Naming girls

[NameHelpNeeded123]

Right, I am trying to name impending baby girl and have absolutely lost it. I’ve lost all sense and overthinking absolutely everything.

Got me thinking, naming girls feminised boys names - misogynistic? Patriarchal? Also trend for full on boys names on girls eg James. Taking us backwards right? Clothes, name etc do not make a woman. However I’m really put off by names such as Felicity and other super frilly names as 1) they wouldn’t suit me so unlikely to suit my child and 2) bit too princessy - which completely goes against my point that the name does not make the woman. Just suggested Billie to DH and thought, is it too boyish. Front runner is Gabriella but that’s just a feminised Gabriel (also a bit princessy)??

Sorry for rushed post, am just posting train of thought and this is the state of my mind right now 😄

How about Eliza? It’s a timeless, strong name. I also like Iris.

How about Dorcas? Too way out?

In the end OP-

Choose something you and OH like.
Not wanting a name that is frilly etc is obv fine it's up to you!
And obv taking your political perspectives into account also aok.

That aside.

It's the person that matters not the name.

Your DD could grow up and be vv feminine just by personality. Yes there's societal massive pressure.

But don't forget that name does not mean anything about person.

She might totally reject your political stance. Just not something she's at all interested in or feels is a problem.

I mean if she's bound for vocal feminist activism. Then it will not matter at all if she was called I dunno.

Frilletta or Prettikins or GlamGlam!

My approach in case interested-

• Fine for a child at the time they born not totally odd

• Doesn't sound v peculiar Judge X, PM X, CEO X in country live

• Not obvious abbreviation etc that invites pisstaking

Anyway good luck!

There’s lots of nice names. I agree I’m not keen on using boys names eg James for a girl - just reminds me of the lady on scrubs saying she’s called Elliot because her dad wanted a boy so just called her the name they’d chosen for a boy.

I like more plain names like Hannah, Jane, Chloe. I see people on here call them dated/dull etc but I think they’re versatile and sensible, and suit anyone. However I don’t see an issue with more frilly names in a feminist sense. I mean yes Felicity is quite frilly compared to, say, John, but there are also boys names that are more fancy - eg Sebastian. So yeah I wouldn’t really see a problem with more fancy names, I think they’re unlikely to negatively affect the child unless they’re something really silly.

I must have missed the bit about using a name that Def male.

Is it a trend? I've not noticed it but I'm out of the loop. USA yes for ages. Here there a fair number unisex often different spellings though.

But calling a female baby John? Just why??!!

Your child has to live with this decision.
It's a really peculiar thing to do, will cause a lifetime of misunderstandings. DD explaining ever 5 mins.

And well clearly DD will adopt different name ASAP. And will be so why did you do that?! May well go for super flowery just to make point.

Plus.

If don't want to use girls name if derived from male name. Because feels male centre female offshoot.

How on earth is giving DD a name totally masculine anything other than even worse! How does it give patriarchy an up yours to essentially communicate. I can't stand anything to do with sex role for female. So naturally she's got a boys name. It's... The opposite of aim!

This isn't all about you. Bizarre names for kids is just not on imo.

@CheeseMmmm

Oh I wasn’t saying a girl would be named John. I’ve probably not explained correctly. I was more saying that I don’t see feminine names (like ops example of Felicity) as a feminist issue because while there are more plain boys names (John) there are also more fancy boys names like Sebastian that fit well with Felicity. So I saw it as more of an issue of taste than a feminist/shouldn’t give girls frilly names type thing.

But yes there definitely is a handful of girls with James for a middle name - I believe there is a celebrity with a daughter named James too.

Agree that it's personal preference.

My main point is that name is-

1. Bigger thing for child than parents. If parents like frilly names, it's not going to doom child into life of eg surrendered wife. But equally that may be child thing when grows up. And calling her non frilly won't change that!

1. The reaction against things seen as feminine or v feminine is an error. My parents did this. Things coded masculine better. Which says. Male better. Anything associated with women/girls is crap.

Took me years and years to rid self of that facet of upbringing!

Sorry didn't get your post right at all 🙂

Male names middle name v common yes.

Imagine generally because male relative name.

A lot happens with vv posh people, titled types etc. At least used to I'm sure.

No don’t worry! I struggle to post things clearly I think. But yes I was saying the same thing, naming your child Emiliana isn’t going to make a huge difference/mean she can’t or won’t be a strong feminist etc.

Realistically I think the best tactic is just to pick a sensible name that you both like and not overly stress about the connotations of it.

I agree totally :)

(Not the bit where you say unclear obv!)

But yes I was saying the same thing, naming your child Emiliana isn’t going to make a huge difference/mean she can’t or won’t be a strong feminist etc.

Well yes, this is exactly what I said in my OP :) name doesn’t make the woman/personality

I did think about this. 19 yo dd is Alexandra.
I also liked Mirabda, Astrid and Honor.
Eleni is a beautiful Greek name imho.
I agree that people make their name their own.

Miranda!

Sybil
Catherine
Harriet
Elizabeth
Beatrice
Beatrix
Beatriz
(I like all the variations of that one!)
Caroline (definitely feel like this is on the verge of a come back)

Helena doesn't seem too frilly to me, despite ending in an 'a'
Heather
Sarah
Julia/Julie
Nicola
Claire/Clara - I know these last few are all a bit 70s, but they don't sound princessy and are clearly feminine. and I've always liked them
Rhonda
Robyn
Audrey/Audra
Agnes
Mireille
Laura
Miranda (another couple that don't sound princessy despite the 'a')
Sorrel
Catrin
Hannah
Kirsty

Adelaide
Adeline
Adaline

I’ve never heard Gavriel before, I really like it.

It's going to be from Gabriel (archangel) though surely?

So like Gabrielle and not sure that's up OPs Street.

Laura would tick all your boxes.

Yolande and Genevieve were two names I quite liked when I was pregnant.

Sarah. I mean apparently it means Princess but it’s the most non-Princess name I can think of!

Biblical.
Not a male diminutive.
Travels well.

Not much nickname potential though.

I had similar thoughts when we named DD - she's Naomi.
My "rules":

• not a girl version of a boy name (like Georgina, Victoria, etc)
• could imagine that name if she became prime minister!
• not super common
• but not so rare that nobody can spell it

Others on my/our list were: Rachael, Hannah, Clare, Lydia, Beatrix,

Cassia.

I give you Alexandra which I think is classic and strong. From which:

Alex
Alexa
Alexi
Al
Allie
Sandra
Xander
Sandy
Lex
Lexi
Andra

@DedalusBloom

I give you Alexandra which I think is classic and strong. From which:

Alex
Alexa
Alexi
Al
Allie
Sandra
Xander
Sandy
Lex
Lexi
Andra

And Alix