Eden

[Shasha17]

Met a little Eden and I've never met one before! I thought it was such a cute name and am considering adding it to my list, but I just mentioned this on a video call with two close friends and one said the name is too religious (which is a positive for me as I love biblical and saint names, so I didn't mind this point!). My other friend said she thought it was 'chavvy' and would sound silly compared with my other children's names which are all biblical, but she said it sounds especially bad with Tabitha, my daughter's name

I find it odd that Eden would be considered 'chavvy' as other biblical place names (like Lydia and Magdalene/Magdalena) aren't thought of like this at all. So what do you think - is she right? Do you think 'biblical/Christian' when you hear Eden or 'chavvy'?

And I'm sorry to say 'chavvy'. I know it's a horrid word. But I don't know how to word my question without including this word as it's a direct quote and I don't know what a socially acceptable synonym would be.

[Edenember]

I know what your friend means, tbh, although it hasn’t been expressed very sensitively. I think the downmarket vibe comes from a mixture of things. There are a few religiously themed names which have a similar feel - Angel, Heaven and then Nevaeh. So not the classic biblical names but more these kinds. Then I think it’s the -den ending, after the flurry of names such as Brayden, Kaiden, Jayden. I’m very working class and I’ve known a couple of Eden’s from families who also have a Brayden or a Jayden.
This isn’t a name I’m ready to hate because when I was younger it was one of my own favourites, along with Amara, Scarlett and Autumn. I also liked Angel for a while. I’ve outgrown all of them bar Autumn now, but you probably get the drift - they’re all individually nice enough (except for Angel) but I think my style was ‘trying to be poetic but being too literal’ with the word names.
It’s a nice sounding, sleek name, objectively nice without these associations, so if they don’t exist for you it simply isn’t a problem. And I think it’s fine with Tabitha.

[Strokethefurrywall]

I know a 9 year old female Eden (nn Edie), we don’t live in the UK either.

Thankfully the name/class connotation that seem to eat UK folk up seems to have been left there thank God.

Eden is a beautiful name, definitely use it!

[Edenember]

Ha! Penny just dropped about my username - it’s from those long ago times 😂 Ember was another fave. So yeah, I think I had Autumn Eve, Eden Ember, Amber Rose, stuff like that. There’s sometimes an element when you’re young of trying to be classy but because you’re immature massively missing the mark and being far too literal in trying to conjure up beauty / poetry. That was me. Again, nothing wrong with many of these names individually but I think this whole thing is in part where the dm vibes come from.

[WeasilyPleased]

@AuntDympna what an interesting post. Thank you...I've learnt something.
Eden isn't a downmarket name to me. I quite like it.

[Luredbyapomegranate]

It’s got a downmarket vibe - like Shannon, Forrest or Paris. You’d probably get the odd MC hippy using it too, but on balance I wouldn’t.

[Bonnealle]

I’m not sure about ‘chavvy’, but the previous poster who said about it being a footballer’s name sums it up (in this current climate anyway). But, what does it matter? If you really like the name then it’s right for you and footballers are always cool - imagine being called Maradona!!

[Summerdayshaze]

I know three under 10 and one due next month. All boys.

[groovergirl]

Eden reminds me of the 1920s story by Willa Cather, "Coming, Eden Bower!", about a girl who changes her name from Edna to Eden and becomes a famous singer. Look it up, if you want a heartbreaking tale of bohemian romance and forsaken love.

Eden is elegant, classic, and I'm surprised it hasn't been used more over the years. The only Eden I've ever met is a man now in his 80s.

[madisonbridges]

I had a schoolfriend in the 1970s called Eden but I've never met anyone since.
I think its a lovely name. It's recognisable but not commonly used and doesn't sound try-hard.

[SiobhanRoystar]

I've only known boys called it tbh I'd assume the parents were football fans ( which two of them were)

[FredAstairesChair]

I'm wirh you on 'chavvy ' being a judgmental and classless term to use however the only Edens I know are what some may think of as chavvy.

[madisonbridges]

My schoolfriend in the 70s was a girl.

[madisonbridges]

^ And also my friend was Jewish and because I'd never heard it as a name before, I think maybe I associated it with her religion. Probably just a coincidence.

[urbanbuddha]

Eden's a great name. Edie's the nn for girls.

[miltonj]

Eden is a lovely and strong name. I prefer it for a girl.

There are no chav or religious associations in the uk about the name.

[Shasha17]

@Cindie943811A

To me it is a very plain name. It may be biblical but until comparatively recently was not used as a given name.

Actually, this is untrue. It's a Hebrew name and is apparently very popular among Jewish communities and in Israel. Also, the name was popular in the 1600s and 1700s! So hardly very modern, although it does have a modern feel.

[Shasha17]

Thank you for all the positive comments! I thjnk I feel much better now and sure that the name isn't considered 'chavvy'. (I don't mind if a few individuals dislike the name, that's true of every name, but I'm just glad that the general consensus is that my friend is wrong and it's a perfectly usable and nice name )

[madisonbridges]

The word chavvy didn't exist in the 70s 😂 , but my friend was definitely not chavvy.

That's interesting that I was right about it being associated with Judaism. I think its a lovely name.

[WildStallyn]

My DC has a classmate called Eden. I think it's a lovely name. They aren't an overtly religious family and definitely don't appear "chavvy".

[Fivebeanchilli]

Eden was super popular in my area around 16-19 years ago. It was the very opposite of a "middle class name". I haven't met any for a while but I don't think of it as classy in the least I'm afraid.
I do like the potential for Edie though.

[TheOccupier]

Friend of mine's 12yo daughter recently declared herself non-binary (huge eyeroll) and is now known as Eden with they/them pronouns. Make of that what you will but it's put me right off the name, not that I was ever a huge fan (child's real name is a nice traditional girl's name).

[justswaying]

I know a little boy Eden but it's pronounced a bit more eh-den, they are a French family. There is also the footballer Eden Hazard

I love it for a little girl though!

[potoforchids]

I know a boy Eden too, pronounced like the garden.

[sageandbasil]

I really like Eden but I can't get my head around that it's a boys name. It's 100% a girls name in my mind

[raintropics]

I know a girl called Eden and I love it!