Philomena

[Rickandmortified100]

Okay I know I’ve posted too many threads, but I’m reading about saints and keep discovering names that I have never heard of before! Interested in what others think of them (although not necessarily planning to use any, more curious). What do you think of Philomena? I can’t decide it’s it’s really pretty with lovely nickname options, or just a bit much!

Phil! Phil is awful. Although I know three Philippas - one goes by Philly, one Pip, and the other the full name. So maybe Phil isn’t inevitable. I’d hate that!

The film with Steve Coogan and Judi Dench (and which is poor) is of the book The Lost Child of Philomena Lee by Martin Sixsmith, about a woman's fifty year search for the child she was forced to give up for 'adoption' by paying Americans in a Magdalen laundry in Roscrea in the 1950s -- and discovers he has died of AIDS years previously, having tried in vain to find her.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philomena_(film)

Quite aside from that, in the context of Ireland it's a very much an unreclaimed elderly woman name -- Philomenas would be in their 80s now, along with Assumptas, Attractas and Conceptas. It makes me think of ancient nuns, cardigan sleeves full of used tissues, rosary beads, joylessness etc.

Think Gladys or Mavis, maybe?

Little old Irish lady's name for me too. And not in a chic kinda way.

I don't like it at all - I agree it is one of those old fashioned names that shouldn't be revived. That is obviously just my personal opinion.

However, if you think 'Phil' is awful, then you clearly can't use a long name which begins 'Phil' - - your poor dd isn't going to avoid people using that.

'Philly' just sounds like 'filly' which would be an awful thing to call anyone.

I don't like it but I like the nicknames she could have like Mina or Minnie, I'd probably use one of those rather than Philomena because it would be my luck if I picked a name like that and my child ended up with the nickname Phil.

You could just call her Mina, like Mina Harker from Dracula. I like Mina. If I met a tiny Philomena I'd definitely be on the phone to my mother to tell her. Obviously all the elderly Philomenas I know were little Philomenas once upon a time, but it's hard to imagine that they weren't born as 84 year olds, rosary beads in one hand a copy of Ireland's Eye in the other.

Actually in our culture it’s unheard of for nicknames to emerge organically as they do in the UK. Nicknames are selected alongside the first name or very shortly afterwards. So I can very easily choose her nickname as parents always choose nicknames here. I love Philly, Minnie and Mina! I think they’re so cute. I know a Philly and it really suits her so maybe that’s why I have a good association with the name

(Although just to reiterate - I’m not even sure if Philomena is on our long list let alone the short list … it’s very far from being used by us! I’m just interested in the name as I was reading about saints earlier and it struck me as pretty but uncommon these days.)

I love this comment 😁😁😁

Goes with the surname Cunk for me:

They were, they emerged from the birth canal like that!

God no, very old fashioned old Irish lady, reminds me of convents and rosary beads, same with Assumpta, Concepta and Attracta, those names need to disappear forever

It makes me think of the 50s and a sort of drab depressed era.

Philippa is lovely and Phyllida is alright.

Beautiful!! I know a set of quintuplets online who are called Philomena, Evangeline, Gideon, Elliot and Meredith (passed away sadly). The Philomena there goes by Mena 😊

Is your baby going to be born a 75 yr old catholic? If not then step away. Too much trying to hard…

Yup… my mum has a Friend Concepta Cepta for short 🥴

They sound quite spanish, old ladies in spain have worse names, instead of Brenda, Breda, Philomena, you have Asunción, Inmaculada, Dolores, and, my favourite and the mother of a friend, brace yourself, sit down for this one Angustias

Omg, who would do that to their child. It makes Breda feel light and airy in comparison.

Well, Sophia Loren played Filumena Marturano opposite Marcello Mastroianni in Marriage Italian Style.

Always reminds me of the classic Royle family episode where Jim metres Philomena for a date and calls her filet-o-fish 😂😂
genius

Purificación, Encarnación, Remedios!

Don't they make Philomena and Bridie sound good?

sorry where JOE takes Philomena on a date. Long day!

Cranky aul irish woman is what it summons up for me. Awful.

If you like the general vibe, there's Carmel, Dolores, Bridget, Assumpta, Concepta, Maria, Goretti, Bernadette, Lucia, Mariah...

Please.

Leaving Colette and Fidelma out of that list is such a Philomena move. Philomenas are always jealous of the Colettes and Fidelmas. The true power movers of the Catholic name crew.

Philomena Cunk makes this a hard no for me, even though the character is funny af!