Claudia vs Cressida?

[bippityboppityboo22]

Hi all!
We’re not actually expecting but were chatting about baby names last night and I’d love some feedback on these two names? I love both but don’t know whether Cressida is ‘usable’ if that makes sense?
Excited to hear your thoughts!

I know a teenage Cressida nn Cress - something to consider.

I really like Cressida

Ready like Claudia.

I actually know three Cressidas, from early 20s to early 40s, but that is probably just me... Certainly usable, anyway.

The meaning of Claudia puts me off.

Cressida is nicer

I was going to post what @Violetlavenders just said.

I adore Claudia - elegant sounding imo and quite popular/well used internationally. I think the only reason it stays relatively underused in the UK is the unfortunate "meaning" (which is only really obvious if you know Latin and wouldnt stop me from using it anyway - after all "meaning" doesn't stop people from using popular James/Jacob, Maria, Emily etc).

Cressida is beautiful too - but it's Shakespearean/legendary vibes do give it a more upper crust "British" feel imo (I don't think it's well used internationally?). I don't think it's at all unusable though, and Cressy is a cute nn on a little one.

Of the two, I'd pick Claudia but they are both great choices!

I think the only reason it stays relatively underused in the UK is the unfortunate "meaning" (which is only really obvious if you know Latin and wouldnt stop me from using it anyway - after all "meaning" doesn't stop people from using popular James/Jacob, Maria, Emily etc).

But the meaning of Claudia is so obvious if you've ever studied Latin unfortunately (claudus = crippled/lame).

James, Maria, Emily don't have obvious negative meanings, do they?

But the meaning of Claudia is so obvious if you've ever studied Latin unfortunately (claudus = crippled/lame). James, Maria, Emily don't have obvious negative meanings, do they?

I suppose I'm more interested in the etymology of names than the Latin language itself so their meanings are obvious to me personally - although it wouldn't stop me using them as all name meanings are debated.

As a name becomes more popular it also seems to mysteriously develop more meanings. Claudia is now sometimes listed as meaning "enclosure" instead from Latin "clausus", since the name Claudia was used for girls long before the Emperor Claudius with the limp became linked with the name.

Claudia is also very popular in European countries with Latinate languages (Top 20 Spain, Top 100 Italy as well as being very well used in most Latin American countries - so much that it's apparently the 13Oth most popular woman's name in the world), so I don't think the possible Latin meaning is a major problem personally.

Cressida sounds to me more posh-girl than Claudia. I prefer the sound of Claudia, possibly for that reason.

I used to know a Cressitta- with t instead of d. We used to call her Cressie, which I thought was quite a cute name.

Parsley is nicer....

Oh, and I did study compulsory Latin at school - I still chose Claudia as my "Latin" name for class (even though I'm called Julia so didn't need to change!). I think Claudia has a nice sound, and it reminds me of all those Roman girls/women called Claudia rather than any possible negative meaning.

Love Cressida! It sounds fresh but classical.

Claudia just reminds me of the woman with the fringe!

They both sound quite posh to me. I quite like Claudia.

The only Cressida I have ever even heard of is Cressida Dick.

I like Claudia and the meaning wouldn’t put me off one bit. Besides, the name existed long before emperor Claudius and his limp.

Cressida doesn’t do it for me.

Sorry, @IamnotwhouthinkIam, I didn't realise I was repeating what you'd already said

@Violetlavenders

I think the only reason it stays relatively underused in the UK is the unfortunate "meaning" (which is only really obvious if you know Latin and wouldnt stop me from using it anyway - after all "meaning" doesn't stop people from using popular James/Jacob, Maria, Emily etc).

But the meaning of Claudia is so obvious if you've ever studied Latin unfortunately (claudus = crippled/lame).

James, Maria, Emily don't have obvious negative meanings, do they?

Well one meaning of Mary is 'bitter' so I presume it's the same for Maria. And then there's always Amelia which is a pretty name, but also a birth defect.

If you're not bothered by the meaning of Claudia, that's great. The op asked for feedback on two names and some posters are simply explaining that the meaning puts them off.

I get that. But I was just responding to a question you posed.

Cressida reminds me of Cressida Dick, but that's a passing thing, so overall I prefer Cressida

I like Cressida and think it's very usable. Cressie for short.

In a similar vein I also like Candida. Now that isn't useable!

Claudia is an unfriendly sort of name to my ear but very elegant.

I love Claudia, not keen on Cressida - it sounds like a type of salad leaf imo.

Besides, the name existed long before emperor Claudius and his limp.

Yes, so it was a coincidence that the emperor with the name Claudius just happened to suffer from several birth defects in effect making him lame.

I really like Cressida!