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?

I prefer Liesl but Gretel is ok!

Margarete will be pronounced Margareet.

Personally I don’t like it. “Gigi” is cute for a baby but she won’t be a baby forever. I will find it hard to take my doctor or lawyer seriously if they were called “Gigi” or Gretel.. I work with some people who are very embarrassed about their names and I can tell you they were bullied at school! I think a name should be suitable for the time and generation the child will grow up in and Gretel is quite dated.

Yes I agree Margarete is fine, that’s why I suggested it. It’s Gretl that I find old fashioned.

Liesl is also a nickname. It’s the equivalent of Lizzie.

I really love it - it’s cool and super unique

The relative was Margaret, but not wanting to use that name for various reasons he started looking at shortenings (we've had them all) and Gretel/Gretl is the one which is sticking. 🫣 He's shown next to no interest in baby names before, well a couple of vetoes due to ex's or whatever but mostly a 'whatever you like' vibe so I also kinda feel like it's his turn. But it's not like the others are called names he disliked. We've (I've) chosen names which exist in both our family trees, which also happen to have nods to books/stories I've loved. So in that sense Gretel does follow the trend!

DH has always made it rhyme with nettle/petal...unless saying it 'the German way' (if this means nothing to you then I think Glaswegians say it quite similarly 😂) which changes our existing children's names as well so wouldn't be a new thing. Not sure how else you'd say it in English?!

Replacing it with another name from the sound of music isn't really the point 😅

Maybe it'll be a boy....

I actually really like it

Also love Liesel which another poster suggested

I think people would get over the Hansel and Gretel thing pretty quickly

Gretel is not great.

Greta is adorable though. I know a 5 yo Greta who goes by Gigi.

YY to this.

It’s too much like Greta (shudder),

naybe it'll be a boy

😂😂

honestly, the thought of a wee toddler Gretal is SO CUTE! Then it will grow with her & be the perfect name for her. It would (sadly) end up being Gret here, day to day, because I'm a 'shortener'

i hope you start to see the cuteness in it & he gets to use it.@

I know a Gretel, she really suits the name, I never think of Hansel when I’m talking to her. She’s probably about 50.

I also know a Gretchen, she is probably one of the coolest people I know, totally effortless style, owns a motorbike dealership in Malibu.

I always say I don't like names beginning with D (duh) or a hard G which sounds like the beginning of a growl or a gagging noise

.They are both harsh and heavy sounding to me.

There are plenty of much nicer (and more modern) German names.

Not a fan personally 😬🫣

Pretty :)

I immediately thought Hansel & Gretel too. I would sooner name my child Hansel (I know it’s a boys name) than Gretel…the G with the R I don’t know, very hard sounding

Of all the names you could choose, this wouldn’t be for Me. Sorry! Can you use it as a middle name? Is there another German name you could suggest?

Emmi
Leni
Tilda (my favourite!)
Frieda
Mila
Klara
Anneliese
Johanna
Heidi
Nele

I think it’s gorgeous actually. I knew a Gretta once too, she was a very old tiny lady. Beautiful name.

I don’t like it at all, sorry. Hansel and Gretel came straight to me but aside from that, I just don’t think it looks or sounds very good. As a middle name, maybe at a push but I personally wouldn’t choose it for a first name and I generally like more unusual names.

I am German and also find it jarring in English. What about Gloria or Gloriette as a near sounding approximation?!

Thanks for the alternative suggestions. It's not a matter of finding an alternative German name, it's a homage to Margaret. He's gone through all the shortenings (Margo, Daisy, Maisie, Greta, Maggie, Peggy, Molly and the rest) and Gretel is the one he likes.

I think I'll leave it on the table, wait for baby to get here and maybe test it for a few days. Perhaps it'll suit. Was hoping to have a name ready for when baby arrived in case the kids get confused with baby not having a name, but they'll cope!

Gretel is smart, unusual and yet endearing.

Your DH has chosen the perfect way to remember Margaret.

Meg. Peggy and Gretel are my favourite nick names.

Ettie as a shortening for Margaret?