My friend has Hilda in her top three and I said......

[autumnseeker]

...nothing.
She has it as a main contender with Ruth and Susannah. None of them are my style but Hilda I find hideous.
Is it fair to try and put her off, is there a chance it will come back in fashion?
Does anyone here actually like Hilda?

[BoysAreLikeDogs]

Hilda may have suffered a terminal decline in popularity I am afraid; I agree with you that

Hilda is hideous
You should say nothing

[ChairmanMiao]

I know a Hilda.
She's in her twenties.
But she's also a forrin, so doesn't count.

I'm not keen on Hilda.
Maybe she was pulling your leg?

[Cappuccino]

nothing to do with you
or any of us

[FlightAttendent]

Gosh it is vile and I can only say that because you are not the parent involved

What is her reasoning?
Elderly relative?

It could grow on one in a post modern freak kind of way - like in Habitat when they do that 'we can't make a normal vase, it's such a cliche, let's have one that looks like a lump of poo' kind of thing - but no, really, no, no, no NO!!!!

Oh and don't say anything.

I am a Susanna, I am biased

[FlightAttendent]

I do hope your friend isn't readint his btw...could come up in a google search, oh dear...

[brimfull]

I have an aunt hilda

tis a awful name I agree

i like the other two though

[autumnseeker]

She is serious.
She said that she wants a name where she is unlikely to ever meet another child with the same name. - This seems to be her main criteria in choosing. Hilda is the favourite for this reason, I just feel it is extreme and attention seeking.

[FlightAttendent]

No, I go with the 'different' thing to an extent, I have a weirdly named child as well, but I do actually like the name as well. And it isn;t hideous!

[MamaMimi]

Hope she has a boy!!

Although I get the impression she's focusing on girl's names 'cos she already knows(?)

If it's for family name reasons (or any other actually) you might want to nonchalantly suggest it would make a good middle name.

[Bronze]

May be better saying. Oh I love Ruth I don't knwo any of those.

[Moomin]

depends how close you are to her. I have several friends that I would feel comfortable and able to say 'oh, no I'm not keen on that' or just plain 'you're mad - you can't do that' ,etc. Not that they'd necessarily take any notice, mind. But if you don't know her that well, you'll have to leave her to it

[AbbeyA]

Put her off it-I know one in her 40's and even that sounds odd!

[MamaMimi]

Have you mentioned that there is probably a good reason that there won't be any other 'Hildas' around?

She needs to seriously think of the poor child.

There are lots of very pretty but unusual names to choose from if that is her criteria.

I would mention that Bounty have a very good names section on their website that has all sorts of names with their meanings and origins (I think it also gives popularity of each name). Perhaps if you suggested she check out her faves on there it may steer her toward some others that she wasn't aware of or hasn't considered yet.

[zippitippitoes]

i think possibly hilda is a name that a lot of people dont think of as attractive

there are certainly plenty of others to choose from

i did go through a phase of liking the name Gilda but only encouraged dd1 to call her doll that which she obligingly did lol

and it does also have the provenance of a film with rita hayworth in the starring role so more glamorous than coronation street

[Shitehawk]

I have a French friend called Hilda, and said with a French accent it's actually quite nice. But she is in her 40s, very beautiful, and carries the name off perfectly. Not sure it's right for a little girl.

But you know what? It's no-one's business but hers and the more you try to put her off, the more she will dig her heels in.

[ChippyMinton]

Some rather extreme comments here! I agree that there are plenty of similar vintage names which are prettier though.

[PookiePodgeandTubs]

I love Zelda, so I can't criticise her too much. But. Actually. Zelda is cool. Hilda is rollers.

[FlightAttendent]

I would suggest Brunhilda as a better, slightly more obscure option. After all I think that's possibly what it's short for?

Nein?

[MerryMarigold]

does she have a dh/ dp with a mind of his own? how can he agree to this?

[Romy7]

zelda is the neurosurgeon that did dh's brain surgery when i was pregnant with dc2. as she saved his life, i thought it was only appropriate that we consider naming dc2 after her (we only knew her initial at that point, and were obv v grateful). dc2 was a boy. fortunately i (and dh lol) got over it before dd2 was born.
i don't know a hilda, but will be popping up to the stroke ward to visit grandad over the weekend, so will keep my ears open...

[Romy7]

pmsl @ 'hilda is rollers'

[PookiePodgeandTubs]

Ruth or Susannah lovely. Can't believe she puts HIlda in the same category!

[tribpot]

I thought Hilda from Ugly Betty.

[3andnomore]

hm...Hilda isn't really bad, imo....worse would be Agnes or Gertrude or something like that

[3andnomore]

admittedly out of hr top 3 I think Ruth is the best name...Ruth is a lovely name!