Roberta (nn Bertie)

[periwinkle86]

DP and I have been discussing ways of incorporating his family into our DD’s name when she’s born (both middle and surname will come from my side). His late grandfather was Robert and we were initially discussing Roberta as a second middle name, but are now actually quite liking it as a possible first name.

She would most likely go by Bertie day-to-day. We had been looking for a traditional name that’s heard of but not overly used and has cute nicknames. DP likes the family connection and I really like the connection to The Railway Children.

I know it’s not a “pretty” name as such (though I’m not a fan of anything too frilly anyway) but I do think the cute nickname options soften it a bit.

Am I going mad and this is pregnancy hormones talking?! What do people think of the name?

No need. You're allowed to start your own thread. It's perfectly reasonable to do so.

I know a Robyn who Robbie or Rob which is very sweet I think.

Yes I like Robyn / Robin too (probably prefer it actually) but DP doesn’t like it unfortunately.

I would expect most people to shorten Roberta to Bobbie/Bobby.

So bear that in mind as you won't be able to control your DC's nickname, no matter what you think now.

The Roberta I know is known as Beanie and it really suits her. Not sure I would have chosen it but it is just her - and I like it on her.

Bobby is lovely

Sorry, I don’t like it. Really ugly sounding names. My dd has a traditional but pretty name with several nicknames but has always been called by the full version.
My friend always wanted her dd to have a name that you couldn’t assume the sex by and went for Francesca nick name Frankie.

I knew a Bobbie/ bobby short for Roberta - she's retired now - but thought it was a fabulous name and really suited her. Suits an adult woman as well as kid, and it's not cutesy pukey!

Strong vibes of ‘we wish she’d been a boy, ffs.’ Giving her a mans name with an extra letter shoved in. Why not give her a name of her own?

I really like it.

When I was pregnant each time and we were thinking about names, my husband thought we shouldn't discuss our ideas with people and just tell them the name when the baby was born. I disagreed and thought it was a good idea to get more honest opinions from people on a name. You don't want to give a child a name everyone thinks is terrible.

Just to clarify, we’re delighted she’s a girl (would have been happy either way) - it’s more about trying to honour the specific person, though we could do that by having Roberta as a second middle name, which is still very much an option.

Thank you for all the feedback - it seems like Bertie is fairly robustly “no” and that Roberta with a different nickname is a bit marmite.

It’s quite different from all of the other names on our list so far (traditional but much more popular) so perhaps I’m allowing the fact that it’s less popular to cloud my judgement.

We’ll keep thinking!

Strong vibes of ‘we wish she’d been a boy, ffs.’ Giving her a mans name with an extra letter shoved in. Why not give her a name of her own?

I wouldn't have thought that.

What about the female members of your DHs family? Any nice names there?
I like Roberta nickname Bobbie but Bertie makes me think of Bertie Wooster and Bertie Ahern, neither great associations for a young girl!

Give her a name of her own. Can't stand this family stuff, so restrictive.

And Roberta is hideous anyway. Yuck.

kendodd
So?

I like Roberta, but not Bertie. Bobbie is twee but OK on a girl.

I love Bertie!!

Not that keen on Roberta, and all other names that are just a feminised version of a man's name tbh but obvs if you're naming her after a Robert then it makes total sense for you.

@periwinkle86

Just to clarify, we’re delighted she’s a girl (would have been happy either way) - it’s more about trying to honour the specific person, though we could do that by having Roberta as a second middle name, which is still very much an option.

Thank you for all the feedback - it seems like Bertie is fairly robustly “no” and that Roberta with a different nickname is a bit marmite.

It’s quite different from all of the other names on our list so far (traditional but much more popular) so perhaps I’m allowing the fact that it’s less popular to cloud my judgement.

We’ll keep thinking!

Roberta sounds good for a middle name then

I knew a Roberta who went by Bobbie - she was lovely and it really suited her. She'd be late 30s by now. I like it - Bobbie is a great nn. It's strong, not cutesy and I would never have thought you wanted a boy instead - what an odd comment. Bertie is awful though.

Ro would be a modern/prettier nickname than Bobbi imo.

Forget what I said the "o" sound is too short to make Ro

I know hyphenating is highly frowned upon on here but
. I think Bobbi-............ would be a far more feminine and prettier way of honoring Robert without being too sickly sweet.
Eg
Bobbi-Rose
Bobbi-Jade
Bobbi-Leigh
Bobbi-Ray
Bobbi-Grace
Bobbi-Louise
Bobbi-Paige

Only if you live in the Appalachians…

What about Robin? It’s often a nn for Robert/a, but also works as an independent name. Though I have to say I actually like Roberta nn Bertie..

Sorry the mysterious Appalachians comment relates to the poster below suggesting Bobbi-Jane et

I love it. My niece is Frederica but is known as Freddie and it really suits her ♥️