Gretel?

[lemoncurdcupcake]

DH has become very emotionally attached to the name, in homage to a close, late relative. His family are German originally.

It's the first name he's suggested and I desperately want to at least consider it and not be/feel dismissive. But despite my best efforts I'm not warming to it at all. To me it sounds very harsh. I don't like Greta, Gretchen, Griette etc either for the same reason.

I appreciate the kid in sound of music was cute, but that's still not selling it 😂

What do you think of it?

Sorry, but I really don't like it

It's one of those names like Heidi and Pollyanna which immediately conjures up an image which is hard to move past

I immediately thought of Hansel & Gretel

If your DH has his heart set on it, could you use it as a second name?

If you don't like it, you don't like it so ask him for other suggestions.

Gretl, Liesl, Louisa, Brigitta or Marta are all nice. Liesl would be my pick.

Gretel is a cute name!

Can it be a middle name?

I know someone with a little girl called Gretel, she’s very cute!
They use the nickname Gigi.

We've said the children can choose the middle name and they've both been decided a while!

Could be the first person in the family to have two middle names I guess 🤔

Gigi is cute 🥰

Only if you can call her brother Hansel? 🥰

Brother has been here a while and I don't think he'd be up for a name change!! 😂

Awww damn it! 🤣🤣🤣

I don't mind it and think it's quite cute. I did think Hansel that's really a couple of seconds to you've met the child. I work with kids and we get all sorts. We had a Blousie, a Vogue, a Dave! They just become the person who minutes after meeting them. I think if it's a third kid then, especially if you got your way with the others, it may be time to let DH have more of a say.

I adore it.

As a German: Do go ahead if you never want to set foot in Germany. I remember the first time I met an American woman called Gretchen... My reaction was WTF?!?

@PembeGreyfurt , why do you say that?

I love the name Gretel! It’s so so cute and I second the nickname Gigi!

I came on to say Greta as a compromise. I work with a young lady with this name, she’s so lovely.
Gretel reminds me of Hansel and Gretel.
Anyway, Greta is an anagram of Great 🥰

its not a nice name. Sorry.

Because it was a) pronounced the American way (which does sound strange) and b) I had never heard the name Gretchen used in Germany before despite having grown up there.

First thought was only if you were having twins & the other was a boy...

but actually it's growing on me & I can see a toddler 'making' it a really cute name.

Gretchen just sounds like retch and Gretel is a bit the same. Buts that's only where my mind goes. It's a very harsh sound. Agree on a second middle name.

Thanks. Usually if people suggest names from another country or culture they are really old-fashioned and often misspelt, a bit like suggesting Linda or Colin as an English name for a baby.

I love it but if you don’t like it you’re going to have to throw it out

Thanks, I couldn't think of an English equivalent despite having lived in the UK for most of my life now.

It’s a nickname for Margarete - could you use that instead? It’s a bit weird to use as an actual name and rather old fashioned. Also English speakers won’t pronounce it correctly (it does not rhyme with nettle!)

Margarete is absolutely fine in German. Gretel can still be used within the family if the husband is very attached to the name.

I LOVE Gretel but that’s because I grew up on Sound of Music and I always played Gretel when my sister and I reenacted the von trapp kids.

Maybe Liesel? Also a fantastic name!!

It’s bloody awful