Ursula, Sylvie and Initial problems

[namepanic]

So we're expecting a girl and we have a two-word last name the initials of which are H and T.

I love the name Ursula. Both that it means little bear, and the author Ursula K Le Guin. (I don't even mind the sea witch as I think witches are kind of fun and powerful and being reimagined in interesting ways.) But I know it is a marmite name and my brother and father have pointed out all the ways in which it can be abbreviated into horrible things. Arse-ula/Urine, being highlights.

My second favourite name is Sylvie. (Means from the woods. Sounds good. And avoids overly referencing Plath. A poet I don't dislike but who is both associated with depression and had questionable racial politics.) My partner really liked this name too. However, we just realized this would make her initials SHT—obviously not ideal.

If we gave her a middle name it might soften it. e.g. SUHT But we don't know if that will be enough? What do you think?

If not, any ideas about nature-oriented, not over-used names would be great. (We're going for names you can recognize though so Sylvie but not Oak for example.)

SUHT is fine

I hope so. I just worry that middle names usually get lost and other kids will just see her first and last names on homeworks etc. And so devolve to SHT.

Nah it will be ST

Or SH.

Annoyingly loads of people decide to ignore the double barreled names

Oh OP, go with Ursula. It's lovely. 😍 And currently my front runner for any future DD2. You should definitely use it in case I never get the chance.

Ursula is SO cool! I love it. Also a saint's name which I like, a brave young woman.

Sylvie is ever so pretty but ever so trendy. I know a few of them and it's gaining in popularity.

Ursula Sylvie is lovely!

Out of interest is it Ur-Sula or Ur-Shula?

I was sure I heard both on Life After Life (which also had a Sylvia!).

Lovely name.

Sorry it had a Sylvie not a Sylvia, that was my phone talking.

I like both of your names.

Ursula is nothing like Arse or Urine. Don't discuss names with your brother or father.

Honestly you're overthinking. Those initials are absolutely fine. Both sylvie and Ursula are great names (literally nothing like arse or urine??) your dad and brother sound deranged.

Your brother and father don’t like the name Ursula and are trying to manipulate you into changing it. Ursula is lovely and unique and those twisted variations are a stretch. Choose what you and your husband agree on

Ur-su-la probably because it’s the pronunciation I know best but I don’t mind the other one. I haven’t watched the show but I’d like to!

Oh definitely ursula! It was my pick for a girl last year! I had a boy so couldn't use it obviously 😅 it's such a beautiful name and I'd love to see it used more.

Both names are lovely! Choose whichever you like the most! Ursula Sylvia is gorgeous and the reverse too. Don’t worry about initials.

*Sylvie

I really love Ursula, but I’m much less keen on Sylvie, which is a bit fey for me. Sylvia is a stronger name to me, despite the Plath association. Ursula would give you UHT or UH. One of the surnames is likely to be dropped when initialising, I think.

SHT is not ideal. Also Sylvie getting v popular and a bit twee. I knew an Ursula and she didn’t have any trouble with it. I’d ignore your family, they are just being manipulative

Aphra - after Aphra Benn
Zelda
Vita

I love Sylvie but agree SHT non ideal. Ursula beautiful and agree arse & urine just rubbish.
Flora? Fleur? Violet?

(As in I think they're talking rubbish)

Ursula is great, go for it. I doubt the initials will be an issue but if you’re concerned you could choose a non-S middle name so her initials are eg UBHT

Thank you all for giving me so much confidence!

Love Sylvie- super sweet!
I definitely think a middle name would combat your initial problem- how about the following:
Sylvie Elizabeth
Sylvie Pearl
Sylvie Juniper
Sylvie Aster
Sylvie June

Sylvie.

Ursula has to be the ugliest name out there, both in spelling and sound.

Sylvie is beautiful.

Hmm. Bear, SHT, woods? Too much I'd say,

Ursula is great. At our nursery they refer to the children by initials in planning documents and SHT would be sub optimal. UHT would be funny (nn milky?) but totally fine.