A young Deborah?

[Homingirl]

How would you feel about meeting a young Deborah? Would you be horrified or pleasantly surprised?
It's a name that keeps coming up, which we are now seriously considering.

I hate it. It was my parents' second choice name for me and I am so glad they didn't go for it. I know it is a classical biblical name but there is something dowdy about it.

Even the Pulp song admits 'it never suited' her.

I actually know 3 Deborahs; 2 are in their 30's and 1 late 40's. They're all known as Debbie/Debi. It's an ok name, doesn't bring about any strong feelings for me.

I know quite a few Debbies, Debras and Deborahs.
It's better than the vowelly names that are currently popular

I’m a Deborah, early 30’s. I get Debbie by family which I dislike, but it’s Deborah or Debs to everyone else. I used to be ambivalent about it but as time has gone on I’m glad I got it (Dad’s pick) rather than the dead 80’s name my mum chose for my sister. It’s classic, means bee and was the name of some bomb-ass warrior queen in the bible. Happy enough with that.

I do think it’s due a revival, with a lot of 50’s and 60’s names coming through again as we see kids getting named after grandparents born in that era. Having said that, we were viewing a school for DD two months ago and there was some artwork from the P1 class up in the wall- imagine my shock seeing a ‘Deborah’ name on a fingerprint picture of a rainbow!

Deborah sounds so refreshing after this wave of Ellies, Evies, Poppies and Izzies!

Why not? I think it's due a revival - it was very popular in the 80s, but I think the associations it had with 'Sharon' and 'Tracy'(two other actually perfectly nice names in fact) will have gone now so, why not?

I certainly don't think anyone would be horrified by it.

"Debbie" is not a given. I'm Deb or Debs. If anyone calls me Debbie I tell them I prefer Deb, Debs or Deborah. I love my name, haven't met many others!

I am not ready yet.
Debs is awful, worse than Debbie

It's like Barbara I think, just not a very attractive sound.

Deborah was on our list if DS had been DD!

However, we were thinking of going for the Hebrew spelling Devorah or Dvorah, as DH is Israeli.

I'm just not a fan of Deb or Debbie.

Thank you for all the replies! We are so pleased that the majority of you like it and think it's totally usable.
I have known of two much older Deborahs who have always been known to me as that. And look at Deborah Meaden, Deborah Orr, Deborah Findlay etc. There's no need to shorten it, although we do love the suggestion of Bee.
We would pronounce it as Deb-or-uh not Deb-rah.
Thanks all!

Reminds me of the pulp song as well
i quite like it

I think it’s nice! Had a neighbour Deborah who was only ever Deborah or Deb - never Debbie!!

for some reason makes me think of Dorothy/Dorothea as a similar sort of name, in case you want other ideas.

I think it's awful

I like it, but I don’t like Deb / Debbie so I wouldn’t use it.

Diana?

You just need to be aware that you can’t control whether she ends up Debbie to her mates - in an era of lots of y girls’ names she probably will. Also, people are going to say Deb-rah because that’s how it’s said in the UK, wanting it said Deb-or-rah is like wanting Katherine says Kath-er-rin, it won’t happen.

this. It will be deb-ra

I 'm friends with an early 40s Deborah. Her name has never been shortened by anyone. She is definitely a Deborah and not a Deb/Debbie!

It's an awful name.

I think you may be slightly out with your decades? I'm a seventies baby and I associate Deborah/Debbie as being older than my age group. I'd say more 1950s and 1960s?

1980s was more Laura/Katie/Sarah etc

Yeah agree with others that it will be Debra. To me it's very dated along the lines of Tracy and Sharon. I had a few or each at secondary school.

*of

I had a friend "It's Deborah. Please don't call me Debbie" in my school days. She was lovely, so has nice associations for me.
She was always adamant that no-one should call her Debbie. Even the teachers got put in their place!

There are lots of names from that era that I would love to see in use again!

I think it’s nice.

Sorry I don't like it . It's a harsh sounding name

Deborah, Deb -yes. Never ever Debbie!