wary of causing offence.

Another who loves Elizabeth But very much less so Elisabeth (god what am I like but for some reason that ‘s’ is so much less a strong amazing name).
Tabitha and Bethany - really really different to Elizabeth. More American I’m thinking and kind of 70s (t) and 80/90s vibe (b) to my ear. Don’t like either very much particularly not Tabitha.

Oh I love Bethany, so beautiful. If ds had been a girl, I would have named her Beth Bethany

@HeelsHandbagPerfumeCoffee

Completely spot on *@Happynewtier* You chose that name knowing the cat association but it’s no biggie for you, so not a problem Protestations of it’s not a cat name, that’s stereotypical doesn’t diminish the obvious association

She also often pretends to be a cat and meows/hisses 😳, so I do sometimes wonder if she's trying to live up to her name... All I can say is the name truly suits her 😂!

Or ‘Beth Bethany Bethson-Bethly the Beth of Greater Bethanyton’, maybe, gerbil?

Love Tabitha! Not a fan of the other two at all.

Elizabeth

Hands down: Elizabeth (but definitely with a z or else be chilled about mistakes)

Then you have: Eliza, Beth, Lily, Bet, Zaza, Bebe, Lila, Liz, Lizzy, (or Lissy), Libby, Elie.....(nearly) all beautiful diminutives and names in their own rights. Elizabeth is my favourite name but my surname is too long to have used it (and I hate Liz- as an example of how to turn a beautiful, noble and dignified name into a less than all that name )

I love Tabitha. Wanted to use it myself but OH vetoed ito.

Love the name Tabitha, closely followed by Bethany. Thumbs down for Elisabeth, really not a fan

Don't do Elisabeth! My name has 2 common spellings and it's a pain in the arse, honestly.

Tabitha is lovely, or choose 2 of the 3 by having Elizabeth nicknamed Bethany.

She also often pretends to be a cat and meows/hisses 😳, so I do sometimes wonder if she's trying to live up to her name... All I can say is the name truly suits her 😂!

That’s utterly charming

My friend has a Leo, and when asked she confirms yes, like the lion

I love Elizabeth (and don't mind Elisabeth)

Tabitha would be a guilty pleasure - I like it but wouldn't use it.

Bethany... absolutely not.

I disagree that the first cultural association with Tabitha is a cat. Maybe for people who haven't moved on from Beatrix Potter, in which case Jeremy is a frog name, Jemima a duck name and Mrs a hedgehog name.

I agree. I don't love it but I don't associate it with cats.

Don't love any of them OP. Tabitha is marginally ahead but only because I dislike Eliz/sabeth and loathe Bethany.

@HeelsHandbagPerfumeCoffee

It’s a predictable response because it’s such a strong association Dismissing it as stereotypical doesn't diminish the immediate cat name association Are people going to tell you that in real life after Tabitha is chosen name,unlikely Are you going to hear it online,yes because it’s not a done deed yet, I don’t know you and I don’t have to pander to your sensibilities or worry about potential offence

That’s why name threads primarily exist, test out a name,it’s association, subjective opinion.

And protestations of I know a cat/dog called
Tallulah
Grace
Jack
Eve
Ava
Steven
Joe
Charlotte
Louise
In no way diminishes or detracts from Tabitha being a cat name

Ok people might think cat or whatever when they hear a name initially, but once they meet the person I'm pretty sure they will realise little Tabitha is actually a human and it will just be their name, and they won't even think of the cat connection when they see then 🤷‍♀️ For what it's worth I know 2 human Tabitha's and 0 cats called Tabitha!

Most people on this thread seem to like the name though so we obviously aren't all thinking CAT NAME!!!

Saying it in CAPITALS doesn’t decrease the cat association
Evidently the association persists,but no one will actually say so in real life
@Happynewtier has a Tabitha, (who miaows) and agrees with the association.

@Chilldonaldchill

I disagree that the first cultural association with Tabitha is a cat. Maybe for people who haven't moved on from Beatrix Potter, in which case Jeremy is a frog name, Jemima a duck name and Mrs a hedgehog name. Mumsnet is full of dated references I think. When Felix is mentioned on here people say it's a cat name too. My children must know about 10 Felixes at school and not once have they ever mentioned a cat. They also know a Tabitha, several Jemimas and 3 Jeremys and again it's not mentioned. There are very few cultural associations which persist for generations - Adolf maybe but even then that's probably just because it's never been a common name - we don't tar Joseph with the same brush despite Stalin being an equally evil leader. But I think Mumsnet gives a skewed small-town perspective that isn't reality.

100%

And some on mn want to be in an echo chamber that affirms back their POV
Anything that digresses from their preferred world view is vehemently dismissed as it’s so intolerable