Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

The name Persephone - problems?

27 replies

patternedcarpet · 05/03/2010 16:32

For our first dd we are thinking of the name Persephone. I'm liking the nickname Seffy and dh likes it too.

I may be overthinking this, but I worry that the pronunciation won't be universally known and may cause embarrassment to those who don't.
There is also the problem that it will be seen as pretentious or poncy. I used to think this and wondered if this is still the case?

Ok, so what do you think?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

number2please · 05/03/2010 16:57

i think people will know how to pronounce.

personally i think it is a bit posh sounding and not very 2010.

everyone has their own opinions though but personally do not think it is a pretty girls name like others out there.

shonaspurtle · 05/03/2010 17:03

I think it's pretty, and as someone whose name is by no stretch of the imagination spelled phonetically, I can assure you that people will not be embarrassed if they mispronounce it.

As long as you're fine with some people (although I think most people will be ok) not spelling/pronouncing it correctly, then go for it.

SpawnChorus · 05/03/2010 17:07

Well, it was our top choice if DC3 had been a girl (except we would have gone with Percy for short). I do suspect that it might be becoming one of those rather-more-commonplace-than-you'd-expect names. That said, it's a really lovely name, so if you're not bothered about it not being v unusual then go for it!

piratecat · 05/03/2010 17:08

god no, sorry, you did ask!!!

dalek · 05/03/2010 17:19

I love this name but unfortunately DH hates it so it didn't become DD's name although now that she is nearly 10 and loves greek mythology she wishes it WAS her her name. I say go for it - even if some people can't pronounce it to start with they'll soon learn.

My dd's name is quite unusual and at first my mum said she would never learn to say it properly - but of course she pronounces it perfectly now.

One of my friends named her daughter Imogen and she had the same with people telling her they couldn't pronounce it - and this was only 13 years ago

shoobidoo · 05/03/2010 18:59

I love Persephone! Seffy is a cute nickname.

I'm sure people will know how to pronounce it, especially after being told once (which they probably won't need).

bigstripeytiger · 05/03/2010 19:06

I think its a lovely name. You would only have had to have heard it once to know how to pronounce it.

Bicnod · 05/03/2010 19:10

I have loved this name since I was little and my dad read me Greek myths and legends. It is my fantasy DD name (no way DH would ever go for it).

Seffy is lovely as a nickname.

vanloadtovenice · 05/03/2010 20:26

I love it! And not really so different pronunciation wise to Hermione, which everyone 'gets' now.

If you don't go for it, you may regret it!

imahappycamper · 05/03/2010 20:37

I came across a class of children who had been told by their teacher that it was pronounced "Percyphone".(hmm)

Strawbezza · 05/03/2010 20:40

A girl I was at school with was called Persephone, most people called her Percy-phone. Afraid she was nicknamed Perce by the rest of us kids, not Seffy.

LampostMadeMeBald · 05/03/2010 20:43

the nn thing gets me every time - like the parents really think - they chose the nn.

crazy people

i don't like the name.

thisxgirl · 05/03/2010 20:44

It is a beautiful name with a sweet nickname but I do think you will encounter a few raised eyebrows and lots of misspellings/mispronunciations, even from surprising sources like teachers, as already mentioned. It depends on how much that would bother you.

BrigitteBardot · 05/03/2010 20:53

I like the name but I am put off by the fact that she was the queen of the underworld. So it has negative connotations for me.

BlueBumedFly · 05/03/2010 21:00

Oh goodness me no. Thought it was a boys name.

RHL · 05/03/2010 21:03

No one should mispronounce such a classic name. Just unfortunate connotations with the underworld!!!

mejon · 05/03/2010 21:21

One of DD's friends is called Persephone. She is know as Fifi.

LadyCressida · 06/03/2010 00:02

Love it, love it! At the mo if I have a girl I'm using it as a middle name though as I'm not quite brave enough to use it as a first name, for the same reason as you are worried, that I wouldn't want my daughter to be called Percy-Phone all the time. Like Vanloadtovenice says though, people do 'get' Hermione now. In Malorie Blackman's book Noughts and Crosses, the main character is called Sephy, but guess it's just not as popular as Harry Potter to ensure everyone has heard of it!

I love the nickname Sephy and I've also heard Pear used as a nickname which is cute.

Kingsroadie · 23/03/2010 20:52

Just wanted to resurrect this thread - OP I have recently called my first baby Persephone. So obv I love it. and I know some people won't, but we all have different tastes.

We call her Persephone mainly or Sephy. Yes, it is unusual and people will comment on it quite frequently but usually in a nice way. I have had lots of people tell me it is a very pretty name (having not heard of it before).

Yes, some people do call her Percy-phone - I correct them. They don't seem embarrased so I wouldn't worry about that. But these are always strangers - all the people we know have pronounced it correctly.

As has already been said, she was taken to the underworld. It was my favourite greek myth when I was a little girl. Persephone is the daughter of Zeus and Demeter (goddess of harvest). Hades fell in love with her and took her to the underworld. She was miserable and so was Demeter so she stopped tending the crops and let them all die (autumn/winter). Persephone was also upset and refused to eat but Hades persuaded her to eat 6 pomegranate seeds. Zeus ordered him to return her to thr surface as everyone was hungry due to no crops (spring and summer rsulted). However, as she had eaten in the underworld she had to return for 6 months of the year. So yes, she is queen of the underworld but also goddess of spring and summer.

God sorry what an essay! One further thing, not everyone will like your choice of name so would you really care if you thought they thought it was pretentious? I don't - but then I have named my daughter Persephone - sorry to resurrect and for the essay!

blogpage · 23/03/2010 21:11

Would the Percy-phone thing bother you?

Rockbird · 24/03/2010 12:19

Lovely name. People seem to manage Penelope ok, it's along the same sort of lines. Really, most adults should be able to manage it and if they don't a quick correction would do it.

loobylu3 · 24/03/2010 12:35

I don't think it is the prettiest Greek name to be honest (I do love lots of Greek names). It is also a bit of a tragic story, although, I guess a lot of mythological stories are!

I also think she is v likely to end up being called 'Percy' which you probably wouldn't like.

twosofar · 24/03/2010 12:59

Love names from Greek mythology - Persephone is beautiful. I also love Antigone and Phaedra.
Couldn't care less if people think it's pretentious...maybe they should read more books and watch less Jeremy Kyle

MarianneD · 24/03/2010 17:36

I think Persephone is a beautiful name - I say go for it!

usualsuspect · 24/03/2010 17:44

You may think you can chose the nn but really you can't ...

Flip

1 2