Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Other subjects
Original poster

Can you let me know what your first reaction/thoughts are on this name (for soon-to-arrive dd2)?

129 replies

MrsFogi · 07/09/2007 12:23

Daphné

What's your initial reaction/what sort of person does it conjure up. We're trying to find something that works in France and England. I know how it sounds to a French person but wonder what image it conjures up to an English person. I'm a bit concerned it would end up as something awful like Daff. Also, I can't work out whether it's an upstairs or downstairs name - any views?
Fwiw the other alternative is Victoire (but dh objects as that doesn't really work in English he tells me).

OP posts:
Hulababy · 07/09/2007 16:09

Daphné - I think of Scooby Doo and Neighbours.

Victoire - TBH I would, on paper, be expecting to see a boy.

TellusMater · 07/09/2007 16:11

Yes. I can only think of water fleas too (Biology teacher...).

I think you should choose a name because you love it though. Do you love it?

And do people really think about whether a name is "upstairs or downstairs"?

MaryAnnSingleton · 07/09/2007 16:12

Counting...love Aurelie and Mathilde from your list !
We know a half French girl who is called Eve

dmo · 07/09/2007 16:14

my sister in laws dog is called daphne sorry had to let you know

Neverenoughhandbags · 07/09/2007 16:36

Emilie
Aimee(with an acent)
Solange
Katrine
Claire

Daphne WILL be shortened but is a pretty name.
I always remember a wise old Obstetrician saying to a new mother that she should consider when she named her baby how it would sound:
when his/her teacher calls her, when his/her spouse calls him/her, and when his /her boss calls him/her:

Names do matter!
Can you see a Kylie as Prime Minister? (Apologies to anyone called Kylie)

choufleur · 07/09/2007 19:26

like loads of those names and if i'd had a dd (have a ds) would have called her amelie - although that's becoming very popular now.

Don't think Aurelie works in English - people will think it's orally.

Anna8888 · 07/09/2007 19:27

LOL choufleur at orally

choufleur · 07/09/2007 19:31

seriously - i did french at uni and had a french friend called Aurelie and loads of English people though it was hilarious . It's not the same said with an english accent.

weebleswobble · 07/09/2007 19:36

Please don't do Daphne. It's a name we use at work when we don't want to be identified.

Scotia · 07/09/2007 19:37

I don't dislike the name, but just another suggestion if you haven't made up your mind yet - Nathalie works in both English and French. I really like that name, but of course it depends on your surname as well. It definitely wouldn't go with mine!

pooka · 07/09/2007 19:41

I rather like Victoire. Not so keen on Daphne.
What about something Helen related.
Helene
Elena
Helena
Alina

Anna8888 · 07/09/2007 19:41

Nathalie and Isabelle are very, very old hat. They are of the same generation as Rebecca and Katherine IYSWIM.

TellusMater · 07/09/2007 19:42

Old hat?

Upstairs or downstairs?

Clearly I was not giving enough thought to naming my children...

stealthsquiggle · 09/09/2007 16:44

Which generation do Rebecca and Katherine belong to, Anna?

MrsBadger · 09/09/2007 17:25

the 1970s
fabulous name-popularity-over-time tool here (US admittedly - UK name trends are generally 5-10 yrs ahead))

collision · 09/09/2007 17:29

It is awful and I am sure she will not thank you for it.

Daffy, Daft, Daffers.....she will get so many names called her.

So many beautiful names that would work in french/english but not Daphne.

ninja · 09/09/2007 17:33

Am I missing something - isn't it a posibility now that there will be LOADS of Victoires (that is the name of the Fleur/Bill child in Harry Potter isnt it?) At least Iimagine lots of people will know it's a girl's name.

As for old fashioned, who can tell how it will sound in a few years. I'm Abigail which was very old-fashioned when I was a child!

Anna8888 · 09/09/2007 17:46

Mid-1960s - my school classes were always full of Rebeccas and Katherines.

Thanks, Mrs Badger, for the time tool.

LoveAngel · 09/09/2007 19:22

Daphne and Victoire - horrid.

Elodie is pretty.

Alambil · 09/09/2007 19:50

I'm Rebecca (born in the 80s!) and there were loads of us in my school.

Victoria is a nice name too

Not sure what other french/english names there are but am sure you will come up with something lovely

Anna8888 · 09/09/2007 20:14

Victoria was the 85th commonest first name given to girls born in France in 2003.

lapsedrunner · 09/09/2007 20:16

Daphné ....awful, don't do it

babyblue2 · 09/09/2007 20:22

Sorry, but no

poppysocks · 09/09/2007 20:41

Not sure about Daphne. There are lots of names that work well in English and French.

We have a French surname and DH has family there so we wanted to come up with a name that worked in both languages. DD is Madeleine and will go for Isabelle if we have another girl.

ThreeGs · 09/09/2007 21:43

Daphne = Frasier .

I went to school with one and she was a Daffy but had such a big personality, that it was pure affection for her.

Remember names change with the person they come with, but if you really hate Daffy don't use Daphne.

Swipe left for the next trending thread