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[Opinions] Gwen
My husband and I are currently at a crossroads. We both like Gwen quite a lot. He, however, thinks it needs a full name wheres I do not.I don't like Gwendolyn or Gwenyth or any other Gwen names save for Guinevere - and he doesn't like Guinevere. What is this "need" for having a full name? Especially if it's a name like Lucy, Rose or Gwen that have a long history of being used on their own? My niece Lily got stuck with Lilyanna because "they needed to find full name for Lily."Thoughts?
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Gwen is wonderful. I think people are just so used to the flowery long names in vogue now that anything less than 3 syllables and/or 8 letters feels "incomplete". Even if, like Gwen / Lucy / Rose they're a perfectly legitimate full name. Short and sweet is my favorite type of name.
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That's bizarre about Lily. Lily is a full name, just as Lucy is. Lucasta and Lucinda and the like all evolved as nicknames for Lucy.Could you sell him of Guinevere with the nickname Vera?
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Gah, how I hate when I page off a message I'm writing to look up a name, and page back and my message is gone.Have you thought about Tegwen?
I like Gwenyth a lot, or just plain Gwen. I'd be most inclined to use Gwendolyn just because I'm most comfy with it.Not sure what's up with needing full names, but I def have the syndrome, especially with boy names. I guess because short forms beg the question of what's it short for? and I would not like to bear a short form and have no answer to that.Names I'd use that I'm not enamored of, and would use short form almost exclusively for address:Gwendolyn or Gwenyth (Gwen)
Julia (Julie)
Edith or Eden (Edie)
Marjorie (Jorie)
Melanie (Mellie)
Teresa (Tess)
Angela (Angie)
Caroline (Carrie)
Elizabeth (Beth, Ellie, or Liz)And a crapton of boy names I could put on that list too.Names I'd use the short form as a full name:Margot (it's a nickname form, right? not sure)
Kirsty
Sandra
Shelly
Sherry

This message was edited 8/23/2010, 7:36 PM

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I love Gwen- names, but I also love just Gwen. I don't think it needs a longer name. I do have issues with just Kate or just Ben. I guess, for me, it depends on the name and the history it has.
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I'm with you. Gwen is a perfectly acceptable short full name, like Anne. I'd rather not see it as a nn, especially for Gwendolyn, a name I don't much care for. I'm really amazed your relatives didn't want to use Lily by itself. Don't they know a lily is a flower?
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I don't think Gwen needs a full name. I'm not a stickler for full names if the nickname is strong enough to stand on its own, and I think Gwen fits the bill. It's sassy and resilient.
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Gwen has been used on its own for centuries in Wales, and I don't like any of the longer versions of it much either. I'm always really surprised when people think Rose, Lucy and Lily should be short for something, too.
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And what do you think of Gwendolyn?Ms. Gwendolyn Brooks makes the name palatable to me, plus the more I saw it the more I like it. It would be very different wheres our surname is so common. Gwendolyn Helen? Gwendolyn Judith? Judith Gwendolyn?
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I don't like Gwendolyn at all, but its great if you want a full name for Gwen. But I would probably use the nn Wendy. Judith Gwendolyn sounds great!
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I love Gwendolyn! I've started to prefer the spelling Gwendolen, it just somehow seems more balanced to me, but both are great. :DGwendolyn Helen is lovely, but I have a hard time with them both ending in n. Maybe Gwendolyn Helena?I love both Gwendolyn Judith and Judith Gwendolyn.
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I like Gwendolyn. It has grown on me over the years. Gwendolyn Helen --- the repeating lyn sound bothers me a bit. Gwendolyn Judith --- love Judith, but the flow seems off. Maybe Gwendolyn June or Gwendolyn Joy ?????
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I love Gwendolen and Gwen. I'm not much of a fan of Gwendolyn, it looks like a trendified version of Gwendolen.
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It's a pretty name, but I prefer Gwendolen.
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I think it seems like Gwen should be short for something, but since it has a meaning on its own it could definitely work as a full name based on my own definitions. :)I'm really torn on what I think of Gwen. On one hand I think it's elegant but quirky and upbeat, but on the other hand I strongly associate it with one of the most obnoxious people I've ever met (this person's wife was named Gwen, and her behavior played into his obnoxiousness).
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I don't see the big deal. Use the name you like. However, if your husband really dislikes "just Gwen" how do you two feel about Gwenda? I saw that name in a novel from the 60s and I've always liked it.
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Ditto .... alsoGwenna and Gwenora might interest you.
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Thought of another one..Guennola. I understand it's Breton. Gwenna's a good one, kookiemonster :)
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