Fun Discussion

[starskye.livejournal.com]

Just for a fun discussion!

I really like the names Valentina and Willa. I sort of consider them to be in my "guilty pleasure" pile. They are not THAT unusual, but for some reason, I feel that they are a tad impractical and I would have to be a celebrity to get away with using them. I don't need to worry about naming any one or any thing any time soon, but still.
I've met one older woman (in her 70's) named Valentina. She hates it and ALWAYS went by Tina. I'm not even sure how I found out her real name was Valentina, I think her daughter told me once, in secrecy. I haven't seen them for years, but I always wanted to tell her what a cool name she had and that she should be proud of it haha. But of course, that was just my opinion. I have no problem with Tina as a little nickname for Valentina, I just think it's too neat of a name to "hide" all the time. I'm also thinking that a person named Valentina would get teased around valentines day.

As for Willa...I don't know. It just seems a tad too old fashioned/unusual, but that's in style these days. There's something quirky about the name that makes me really really like it.

I'm also drawn to Ava and Victoria, although they are way popular.

so...have a fun discussion everyone. Thoughts? love em? hate em? go for it!

Comments

[pianokitten.livejournal.com]

there was a character in a movie and her name was Willa, and i really liked it from that! i'm trying to think of what movie it is, but i'm drawing a blank. anyways, i really like both names... i dont think Ava is as popular as it used to be, however victoria definitely is popular.

[starskye.livejournal.com]

I wonder which movie it was? I read a book with a character named Willa. I'd heard it before that but after reading it, I really liked it even more.
I liked Valentina after meeting that old lady I mentioned above. That must have been going on three years ago. However, the funny thing is I am NOW reading a book with a character Valentina. Took me by pleasant surprise when I started reading :)

[lipsty.livejournal.com]

Her Fearful Symmetry? When I read that, I wondered why one twin got a cool name (Valentina) and the other got a more boring name (Julia).

[starskye.livejournal.com]

yep, that's the book. I loved Valentina before reading it. I was surprised to see it, as I've only heard it like, twice before in my life, and the one lady NEVER went by it as I mentioned above. Juila is okay. Sort of meh...

[th3-unicorn.livejournal.com]

I love the name Valentina, BECAUSE of Tina as a nickname :D
I babysat a really mellow, sweet girl named Valentina for many years and I used to call her Tina all the time (she was Vale for her family, prn VAH-leh)

I don't like Willa at all, but I like Ava and Victoria is another of my long-time favorites. I had no clue Victoria was common today, but Ava definitely is.

Anyway, I think all these names are perfectly fine to be used even by non-celebrities ;)

[miss-tee.livejournal.com]

I knew an adorable and very feisty) little girl named Valentina (she'd be in grade 2 now) so I really like it.
I also like Willa.

[scarletladyy.livejournal.com]

What do you mean 'they're not THAT unusual'?! I didn't even know they could be names! xD

I dislike them both, though. Sorry!

[starskye.livejournal.com]

It's okay :) I can't believe you've never heard of them. But that's why I love this page. I love all the different opinions and such. Just when I thought I've heard every name imaginable, there are more! Sometimes it's a good discovery, sometimes not so good

[scarletladyy.livejournal.com]

Yeah, new discoveries are always good - saves trawling through the baby name books and going cross-eyed!

[janenx01.livejournal.com]

I love the name Willa!

I have a friend who has a sister named Valentina. We always called her Victrola. She wasn't a very nice person. So my perception of the name is colored by that.

Willa is loads better than Ava.

[starskye.livejournal.com]

I totally know what you mean, how knowing someone with a certain name can totally turn you off from it. I've got loads of names that I would NEVER use because of associations, but are otherwise nice names.

[leatherandjeans.livejournal.com]

I LOVE Valentina! It's such a lovely name.

Willa... I'm not so keen on that. It sounds frumpy to me. Same with Ava.

Victoria, however, is beautiful.

[distraction1145.livejournal.com]

There was a girl in my grade whos name was Valentina, she was from Greece, I loved the name. I'm 20.

[skudge.livejournal.com]

I really like the name Willa! Valentina, not so much.

[hellooosoldier.livejournal.com]

If you like Victoria, I'd go for it. In my 21 years I've only ever met three other Victoria's. One went by Torry, one by Vikki, and the other by Victoria. Haha, I went by Tori and Victoria (depending on my relationship/familiarity with the person). It's not really as common as you would think.

[starskye.livejournal.com]

So I guess your name is Victoria! It's probably my #1 fave. I don't care how popular it is, and I am okay with either Tori/Vicky/Whatever, although I prefer Tori or just plain Victoria.

[starskye.livejournal.com]

thanks everyone for the fun discussion. It's always interesting to see different people's opinions on names. We've all got our own!

[frost.livejournal.com]

I like Valentina, but HATE the name Tina. D:
Willa...I used to hate, but am now indifferent to.

[wolfbane.livejournal.com]

I don't like Willa because of negative associations. Valentina is cute but I wouldn't use it.

I LOVE Victoria, one of my favorites.

[kitchen-poet.livejournal.com]

I've always loved the combo Willa Kate.

[starskye.livejournal.com]

good combo!

[morningapproach.livejournal.com]

Willa I love because of the author Willa Cather. Gorgeous name. Valentina is fun, but I don't know if I would use it - it sounds almost too romantic, like out of a Francesca Lia Block novel.

[whispertown.livejournal.com]

aww, i wonder why she hates the name Valentina. I LOVE the name Valentina.

[solitudete.livejournal.com]

Willa is my absolute favorite girl's name. : )

[starskye.livejournal.com]

awesome!

[flymama627.livejournal.com]

Valentina... I like the name, but don't think I would ever use it on a daughter. Maybe for a character in a story. I don't care for the nickname Tina at all, though, sorry!

I LOVE Victoria... it made the short list for both our girls. The only reason we aren't using it is that I have a very, very negative association with the name "Vicky" and my husband has a horrible association with
"Tori." And considering she most likely would go by one of those names as a nickname, one of us was going to be unhappy. (Shame, as I LOVE Tori as a nn.)

Ava is so-so. It's pretty, but kind of bland at the same time.

Willa is OK. I love the name Willow, and it kind of reminds me of that. But I'd much rather use Willow. :)

[starskye.livejournal.com]

those negative associations! I know exactly what you mean about that. If a common nickname for a name bothers you, it's probably best not to use the name as the nickname will most likely come up at some point.

If I ever used Valentina, I don't think I would "set up" a nickname per se. I wouldn't go out of my way to call her Tina, but I don't have a problem with it if she were to prefer it. I'd probably just call her Val, like when writing out a quick note or something- "Val- empty the dishwasher". I'd just go on calling her Valentina unless she protested. Same with Victoria. I'd just call her plain Victoria, and if she liked one or the other (Vicky or Tori), fine.

My name is Melissa, and no one in my family ever called me missy, or lissa or any of that. In my lifetime though, I've been called all of it by different people (Mel,Missy, whatever) and it's all good, although I prefer Missy if anything. I always introduce myself as Melissa, so not many people call me by a nickname. I'm sort of indifferent to them all for my name.