Xanthe or Imogen

[Sunstarsrainbows]

Hello, I was hoping to get people's opinions on these two names. DH and I have struggled to agree on names and these are the only two contenders. I realise they're very different and that makes it difficult to choose.

Imogen is way more popular and Xanthe is a little more edgy and out there choice.

Which do you prefer?

I knew a Xanthe. Always thought it was a beautiful and very strong name.

Xanthe. I considered it as its a beautiful name.

Imogen was on my list as well until I heard a woman calling her daughter by that name in the park. The woman had a regular accent (the same as everyone else around here) but when she called her daughter, she said the name in a very affected accent and it turned me completely off the name. DH was against it because of a footballer's mistress called Imogen who everyone has forgotten about by now.
Imo Xanthe is much much nicer than Imogen.

It has Greek origins so maybe that is where you associate it with but it isn't a placename?

I went to school with a Xanthe who was horrible so I would choose Imogen on that basis.

Neither, really, and they both seem to be popular. I wouldn't want to choose a currently popular name and would check that anything I liked wasn't in the top 5,000 names.

It's a city in Greece.

Xanthe is hardly popular - 36 were born in England Wales in 2021 (so just in the top 1000). If you don't want a name in the top 5000 you're pretty much going to have to make up a new name. Xanthe does however seem to get mentioned on mn a lot though.

There were 998 Imogens in the same year.

Our Labrador is called Xanthe (and yes she’s golden). Beautiful name for a beautiful pup. However a surprisingly high number of people either see it written down and can’t pronounce it, or hear it said and ask how to spell it.

Love Xanthe. It was on our list.

Depending where you are in the country you might not like the way xanthe gets pronounced!

There's a girl in dds school called xanthe and it's pronounced xan-fee by everyone and for some reason it bugs me! Not even my name 🤣

Xanthe is gorgeous. Imogen is fine, a bit dull.

I was going to use Xanthe but was worried I was saddling DD with a lifetime of telling people how to spell and pronounce her name.
I have never liked Imogen sorry, I can't see the attraction of it at all.

Imogen by a mile, very classy name

I thought the place name was Xanthi?

I prefer Xanthe 😊

I think whether you pronounce it Zan- or Ksan- depends mainly on how the people who chose the name want it to be said!

I lived in Greece for a few years so I would definitely choose the X sound, as that's how the Greeks say it and I think it is much lovelier.

But some quick googling makes it clear that many people outside Greece say it with a Z sound. It does seem in the UK that Zan- is more common. But to me, why wouldn't you then just spell it with a Z rather than an X?!

I honestly think Zan- is just easier for many people's tongues. I know a Xavier and everyone calls him Zavier.

Sorry, I know this is unhelpful re. your dilemma with your friend's child🙁

Love bath but I’d go Xanthe. It’s what DC three would have been if he were a girl!

I went to primary school with a Xanthe, we are mid 50s now! I've never met another one since, but it's a really interesting name.

Same here. I'm always mystified by the Imogen love on here. I think it's such an ugly word.

Imogen for sure, it’s a classic name. With Xanthe, not everyone knows how to pronounce and if they do it’s just an anglophone version any way which makes it sound not right.

Love the name Xanthe!

I can’t really work out how to say the ksan sound at the start of the word. I get it in the middle of word such as in Alexander. I think it’s that it’s not a natural sound at the start of English words

Xanthe?
Like Xanthan gum?
No.

Xanthe love it