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Original poster

Genevieve, Esther, Silvia, Mercy or Dorothy?

71 replies

EleanorShellstrop28 · 30/08/2022 12:49

Can you rank these names for me please? And if you have the time tell me what you like/dislike about them?

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alanabennett · 30/08/2022 12:53

I don't care for any of them, to be honest, but I had a visceral reaction to Dorothy. It's hideous. Please don't saddle a baby with that name! Very "70 year old widow who likes gardening" name.

KirstenBlest · 30/08/2022 12:54

Dorothy
Esther

Don't like:
Genevieve

Mercy - would think african christian heritage
Silvia -would think italian heritage

Cheeselog · 30/08/2022 12:58

Favourite to least favourite:
Genevieve
Sylvia spelt like that
Dorothy
Esther
Mercy

Not really keen on the last two but the first three are lovely. Unless you have an Italian surname I think Sylvia is the better spelling as it’s the standard one and also looks nicer imo.

MoreTeaLessCoffee · 30/08/2022 13:02

Dorothy - my favourite, this was on my list
Esther - love although I think of it as a Jewish name (possibly only bc I live near a community though)
Silvia - love but prefer Sylvia spelling
Genevieve - too flouncy
Mercy - agree with pp that this has strong Christian associations particularly Black African

soundsofthesixties · 30/08/2022 13:09

Perhaps OP is black African.
I love Esther.

HMReturnsBag · 30/08/2022 13:09

Esther- I love this, classic and strong

Genevieve- bit of a 70s vibe for me, like a character from a Jackie Collins book

Silvia, Mercy or Dorothy- I'm afraid I find all of these very ugly. Mercy reminds me of Mercy Dulbottle from the Jill books. Old lady names, not in a good way.

Cheeselog · 30/08/2022 13:15

Ruth might be a good alternative to Mercy.
Or if you are from a Black Christian background, my favourite name that I can’t use myself - Blessing 🥰

MoreTeaLessCoffee · 30/08/2022 13:17

@soundsofthesixties or Jewish! In which case I would say those names feel quite traditional for those communities to me, which is fine if you want that.

Pemba · 30/08/2022 13:18
  1. Silvia, gorgeous and quite unusual these days.
  2. Esther nice classic name, could use Essie for short, which is cute.
  3. Genevieve, pretty and becoming fashionable. There is some discrepancy between the French and English pronunciations.
  4. Dorothy, I do like this and I think there will be a comeback. I think it is due. Unfortunately, like a pp, you will get people saying it's an old lady name. So was Elsie a few years ago. It's nicer than Elsie or Florence imo. BTW your typical 70 year old is called Sheila, Carol or Wendy, not Dorothy. Dorothy was Sheila's aged auntie. Then there is the 'Wizard of Oz' association. There is also Dorothea which is nice.
  1. Mercy, unsure about this. I mean I know it's a proper name, but the meaning of the word kind of gets in the way of the name iykwim.
midsomermurderess · 30/08/2022 13:27

Esther, it has an elegant austerity (sorry, for me being pretentious).

Luredbyapomegranate · 30/08/2022 13:37

Genevieve - elegant and energetic - underused

Esther - getting quite popular, very nice

Sylvia - standard spelling, I don’t like it as much as Serena, Susannah, Sabrina, Selena, Sanchia… but it’s perfectly nice. Sylvie is popular right now

Dorothy - it’s very granny chic. I quite like it, it’s been used a bit over the last decade. I do prefer the elegant Dorothea though (I’d put that above Esther). Either way the short forms - Dorrie, Dorey, Dora, Dot - are very nice

Mercy - I think it’s awful. I know it’s widely used in some British African communities, but it’s so OTT religious. Also I don’t see why women especially should be merciful: it’s never used for boys.

Dreamingcats · 30/08/2022 13:53

Genevieve and Silvia - love both. Had both on my list.

Esther

Mercy

Dorothy (I have an aversion to names with a "th" sound. They sound wishy-washy to me).

Firebird83 · 30/08/2022 16:13

Esther

Lunabun · 30/08/2022 16:24
  1. Mercy! I adore this. If I have a girl, I may use it as a middle name (thought sadly it doesn't fit with my current favourite first name).
  1. Silvia - but I prefer Sylvia
  1. Dorothy because I adore the nickname Dot or Dottie.
  1. Esther - lovely and timeless.
  1. Genevieve. Not keen on this one, sorry x
Stropalotopus83 · 30/08/2022 16:26

I love Genevieve but would probably use it for a middle name as I really don't like any of the names it is usually shortened to.

saynotoo · 30/08/2022 17:47
  1. Silvia
  2. Esther
  3. Mercy
  4. Dorothy
  5. Genevieve
DelphiniumBlue · 30/08/2022 17:52

I prefer Mercedes to Mercy.

notangelinajolie · 30/08/2022 17:53

I only like Dorothy

frenchie4002 · 30/08/2022 17:54

In order of my fave to least fave - Genevieve, Silvia, Mercy, Esther, Dorothy

Bollocks989 · 30/08/2022 17:58

I like Genevieve!

Bollocks989 · 30/08/2022 18:01

Then ester...love this, maybe more than Genevieve!

Maybe Silvie, rather than Silvia, I think it sounds French!

Not sure about Dotty or Mercy.

YouSoundLovely · 30/08/2022 18:14

Esther is my favourite.
Love Sylvia, dislike Silvia.
Dorothy is nice, though I prefer Dorothea.
Not keen at all on Mercy or Genevieve.

Butterbeer4All · 30/08/2022 18:16

Genevieve

I don't care for the other names

Spanielsarepainless · 30/08/2022 18:19

Esther, Sylvia, Dorothy (Mercy, Genevieve not at all)

RooniIWazlib · 30/08/2022 18:37

If you're giving birth to a 90-year-old bubbie, then Esther is great.

I prefer Sylvie over Silvia. Genevieve is nice as well. The rest are horrible/harsh-sounding.

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