Do you prefer Joy or Mercy?

[Flutterflybutterby]

Joy. Mercy sounds like a safe word in S&M. I prefer Joyce to both.

Joy. I've known a lovely one, and also there was a Bigger Girl at school called Joy who played guitar and sang in assemblies and I wanted to BE her when I was teeny tiny. But they are very specific and personal reasons. It's the closest to a virtue name I'll go - I don't like Mercy or Grace or Honour (or the u-less spelling, blegh), Faith sometimes appeals as it has a cooler edge but it depends on my mood. I also like a short name for a girl, and Joy totally fits there.

@Happenchance

Joy. Mercy sounds like a safe word in S&M. I prefer Joyce to both.

God, I always assumed in my naivety, knowing less about S and M than I do about medieval philosophy that safe words were something completely out of context that couldn't sound like part of the S and M situation. So you'd say 'Canteloupe!' or 'Nuneaton!' or 'Spray Foam Insulation!'

Anything except Mercy, sorry.

It sounds like she's 'begging for mercy', whereas Clemency sounds like someone offering clemency. Grammatically incorrect but true.

I just 'hear' a voice saying 'mercy! mercy!'.

Joy

God, I always assumed in my naivety, knowing less about S and M than I do about medieval philosophy that safe words were something completely out of context that couldn't sound like part of the S and M situation. So you'd say 'Canteloupe!' or 'Nuneaton!' or 'Spray Foam Insulation!'

Clemency! Do I like that? I just... I either love it or I hate it? I've never heard of it (well, I must have, but never paid much attention or considered it before). Now it's suddenly brought to my attention I feel that I have a strong feeling about it but I don't know whether it's positive or negative. Clemency... What do you think of it? A sister for Tabitha.

@Sheabutterisdelish

God, I always assumed in my naivety, knowing less about S and M than I do about medieval philosophy that safe words were something completely out of context that couldn't sound like part of the S and M situation. So you'd say 'Canteloupe!' or 'Nuneaton!' or 'Spray Foam Insulation!'

Same

@Tullig, I think you're right, although what if you forgot the word and just ended up desperately shouting "Honeydew! No, Galia! No, shit, it's the other one, what's it called?"

Clemency will end up getting shortened to something, Clem, Messy,
Sorry Op I really don't like it.

A name to go with Tabitha, ....Angela, Samantha, Juliette, Jamaina (check the spelling on that).

I think Clemency is dreadful.

Mercy

I prefer Joy for sure. I think it’s a lovely name.

Joy is better by far. I would assume Mercy is short for Mercedes, which is really chavvy. & Clemency would be shortened to Clemmy, which sounds too much like Clammy... ew!

Clementine is nicer than Clemency. Mercy is awful, and Joy is ok, but what if she is of a morose/grumpy disposition?

I love the name Tabitha and others currently on our list are Cordelia, Hazel, Willow, Sylvia/Sylvie, Aurelia and Lucinda.

Ugh giving girls names like this is just so bleak.

I prefer Joy to Mercy but other nice virtue names are Ruth and Hope.

Bleak? They’re beautiful, traditional, meaningful names! Is it because you see them as behavioural directives? I get that virtue names aren’t to everyone’s taste but don’t quite see how they’re bleak (especially Joy, which is surely the opposite!)

Yes the behavioural directive nature of it. What if they're not joyful, or merciful or whatever. It's just assuming girls have to be joyful and happy and rays of sunshine and graceful - all of them are just so uggghhhh.
It's personal tho! And obviously none of my biz what anyone calls their kids

Ha, no, I do see that. I suppose I see them more as a celebration of that virtue than an instruction to the bearer of the name (in the same way that most names that are less direct about it have meanings behind them too). And Grace I always see more in the “Grace of God”, or to behave with grace (ie with dignity and compassion) sense, rather than in the ballet sense! But yes, wholly personal.

Funny one Joy. I was at school with several (all very nice) but as a word of warning, they are all coming up to 60 now so I tend to see it as being of my generation. However, I don't think it has dated in the same way as some other 1960s names.

Joy.
Would never use Mercy, think it has so many negative connotations.

If the two. Joy. Mercy is down there with Charity for me , but neither plunged the depths ‘Justice’

Joy!

Though I’m probably biased as I have a baby Joy. And she’s glorious 🥰

@MindTheGapMoveAlong

If the two. Joy. Mercy is down there with Charity for me , but neither plunged the depths ‘Justice’

Or Chastity 🤢