Is Irene truly dreadful?

[spearmintbubble]

I love the name Irene Elizabeth and I was wanting to use it. Majority of people I’ve asked like it, however there is a high percentage who don’t. Is it one of those names that you either love or hate? All opinions welcome!

Not dreadful.no. but nor a name. I would use.😀

I like Irene.
I prefer Iris though.

My friend Irene often has to sit through Goodnight Irene.

Not personally a name that I like, it feels a bit on the clunky side of old lady names but Elizabeth is really nice.
I knew one Irene, she was in her 90s and people sang 'come on Irene' to her to the tune of come on Eileen

In Greek the i sound is sort - like the i in fish - so i - ri - ni . Much prettier but unlikely to happen in the uk. I considered it (I’m Greek) but knew that no one would ever pronounce it properly and I don’t like the English pronunciation.

Prefer Irena

I think it sounds beautiful and classy.

I love it. Interesting how divided opinion is though.

I think you will will find that everyone you asked hates it....some are just lying to not hurt your feelings 🙄..... Irene is a bad name there's nothing nice about it..

And i say that as someone who had a nanny Irene

🤣🤣🙄

Irene just hasn't come back yet, so you'll be ahead of the curve. Names like Daisy and Lily (often shortened to 'Liww' in London) we're considered ugly and old-fashioned when I was young.
Choose the name you love for your daughter and eventually it will become popular again.

Irène is the French way of pronouncing it. It’s said I-renn with a short I like in bin. It’s fairly popular in France.

It's my middle name and I hated it when I was a child and used to pretend I didn't have one if anyone asked. It's my gran's name and she kept hinting for me to use it as a middle name for my children but I ignored the hints . Its not a great name for a baby but also not the worst I've heard. 6 year old Sheila 😳

I like it because it was my mum’s name. She pronounced it with three syllables but invariably most others didn’t.

My 80 year old auntie is called Irene. She says that when she was younger she wanted to be called the three-syllable version I-reen-ee, after the heroine of the Forsyte Saga. And that she especially hated the song "Goodnight Irene" which was popular when she was young.

I reckon the timing is right for a comeback and Irene Elizabeth is a good combination!

I quite like it with the second e pronounced, so in effect Irenie.
But either way it's due a resurgence I think. By the way, stress should be on the rene not the I.

Don't like Irene. However, I like It more pronounced Irenee. Same with Margaret, really not keen but love Margot.

I think it’s dreadful, sorry.

Not mycup of tea, but if you like it...
David Mitchell has a daughter named Barbara. Now that name is awful, in my opinion, along with Brenda. Can't imagine giving birth and telling the midwife those names. However, your baby your choice.

I like it as it has a strong family connection for me plus it works in Italian which we wanted. Sad I didn't use it but I was swayed by people not liking it.

Love it if said with three syllables.

don’t like it with two.

I like it pronounced with three syllables very much. There is a wonderful character in the Forsyth Saga called that and I’d always think of her elegance and strength.

Absolutely this

I have a Spanish friend called Irene but it's pronounced i-ren-aye. It's beautiful pronounced that way imho.

It's a lovely name.

Irene is flaming great galah.