Shakespeare names?

[becomingun.livejournal.com]

So I've wanted to adopt children(likely two girls and a boy) for as long as I can remember, and I've always had two girl names that I have LOVED, but no one I know has shared my love.

Desdemona Margaret(NN Mona or Maggie) AND Ophelia Marilyn(NN Lia).

No one in my life likes either of these first names and say I'd be condemning my kids to lives of being mocked like I was(It wasn't TOO bad, but I'm a Georgia so I have songs to hate), but I am a Shakespeare FIEND and I adore both names so so so much.

I can't use Mona as the name for the first one, because Margaret as a middle is NOT negotiable(Margaret and Marilyn are my gran and my mom) and Mona Marilyn sounds equally weird. I think they both flow really nicely as they are, but I'm not awful and I would hate to give my kids names they would hate, but I legit find these both beautiful and stunning and can't find a way to change them and keep the spirit.

IDK, like, dislike, ideas?

Comments

[velkoria.livejournal.com]

in all honesty... I looove Desdemona and Ophelia! I am also a Shakespearean fiend though so if I met two little girls named this I'd personally swoon!

The thing I will say is that Desdemona is probably going to hate you for a while because of her name because of the whole Demon thing and she can get teased but hey I'm named Monica and I was teased in grade school because some bright kid decided to say it looked like Marica when I wrote it down (it's a curse word in Spanish) so... he teased me a lot too. I also disliked my name for a while and now? Adore it.

[becomingun.livejournal.com]

The plan, which has also been worked out since I got the names into my head, is to have, in grade school at least, their nickname on the school attendance list/register to prevent teasing for at least a little bit. My friend Spike's family did this when he was growing up. He was born an Andrew, but the nickname Spike stuck early on, and they had Andrew listed on his register papers, but Spike listed as "preffered name" and on the attendance, so I never found out about Andrew until years later. I plan to use a nickname in everyday life, but I want them to have really special, pretty given names, you know?

[daydream11.livejournal.com]

OT, but I love your icon. Love, Actually is love. That's always been my favorite line. :D

[moldycelery.livejournal.com]

I really hate the name Ophelia. It screams trying to hard, and is generally over the top. Desdemona Margaret, however, is gorgeous :) And while I think Marilyn is generally tacky, the reasoning behind using it makes it less so.

Some other ideas (from the Bard) are Beatrice, Tamora, Titania, Juliet, Hero, Portia, Viola, Jessica and Cressida.

[velkoria.livejournal.com]

wait... I have to ask... how is Ophelia trying to hard? Or over the top? o_o sorry that just left m scratching my head.

[thejoysofjess.livejournal.com]

More importantly, how is OPHELIA trying too hard and Desdemona not?

[moldycelery.livejournal.com]

What's the two Shakespearean plays most people read in high-school? Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet. While I do like Juliet as a stand alone name, Ophelia reeks of "I'm trying too hard to be literary" and it doesn't even have a nice connotation in the play. As someone mentioned in the comments downwards, she goes fucking nuts because some insane guy didn't love her back. Not exactly the greatest namesake, and it doesn't help it's used universally by 13-16 year old girls who want to be ~~~~edgy~~~~ and ~unique~.

[velkoria.livejournal.com]

Uh... Ophelia doesn't go nuts because Hamlet doesn't love her... she actually goes nuts after her dad dies... and lets face it, Shakespeare was not exactly the biggest feminist ever... I mean unless you read his comedies most of the girls he deals with don't really end up all that good so either way it's not like you're gonna pick a name for a heroine or anything.

Ophelia is a name regardless of the play or not I just still find it sort of.. had scratching you think that it's out there or trying to be edgy and unique... like when they are obviously the most read plays. Though I guess you're just out of high school from your age (I could be wrong, not a diss on you) so I guess hearing it over and over might seem like it's trying to hard? I just... don't get it.

[moldycelery.livejournal.com]

It's been a while since I read Hamlet, but I could have sworn she goes crazy because Hamlet rebukes her and then taunts her. Either way, she does go crazy and it's probably one of the lousiest female characters he ever created. Compared to Tamora, Beatrice, Portia or even Lady Macbeth, she's pretty lame and useless.

Clearly you haven't spent enough time among emo teenagers. The name Ophelia is rampant and annoying as fuck. It does scream trying too hard, since most people who use Ophelia haven't read much Shakespeare and just want to seem smarter than they are.

But...you know...if people really want to name their daughters after some chick who committed suicide when she didn't get any action, I suppose that's really on them.

[velkoria.livejournal.com]

oh I spend more than enough time around emo teenagers... I spend a good deal of time online and teach high school on the side... I think you need to spend more time with non-emo teenagers or... adults.

[holidaylights.livejournal.com]

Why exclude the comedies, though? You could do worse than Portia or Viola, and they're a little less over-the-top as names, too.

Eh, IDK, I think Ophelia and Desdemona are pretty, but the association with tragic deaths are too strong for me, not to mention the whole "Reviving Ophelia" deal.

[becomingun.livejournal.com]

I've heard that from other people and I still can't figure out why they love Des and hate Ophelia, haha. It seems like it would be the preferred one out of the two!

I have other Shakespeare names I love, I'm especially fond of Thisbe and Helena(Huh-lay-na), but these two have just sort of settled on me as the ones that feel "right", you know?

[moldycelery.livejournal.com]

Desdemona isn't as well known, I think; I hear Desdemona and my mind doesn't automatically go to Othello, whereas it does with Ophelia to Hamlet.

Helena sooo much more gorgeous than Ophelia, and probably used less, too. Especially pronounced that way.

[cathubodva.livejournal.com]

I love love love the name Thisbe.

[morningapproach.livejournal.com]

wasn't there a minor demon in the Xanth books called Desdemona? Either way, I think "demon" when I hear it. Aside them that I think they are good names. I actually quite like Ophelia.

[iamsurrealism.livejournal.com]

i love ophelia marilyn, so pretty!

[sunshinefleur.livejournal.com]

I like both of those names, and am flat-out in love with Ophelia Marilyn.

and seriously, kids will always find things to tease other kids about -- when I was a kid the boys always emphasized the "man" part of my name *rolls eyes*

[becomingun.livejournal.com]

I'm glad :) I just love the way they flow together. I hate names that feel clunky.

Ha yeah, I said to someone else, I know a Melissa who was Melloser for years. I guess maybe in hindsight I'm lucky that people just sing at me constantly, though I'll probably never grow out of it.

[sallymn.livejournal.com]

They are lovely names for fictional characters, or dolls, or even goldfish, but for real people who have to live with them for decades...? No, I agree that landing modern kids with such drama-laden, artificial, OTT names is pretty brutal.

(Remember, Shakespeare may have used these and lots of other highflown 'poetical' names in fiction, but he called his own daughters by fashionable but unexceptional names - Susanna and Judith. He obviously knew where the line was).

[velkoria.livejournal.com]

That's one BIG assumption there! Firstly yes, he used poetical names in hi plays more than with his children... this is coming under the assumption that he named his children or anything... I'm sure he'd have a word in but this was mostly a female thing and seeing as he rarely saw his children (if ever really..) after leaving for London I don't think he was very involved and lets face it... children were a mother's thing back then.

Not saying you're wrong or anything but Saying Shakespeare KNEW to use more normal names for his children is rather throwing the ball a bit far, in my opinion.

[velkoria.livejournal.com]

note... this is no saying he did not care about his children though! Again that'd be a big assumption and well Hamnet's death did kind of lead to the writing of Hamlet and all.

[becomingun.livejournal.com]

They'd have a nickname that, obviously, would be MUCH simpler, that would be used in everyday life and, provided I could swing it, on a school attendance list until high school. That way they've got a beautiful given name they can choose to use should they please, or a simpler, but also pretty, nickname they can use.

I know all of that, haha. I'm a full time theatre student with an emphasis on Shakespeare performance :)

[http://users.livejournal.com/___heyvanity/]

I like both!

[hwar.livejournal.com]

Since these are hypothetical children, I think your hypothetical names are interesting and unusual (those are compliments in my book). I like the idea of Desdemona but it's a lot of name. Personally I'd go for something more low key, like Ramona or Simona but I tend to like simpler names. Just my taste though. I love Ophelia as a name/character except that it sounds like Oh-Feel-Ya which seems a little cruel for a modern child. How do you feel about Odelia as an alternative? Simona Margaret and Odelia Marilyn would be a sweet sibset.

[becomingun.livejournal.com]

We actually have more then one Simone in our family, so it's funny that you'd suggest Simona! Have to say that Odelia sounds a little off on my tongue though..

The goal is to have whichever nickname that fits on the school attendance, at least in elementary school, rather then the full name, just to prevent teasing in the early years. My friend Spike's family did that and I didn't find out his proper name until high school, when they stopped, haha.

[hwar.livejournal.com]

That's a good solution. I think by high school it's likely the children would like having a unique name that has historical and/or literary associations, whether positive or negative.

[lipsty.livejournal.com]

I love the name Ophelia. I'm less keen on Desdemona, but I don't think that either name necessarily sets a kid up for mockery.

[trishy-h.livejournal.com]

I like :)

[penguiny7.livejournal.com]

I don't like Desdemona because it sounds too gothic to me, but I do love Ophelia!

[waitingonsunday.livejournal.com]

Ophelia is a favorite of mine. I'm not a huge fan of Desdemona, but I think it has to do with the "mona" sound in it; I really dislike the name Mona. Using the names as a sibset might produce some knowing smiles, but I wouldn't think using one or the other would raise any eyebrows.

I don't think it will set younger schoolchildren up for teasing, because it's not like kids are out there tearing through the collected works of Shakespeare, so the names probably wouldn't have any such associations with them until they were teenagers, at least. I can imagine maybe a little teasing in high school, but honestly, the only people at my high school who would even be studying Shakespeare past Romeo and Juliet were mostly too mature for that sort of thing, and I'd like to think most people have moved past that sort of thing by college. Past college, I don't see a lot of the general public even remembering much of the Shakespearean works they studied in school, so I don't think your everday adult would be giggling stupidly over the names. So what I'm saying, in such an amazingly long-winded way is, I don't think the teasing would be too bad.

[how-obscure.livejournal.com]

Desdemona reminds me of the evil gargoyle on the Disney cartoon Gargoyles. (I so loved that cartoon.) It does strike me as a bit gothic and I don't like the nickname Mona because "moan" is in it. I think THAT is just as likely or more to lead to teasing than Desdemona would. I just keep picturing middle schoolers making really inappropriate sounding moans, if you get my drift. However, I love the idea of using Shakespearean names. I just don't care for that one too much. That said, the combo sounds fine.

I think Ophelia is a pretty neat name. There is the "feel ya" issue, but hopefully the nickname will prevent that. Lia isn't my style, but it's mine. Marilyn isn't my style either but it's a family name so that's fine. Ophelia Marilyn is a little difficult for me to say but I have some trouble with Marilyn anyway for some strange reason. Actually, it may not be trouble saying it so much as just not liking how it feels in my mouth. Some names just don't feel right to me when you say them. Funny, huh?

[soul-inside.livejournal.com]

Dessie or Dez is kinda cute for a nn though!

[how-obscure.livejournal.com]

Dessie crossed my mind too.

[starskye.livejournal.com]

Being a Shakerpeare fan, and someone who tends to go for long, feminine, more unusual names, I am leaning towards liking them. I do like Ophelia better than Desdemona. Ophelia was always sort of a "nickname" or "screen name" (good old days of early AOL) of mine from way back when. I still use it for some things today.
Kids can find a way to tease just about anybody based on just about any name. It's true that some are worse than others. However, I know a girl named Ann who was teased and called "man" more than anyone else in my class in grade school. Ann put up with far more teasing than a girl named Prudence. You would think just based on those two names that Prudence would get more flack. But everybody left Prudence alone for the most part.
Okay, sorry I am going on a tangent here. I like the names. I'm sure Ophelia will get some type of "feel ya" joke, or some crap in high school when people read Hamlet. Of the two, I prefer Ophelia and I love the idea to use the nn Lia. I think it is a good thing when using a long, more unusual name to have a nn option, and you've covered that with both. I know a lady named Constantina who went by Connie on everything. I only learned her real name upon her death, so if your future children prefer their shorter nicknames, that's easy.
One more thing- I think it's equally "cruel" or whatever to give your child some made up, spelled wrong name.

[starskye.livejournal.com]

Shakerpeare? wow I cannot type this morning LOLZ.
Of course, I mean SHAKESPEARE.

[becomingun.livejournal.com]

Ha yeah, I know a Melissa who was "Melloser" growing up. What will kids think of next??

Haha yeah I'm fairly logical with names, in that if I do end up using these names(ie if my future husband, should I get married, doesn't depise them completely) they WILL have a nickname that gets used for almost everything, but I want them to have beautiful, flowy given names that will look really beautiful when they get older.

Oh man so agreed on weird made-up names. I went to HS with two Apples.

[duckduckcaboose.livejournal.com]

Jeez, glad nobody ever thought to call me "Mel-loser"! They just called me "Melissa, killer kisser" but as in these were 1st grade boys so my kiss was "poisonous" not "awesome".

[starskye.livejournal.com]

I am Melissa, and was never called anything but Melissa. I guess I lucked out.

[cielamara.livejournal.com]

I loooove both Desdemona and Ophelia. I don't care for the nickname Mona.

[soul-inside.livejournal.com]

I like Desdemona & think a lot of people wont even know that it's from Shakespeare. Ophelia on the other hand... is quite obvious. And I think it has a horrible connotation. I would never name my daughter after Ophelia. She was naive and controlled by the male figures in her life and was in love with a boy who had serious issues and didn't love her back/betrayed her, and then she went crazy and died. Lovely.

[becomingun.livejournal.com]

And yet Isabella(with Bella as a nick) remains insanely popular, and other names from that franchise are becoming MORE popular, despite the basic encouragement of abuse contained within ;) Connotation isn't a huge deal to me as long as the source material is special enough. In the same vein, I could forsee using Antigone. A beautiful name is a beautiful name. By that logic, Juliet would be a horrible name to use as well.

[soul-inside.livejournal.com]

I dont think Isabella is obviously literary either. And even though Antigone and Juliet are in lamentable situations- they both are still strong rebellious female characters. I would hypothetically name my daughters after them. ImHo, Ophelia just seems weak all around and again imho, I don't think it's even a pretty name. But judging by the rest of the comments- I'm in the minority anyway with preferring Desdemona to Ophelia.
I like your icon by the way, Love Actually!

[duckduckcaboose.livejournal.com]

I love Shakespeare. I have read all of his plays and most of his poetry. That being said, I like hardly any of the names he uses. I like HIS name, but using "William" is about as far as I, personally, would go with a Shakespearean reference.

I also just have a gut feeling that an obviously Shakespearean name would make my child hate the particular work, or even the bard himself. I know there's not as much risk of a high schooler being like "Hey, Desdemona, where's Othello?" as "Hey Juliet, where's Romeo?" but still...

[roseofjuly.livejournal.com]

I love BOTH of those names. I think a beautiful nickname for Desdemona is also Desi. I don't like just Mona as the name but I think Desdemona is just adorable. And I think Desdemona Margaret is just stunning and classic. I love Ophelia too - Marilyn not so much, but I think together they sound nice. And like you said, she could always go by Lia.

I'm not a Shakespeare fiend, either - I recognize the roots of the names and I do like Shakespearean names, but I think these are names that can function in every day 21st century life, too.

My only question is - don't adopted children generally come with their own names already?

[laminy.livejournal.com]

I hate them both. Margaret and Marilyn make nice enough middle names that I wouldn't use, but I think Desdemona and Ophelia are really bad. I just stare at 'demon' in the middle of Desdemona whenever I see it, and Ophelia is just really ugly to me. I think Desdemona Margaret is the prettier of the two.

[bloomingtulip.livejournal.com]

Ophelia Marilyn is not my style, but isn't bad IMO. I wouldn't think it was weird/horrible/etc if I saw it on a little girl or a grown woman.

Desdemona, on the other hand, is terrible. It's not even the "demon" thing, but it just sounds so awkward and ugly to me. I would pair Helena with Margaret if I was trying to use a Shakespeare name.

[winninghearts.livejournal.com]

It's too much. I would pick one or the other.

[ifancylust.livejournal.com]

i think there's definitely such a thing as sounding too over the top and i think desdemona margaret fits the criteria. it's just so..heavy.