Should I name my daughter Alpha?

[paulinesmithson]

first time poster, bit new to all this!
Recently my beloved grandfather Alfie passed and the entire family were devastated. About a month later we found out we were expecting our second child and I new right away that I wanted to name it after him. A few weeks ago we discovered that I am having a darling baby girl and after researching some names, I fell in love with the name Alpha. It's a greek name meaning new beginnings and it's so similar to my grandfather's name that it seemed perfect to me.

However my DH and a few other friends disagree and think that she will be bullied for this unconventional name and that I should consider something else. I want a name my husband and I can agree on but I can't think of any more fitting name than Alpha. I came on here to ask for other opinions on this?

Her nickname could be Bett?

Strong believer in name you baby whatever you and your partner agree on BUT this was my first thought too lol ...

My teenagers use alpha among their friends as an insult. "He's a bit alpha" means he's big-headed, conceited, a misogynist. Think Andrew Tate. I think it would be really unkind of you to saddle your daughter with that name, given that it has such a horrible meaning to the younger generation.

I'm really sorry about your grandfather. It must be really hard for you. I hope you find a lovely name that pays tribute to him. [Flowers]

Alpha male, Alphabet, Alpha omega, Alfa Romeo, Alfalfa...
It's really not a good choice of name.

I quite like it actually. And i like your associations. But if DH doesn't like it, it's a non starter.
But don't use Aviva- that's the financial / life insurance company

Good name for a team on The Apprentice, not a great name (or even an okay name) for a child. You know how in the 16th century the Puritans would give their kids names like Fear-God, to show how devout they were? Alpha is the 21st century neoliberal's version of that.

Alphia? It means first born so is this your first?

Alpha is very harsh sounding and I'd want to soften it

In the kindest possible way, I would not recommend it at all.
Alpha course, Alpha male, Alpha predator...

What about Alma?

Do the people mentioning The Walking Dead realise that Alpha wasn’t a character name as such, but what the other members of the “pack” called their leader? As in like a pack of wolves (altho I know that theory has been disproven)?

Doesn’t really matter but keeps bugging me. She wasn’t a person named Alpha, it was her title/rank. Mini rant over 😂

Go for it! I recommend first name Alpha, second name Beth!

Alpha male

Guaranteed to be the butt of jokes

Sorry, it's stupid. It might be Greek in origin, but it literally means the letter A and I very much doubt it's actually used as a recognised name in Greece or anywhere.

Alpha Elizabeth - AlphaBet for short

As someone who is into fan fiction I wouldn't. Not my thing but you see a lot of this:

fanlore.org/wiki/Alpha/Beta/Omega

Alma is lovely

Soul in spanish, so Spanish for keeping grandpa Alfie in your souls?

Altheea?

This. It’s an online fanfiction gender (when applied to apparent females it usually means they have male genitalia). A lot of the stories are blatantly sexual.

You are either going to have people thinking your child is intersex, thinking you’ve named her after the Walking Dead character (not a preferred role model) or making the ‘alpha male, toxic masculinity’ connection.

No

Oh OP, imagine the poor thing starting school! The other kids taunting her with “Hey Alpha, teach us the alpha-bet!” and that sort of nonsense! She’d have a rough time.

Aphra is lovely, and I like the suggestion of Alma too! If you like historical, Aphra Behn was not only one of the first women to make a living from writing but was also recruited by Charles II as a spy. Pretty awesome I think!

Your problem isn't what everyone here thinks.

Your DH has said no, so the conversation ends there no matter what.

It's beta than plenty of other names.

Alpha from The Walking Dead is a deeply unpleasant and scary character brilliantly played by Samantha Morton but that's my first thought.

Second thought is "Alpha Male"

I think kids are mean and will call her Alphabetti spaghetti
Althea, Athena etc are all nice A names

Oh god yes this!

I'd call her Alfie if you want to honour your grandad.

No reason it can't be used for a girl if you like it.