Current name loves

[home-to-me.livejournal.com]

My name tastes change often, and go from super-traditional to not-so-traditional. I went through a phase where I swore if I ever had girls, their names would be Emma and Hannah. Until my sister-in-law decided that if she ever has another little girl, her name will be Emmaline (that's what I get for talking about names I like in front of her). So, I backed off the Emma idea. Just in case. I recently went through a phase where I liked Chandler, Spencer, Harper, and Sawyer for girls. Yeah. While Chandler is still a guilty-pleasure name, I'm pretty glad I didn't get pregnant in during that phase. ;)

My boy name tastes have always been pretty traditional and family-honoring. William, Joseph, Gregory. Simple and classic.

Currently, my girl name loves are shifting. Again. Right now, I am loving
Mallory and Gretchen.

I've never officially put Gretchen on a list, but every time I see it, I think "Wow, that really is awfully pretty..." The fact that it's a form of Margaret helps (Margaret is my name, and was my mother's name as well. And even though it's FINALLY grown on me for myself, I hated it for most of my life, and don't want to pass it on, though had it been my mom's name and not mine as well, I'd have been thrilled to pass it on). I re-stumbled on the name Mallory while flipping through friends of friends on facebook one night, and think it's quite pretty, and probably not terribly overused at this point.

Am I the only one whose name ideas change drastically over time? You'd think at this point (I'm pushing thirty), I'd have settled on a naming style, but nope! Keeps changing! No kids yet (hopefully soon!), so hopefully I will settle on a style before that happens. ;)

Comments

[medamina.livejournal.com]

My name ideas are EXACTLY the same! I'm so glad someone else gets that, because I've always felt so flighty. I do worry though that when I do have children (no time soon!) I'll name them something and a while later not be so keen on it. But then I think that actually they'll be my son/daughter so I will love it... hopefully... I do feel like there's constant rotation on my list!

Anyway, I love Mallory and Gretchen. Mallory is a guilty pleasure name for me because it means "unlucky" and the prefix "Mal" has negative connotations (hence Malfoy in Harry Potter). That said, meanings are really important to me, but they aren't for everyone. I love the sound of Mallory and if I could get past the meaning I would put it on my list for sure.

On the other hand, Gretchen has everything going for it to me. I like the way it looks and I love the sound. It's not common but people know how to say it as a general rule. I also love the meaning it has for you, I think that's a great way your mother and to pass on the name!

[sarahmarie.livejournal.com]

I absolutely LOVE Mallory! My best friend's name is Mallory, so I just may end up loving it just for that fact alone. Mallory and Gretchen would make a wonderful sib-set, imho! My best friend doesn't have siblings, so, I have nothing to compare it to. Ha.

I think, my style is just all over the place. If that makes any sense? It's never just one style, ya know? They all tend to be added to my favorites list and then they tend to get mushed together. But when I really, really, absolutely think about it... my style seems to just fit in the popular (but not trendy/creative) and classic categories.

[mrssubee.livejournal.com]

my style changes a lot to ...the names I liked from my 1st pregnancy didn't carry over to my 2nd ...soI wasn't saving any unused names for baby #2 ...in fact I kept changing names for my daughter throughout my pregnancy- names are so tough- I mean once they're named they're stuck forever...
Mallory is pretty in theory but I'd never name my kid something that means "bad luck" or something along those lines...and Gretchen is nice, but I really like Greta...I had a student named Greta once who was the sweetest, prettiest little girl

[malsywals.livejournal.com]

I think everyone's naming style changes!

I love the name Mallory. It is my name!

[how-obscure.livejournal.com]

I'm unfortunately going to be giving negative opinions here.

I don't mind that Mallory means "bad luck" or whatever. I don't generally pay too much attention to meanings. However, I have never liked the sound of Mallory. It makes me think of a popular girl with crimped blonde hair in an 80s high school movie. I don't know why it makes me think of this, but it does. At the same time, I also get a picture that is pretty much the opposite: Mallory from the Babysitters Club. Brown curly hair and huge glasses, if memory serves. Additionally, it brings to mind ducks. Mallory, mallard. Finally, I think it sounds terribly masculine for some reason.

Gretchen. I went through a brief phase in high school of liking Gretchen after seeing the movie Donnie Darko. I think it looks okay, but the sound isn't so great. I mean, if you like the sound, good for you. It would be your kid so what you love is what matters. I just don't like it. And if you hated being named Margaret, which has tons of nn possibilities, try being named Gretchen, which doesn't and has the word "retch" in it. Although, if you're in the US, you're right. It's not terribly overused, not by any stretch of the imagination. As of 2009, it just barely made the top 1,000 names for girls (997).

[satunian.livejournal.com]

iawtc

[sictransitsuzy.livejournal.com]

^ literally, same. I look at Mallory and immediately think mallard duck and not really in a good way.

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

My naming style hasn't changes too much in the last few years but my favorites have.

I'm on the fence about Mallory. I think it is dated in a way (80's) BUT I love the nn Mal. I adore Malcolm so Mallory reminds me a little of it.

I also like Gretchen but I know the "retch" in it turns a lot of people off. My mom had a best friend growing up named Gretchen who died young but I always heard nice stories of her--so maybe that's why I have liked it.

Have you considered Greta? I would love to use Margaret nn Greta but Greta is a nice atand-alone name too. I think it is cute and can grow on a person.

[wolf-shadow.livejournal.com]

I vary lots too, but have a husband with a big veto habit :P

Mallory has one problem for me: the Mallory Towers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malory_Towers) books :D

[cremepuff.livejournal.com]

I love Mallory and Gretchen!

[tiffanytee.livejournal.com]

It is funny that some people here are liking Gretchen. I was almost named Gretchen and whenever I tell people this they crinkle their nose and say "wow you dodged one there!". Apparently not many people like it. I felt the same way at first, then I liked it for a while when I met someone who had it as their name (she hated it), but the more I heard the name, the less I liked it and the more glad I was not to have it. It fits in with the Bertha type names in my book.

I do like Mallory a lot. Very pretty and feminine but strong sounding.