View Message

Thanks to everyone! Now I have many new ideas connected with Hermione... I think I'll add it to my list in a few days. I also liked the idea with Hermia and Hermine.

I love Hermione as a name.

---

It was mentioned briefly in the Forsyte Saga.
Hilda Doolittle wrote a novel called Hermione.
As you said it was in Harry Potter and Twelfth Night ...

---

Plus there are British actresses with this name...

---

So I don't think it wil always have that conotation.

I've never particularly liked the sound of the name myself, and I don't think a little girl in any part of the world would appreciate the automatic association to Harry Potter- in fact, JK Rowling specifically said she chose the name because there was such a slim chance that an intelligent little girl in the middle of nowhere would be named Hermione and get teased about it.

---

That said, it isn't Elphias or Xenophilius or Albus... it is a name someone could live with, albeit not very easily. Which is a shame- I mean, I love the name Perdita, but its a no way name because of 101 Dalmatians.

I don't associate it with Harry Potter at all, because I've never read the books and know absolutely nothing about them. I just think the name is hideous. It sounds much too much like Herman. I may not be crazy about my own name, but thank God my parents didn't slap Hermione on me.

I think Hermione is a really nice name and I think it is a usable name for a child. Even though my first thoughts of Hermione goes to Harry Potter ;) Here in Germany the girl of Harry Potter is Hermine (hair-MEE-neh) a lovely name, too I think.

---

Bye,
Vanessa

---

(Sorry for my bad english, I hope you can understand me)

I wouldn't use it if you're uncomfortable with the HP associations because definitely that's what most people in English speaking countries will associate it with. (and how can you not like the books!...sorry, lol) But on the other hand, as others have said, it's use in the book does make it more acceptable, it's not a completely out there name any more and people know how to pronounce it properly.
Just a suggestion but have you considered Hermia? it's a lovely variant, also Shakespearean and entirely free of HP associations.

Personally, I love the name Hermione. I even named my cat Hermione. Granted, the sixth Potter book had come out the Friday before, I love the name. Even though I first heard the name because of the Potter series, I associate it more with Hermione Gingold and Winter's Tale. And going back to my cat being named Hermione, people are always saying "Oh, you like Harry Potter, then? After all, you've named your cat after one of the characters." But like others have said, in a few years, the Harry Potter craze will die down and people will feel like they can use the names again without getting persecuted.

Oh! That's me too, I love the name so much, but I'm afraid people will think of Harry Potter! I like Harry Potter, but I DON'T want people thinking I named my child after one of the book characters!

I love Hermione it's on my list.

I love the name fairly well, and i didn't even know it was a Shakespere name until just recently, believe it or not.
I don't think it will ALWAYS be assoatied with Harry Potter, i mean, do you think when Little Women first came out, people thought, "Oh no. I've always loved the name Amy, and now i cannot use it because 100 years from now people will still be asscoating that name with the book."!
The name is cute, unique but not totally "out there", and has a nice meaning.
It would be REALLY nice as a middle name.
God bless!
V

I like it but I do think it is heavily connected with the storys.

I think that Harry Potter has made Hermione more useable. Maybe it doesn't seem so now, but in about 10 years all the young Harry Potter fans who grew up hearing the name Hermione will not consider it such a strange and "out there" name. I think that's one of the reasons why the name Tobias has also been slowly increasing in popularity in the US, because of those Animorph children's books so perhaps the same thing will happen with Hermione.

I love the name Hermione. I love The Winter's Tale. I love Harry Potter. I don't see why a name being connected to Harry Potter is bad.

I've loved the name Hermione for years. I first heard it on two British actresses in old movies, Hermione Gingold (grandmother in Gigi) and Hermione Baddeley.

---

I've never read the HP books. But I'm glad they have put several of my favorite names back on the map, like Hermione, Fleur, Minerva, and Ginnie. The down-side is the one you voice, i.e., that people will associate them so closely with the books and won't use them. But first people have to know that the names even exist, so it's a risk I'm glad to take.

---

Personally, I wouldn't let the HP books stop me from using a name if I loved it above all others. To emphasize the Shakespearean or Trojan connection to the name, you could pair it with another, like:

---

Hermione Imogen
Hermione Miranda
Leda Hermione
Hermione Cassandra

---

Bottom line: Hermione is still usable, to me.

This message was edited 10/31/2007, 12:58 PM

Well I love Shakespeare and The Winter's Tale is one of my favorites of him so, naturally, I think of it first. Hermione is one of my favorite names (Perdita is too!) but it's true that most people will unfortunately think og Hermione Granger but, like jeziana said, the Potter-Craze will die down and the connection will not be as strong.

I think the name can be used. Yes, people will associate it with Hermione Granger, but what's the harm in that? She's not a terrible character.

---

I for one immediately think of "Letter to Hermione" by David Bowie. :)

---

Array

I actually think of a Winters Tale first, I know its not the best play ever but I really like the name, I also think of Helen of Troy's daughter, who was named Hermione.

---

There are several actresses and such named Hermione, so it does have some other known useage:
http://www.imdb.com/find?s=all&q=hermione

---

But I agree, lots of people, for the mean time, will associate it with Harry Potter. But as time goes on, the books will fade out of peoples memory. At least now people know how to pronounce the name!