What do you think of these two girls names?

[myredcardigan]

Josephine or Jocelyn?
I really like Josie so was thinking Josephine as I'd always go for a full version IYKWIM. DH likes Josie too but is keener on Jocelyn which I also quite like. So no conflict really but opinions gratefully received. Do either of them sound awful or have bad connotations or seem tacky or anything? Just need to check there's no evil character in literature or anything.

open to be teased with Jocelyn for position.....not nice......

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I love Jocelyn and would have used it for our DD if it didn't rhyme with our surname. It's my mum's name and the one thing I would warn you is that if your DD has the slightest, er, how shall I put it? "talent for leadership", she will get Bossy Jocie.

I would expect Jocelyn to be a boy. I think Josephine is lovely. You can avoid Jo by calling her Josie from the start. I know a girl called Josie and she never gets the full name because she is introduced as Josie, started school as Josie etc. I also know an adult Josephine who is always known as Josie because that is how she introduces herself.

I like them both

Josephine is a lovely name. Not so keen on Jocelyn, it's a bit dated and too much like jostling.

Thanks everyone for the opinions, all helpful. I had no idea that so many people would assume that Jocelyn was a boy.

DA, Josephina is very pretty but sounds European to me. As we're English I feel it would be somehow pretentious to choose a more exotic version IYKWIM.

Having said that Jocelyn was a boy's name I wouldn't use it for a boy. I think it is one of those names that was originally for a boy but is now a girl's name-like Hilary.
I think I was thinking of Jolyon from the Forsyte Saga. I much prefer Josephine to Josephina.

i like Josephine

Josephine is a lovely name, don't like Jocelyn at all, firstly it's a pain to spell, second it doesn't 'look' nice when written (not particularly important I know!!) but mostly because it conjours up horrible imagies of butch transvestites for me, I have absolutely no idea why though, I don't know any transvestites and I don't know any Jocelyn's either.

I would go with Josie, second choice Josephine. I knew a male Jocelyn so that puts me off it for a girl.

Josie is really pretty though!

My niece is called Josey. It suits her so well. But of the two you mentioned I MUCH prefer Josephine!!!!!!!!

I prefer Josephine. My mum's name is Josepha (pronounced Jo-seffa)which is quite unusual. Jo or Josie for short.

love josephine

hate jocelyn - for no reason or connotation.

I've never liked Jocelyn. Sounds like jostling and makes me think of a packed tube.

Josephine is nice.

Was it Chris Rea who sang a song about a Josephine?

I like Josephine but not Josie (for some reason I hate the name Josie).

Josephine sounds a bit wet to me. The only Jocelyn I know (Joss) is intelligent, bold-speaking, assertive, attractive and a bit, er, scary.

Love Josephine - never understand why it's not more popular.

For another "J" name - what about Juliana?

My mum is called Josie so i think it's lovely. I wouldn't go for either of the longer forms, I'd just have Josie as her proper name.

Love them both! Always wanted to call a daughter Josephine since I read the Chalet School books! And so many ways to shorten it.

And Jocelyn sounds like a very sure of herself outdoorsy type!

So it sounds like more people have a strong reaction to Jocelyn than Josephine. No-one on here seems to hate Josephine but clearly lots of people feel that way about Jocelyn. Having said that, those posters who do like it think it sounds strong which is actually something I'd like. Glad the vast majority of you ladies like Josie though.

sorry- myredcardigan are you named after the family fortunes answer?????

Lol, EPPM! Yes I am!
I was watching the Les Dennis episode of extras and it just made me laugh. I didn't expect anyone to pick upon it though!

God- sorry- it's a standard catchphrase in this house!

I like them both but prefer Josephine. I think Josie is a better shortform of Josephine than of Jocelyn.