(no subject)

[chillinbabejodi.livejournal.com]

I've been thinking about one of the sibsets I posted about the other day: Harriet Anneliese, triplets Elsa Bryony, Olive Maria, Mabel Francesca and soon to be twin siblings Theodore Peter and Greta Lillian. How do you feel about names which are more associated with older people than babies/names that are considered old man/lady names? Which are your favourites? Are there any you think wouldn't work on a baby?

Also, WDYT of Elva? What are your first thoughts when hearing the name? Male or female?

How would you feel about a close relative giving their child a similar name to the name of your child? For example, you name your daughter Josie and your brother calls his children Joseph, Jodie and Jade. Exceptable?

Comments

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

I ADORE that sib-set but I love old-fashioned names. That's a lot of children to name and they all go well together without being too matchy.

Sophia, Charlotte, and Emma used to be "old lady names" and now they seem like new baby names. I think really old-fashioned names sound "new" because the people who had them are dying off--plus, they are usually grandparents or great grandparents so people want to honor family. Names like Nancy, Deborah, and Linda might come back into style in a few decades--even though I CANNOT imagine a little baby Deborah! My dad heard that someone named their baby Mabel and he was like "WHAAAT?!?!" when it sounds great to me!

Elva is really pretty but I wouldn't use it because it's just too uncommon. I like that it is Irish and I have a soft spot for -v's.

I try to avoid names that sound like my niece. It's pretty easy, since she's Marley and I pretty much loathe that name... but I liked Malcolm a lot and Malcolm and Marley are just a little too close for comfort.

[how-obscure.livejournal.com]

I like a lot of more old fashioned names, but I don't know if they qualify as "old lady/man" names.
The ones on my list that may qualify are:
Felix
Quentin
Linus
Louis
Hugh
Verity
Cora
Pearl
Josephine
Hazel
Margaret
Clara
Thomasina

I don't think some names work well on babies/children, but nicknames can fix that problem in some cases. For example, Alfred sounds like an old man to me, but Alfie is much cuter/little boyish. Stanley sounds old too, but even Stan sounds more mature so I have trouble seeing that one on a baby.

Elva is kind of cute, although it kind of reminds me of Elvis, which is a big turn off for me.

Josie and Joseph is bothersome, although as long as they don't both become Jo/Joe, I guess it's not really a problem. Jodie and Josie are really close so I can see how that could be confusing. Still, my sister-in-law and I share a name, as do my grandfather and uncle, and it doesn't cause any issues really. I can see how it could be annoying that someone chose a name so similar though. Jade is far enough from Josie that I don't think it matters.

[jeweledvixen.livejournal.com]

I like most "old" names on babies. I'm glad that is beginning to be trendy now.

Elva - Not my style. I automatically think of it as a girl's name.

I wouldn't be very thrilled to have someone in the family name their child a name so close to my child's name. There are so many other names to choose from, why choose one that's bound to cause confusion?

[malsywals.livejournal.com]

I love them. Babies are going to grow up to be adults. It's important for them to have a name that they can grow into. My daughter's name is Esther and now I can't picture is as an "old person" name, only a name for a young child!
I love that sib set, too. The middle names aren't my style, but I adore the first names. I'm pregnant now and we're actually going to use Theodore for a boy or Harriet for a girl!

[alyssa22.livejournal.com]

Elva -- female. My mum's friend is Elva. She's in her 60s. That's the only time I've heard it. I don't mind it actually. It's kind of like an alternative to Eva.

[raze--the-rose.livejournal.com]

I really like old fashioned names. To me, I don't see them as "old people" names. After all, those old people were children, too.
I most definitely wouldn't name a child Elva, just because it sounds like Vulva. And I probably wouldn't much like a relative co-opting my chosen names (my middle name is suzanne, and my mom wasn't too thrilled when one of my younger cousins was named Suzanna).

[smallandneedy.livejournal.com]

Elva = female. I don't like it much as I prefer Alva instead.

I've never liked Harriet. It just sounds so harsh. Don't much like Elsa and Greta either, but Mabel's cute and so is Olive. Theodore is my favorite out of the whole sibset.

[octobre09.livejournal.com]

I agree with you. I named my newborn daughter, Sophie Emma. People assume that it's because it's trendy but she's actually named after my great-grandmother and my great-great-grandmother. When I was 10, I fell in love with the name Emma and then in my teens, I really started to like Sophie. Back then, people though I was insane but now they are super popular. I totally think that names that were popular in the 70's and 80's will come back.

[vanish.livejournal.com]

I like Elva, but lots of "-va" names end up as guilty pleasures of mine, so...
ETA: I think of it as a girls' name.

As for old fashioned names, I generally do like them, even ones that are still not fashionable, like Doris or Ethel. Mark my words, in a few years, they'll be popular! ;) The other day, I met a kid around 11-12 whose name is Eunice.

[cremepuff.livejournal.com]

I think certain "old-fashioned" names can work well these days: Emma, Beatrice, Sophie, Alice, and others. However, there are some, like Harriet, Ethel, and Mildred, that I just cannot separate from the old lady association.

I'm not a huge fan of Elva, but I agree that it sounds like a female name.

[laminy.livejournal.com]

I love the name Agnes, but that's pretty standard old-woman-y. And Olive is my second favourite name, as well.

My grandmother was Beulah, everybody in my family has pretty much decided that that will just not work on anyone ever again.

Elva, definitely female. But I don't like it. It makes me think of Elvira, and Lord of the Rings.

[cairtirnin.livejournal.com]

Elva was my husband's grandmother's name so I firmly associate it with her. I'd never heard it before I met him.