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Help[Opinions] Roman Names
I've always liked Roman names, including names from Roman mythology. This list includes some of my favorites and some that are not. Which ones, if any, are your favorites? Which ones, if any, do you think could "work" on a real live human being, ie what would you think if someone said to you, This is my son/daughter ______."
Amadeus
Antonius
Augustus
Aulus
Aurelius
Caius
Cicero
Dominicus
Fabius
Faustus
Felix
Justus
Liber
Livius
Octavius
Pollux
Tacitus
Antonia
Aurora
Benedicta
Cardea
Cassia
Crescentia
Faustina
Flavia
Flora
Juno
Lavinia
Livia
Lucia
Mariana
Octavia
Prisca
Vesta
ETA: How would *you* pronounce Laelia?
“It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.”
~Mark Twain
Amadeus
Antonius
Augustus
Aulus
Aurelius
Caius
Cicero
Dominicus
Fabius
Faustus
Felix
Justus
Liber
Livius
Octavius
Pollux
Tacitus
Antonia
Aurora
Benedicta
Cardea
Cassia
Crescentia
Faustina
Flavia
Flora
Juno
Lavinia
Livia
Lucia
Mariana
Octavia
Prisca
Vesta
ETA: How would *you* pronounce Laelia?
~Mark Twain
This message was edited 1/9/2006, 9:53 PM
Archived Thread - replies disabled
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Replies
And now my opinion
Many of these names I like. The majority, however, I think are too heavily associated with specific figures to be used irl. Also, the -us ending on most of the male names just screams Roman Statesmen imo. Don't be surprised if my next pet is named Cicero or Pollux...
The names I like aesthetically are
Amadeus
Antonius
Augustus
Aurelius
Caius
Cicero
Fabius
Faustus
Felix
Justus
Octavius
Pollux
Tacitus
Antonia
Aurora
Benedicta
Cardea
Faustina
Flavia
Flora
Juno
Livia
Lucia
Mariana
Octavia
Prisca
Vesta
The only names I would consider using on an actual child, a list I'm sure would be severely shortened by my husband, are
Augustus - I can't though because a close friend has a son named August.
Caius - iffy
Felix
Aurora
Flavia - iffy, I have a love/hate relationship with this one
Flora - iffy, see Flavia
Livia - well, I would Olivia wasn't so gosh-darned popular
Lucia
Prisca
“It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.”
~Mark Twain
Many of these names I like. The majority, however, I think are too heavily associated with specific figures to be used irl. Also, the -us ending on most of the male names just screams Roman Statesmen imo. Don't be surprised if my next pet is named Cicero or Pollux...
The names I like aesthetically are
Amadeus
Antonius
Augustus
Aurelius
Caius
Cicero
Fabius
Faustus
Felix
Justus
Octavius
Pollux
Tacitus
Antonia
Aurora
Benedicta
Cardea
Faustina
Flavia
Flora
Juno
Livia
Lucia
Mariana
Octavia
Prisca
Vesta
The only names I would consider using on an actual child, a list I'm sure would be severely shortened by my husband, are
Augustus - I can't though because a close friend has a son named August.
Caius - iffy
Felix
Aurora
Flavia - iffy, I have a love/hate relationship with this one
Flora - iffy, see Flavia
Livia - well, I would Olivia wasn't so gosh-darned popular
Lucia
Prisca
~Mark Twain
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Perhaps Benedicta will gain popularity, because of the new Pope!
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I didn't see the name Diana on the list, but it is one of my favorite roman names.
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I think the girls names could all work on people today, but the guys names would sound stuck-up
My Fav's:
Aurelia
Livia
Caius
Octavius
Fabius
Laelia is pronounced Lie-lee-uh
In spoken Latin, the ae is pronounced like "eye" mostly
"To know the laws is not to memorize their letter but to grasp their full force and meaning." -Marcus Tullius Cicero
--See my profile for my adopted PP's--
My Fav's:
Aurelia
Livia
Caius
Octavius
Fabius
Laelia is pronounced Lie-lee-uh
In spoken Latin, the ae is pronounced like "eye" mostly
"To know the laws is not to memorize their letter but to grasp their full force and meaning." -Marcus Tullius Cicero
--See my profile for my adopted PP's--
This message was edited 1/10/2006, 1:30 PM
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Ones I like:
Augustus
Felix
Octavius (prefer Octavian)
Aurora
Cassia
Flora - LOVE this
Livia
Lucia
Mariana
Octavia
Laelia - it 'looks' quite pretty but I'm totally guessing on pronunciation: LAY-lee-ah or LALE-ee-ah
Ones I think could best work in the "real world" :b ....
Augustus - this might be kind of pushing it, though (I recently saw a baby boy in our hospital named Augustus and there were a few snickers from my co-workers *rolls eyes*)
Felix - see Augustus
Antonia
Aurora
Cassia
Flavia
Flora
Lavinia
Livia
Lucia
Mariana
Octavia
Prisca
Vesta
Laelia
*Girls can 'get away with' so much more when it comes to unique and creative names :-/
~Heather~
Augustus
Felix
Octavius (prefer Octavian)
Aurora
Cassia
Flora - LOVE this
Livia
Lucia
Mariana
Octavia
Laelia - it 'looks' quite pretty but I'm totally guessing on pronunciation: LAY-lee-ah or LALE-ee-ah
Ones I think could best work in the "real world" :b ....
Augustus - this might be kind of pushing it, though (I recently saw a baby boy in our hospital named Augustus and there were a few snickers from my co-workers *rolls eyes*)
Felix - see Augustus
Antonia
Aurora
Cassia
Flavia
Flora
Lavinia
Livia
Lucia
Mariana
Octavia
Prisca
Vesta
Laelia
*Girls can 'get away with' so much more when it comes to unique and creative names :-/
~Heather~
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Girls can 'get away with' so much more when it comes to unique and creative names :-/
Sigh. I agree. And speaking of the eye-rolling at Augustus, my friends have a son named August. When he was first born I'm told they received quite a few less than nice comments about their name choice. I probably don't need to mention that August got rave reviews from me :) A year later no one thinks August is weird so I find that a little encouraging.
“It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.”
~Mark Twain
Sigh. I agree. And speaking of the eye-rolling at Augustus, my friends have a son named August. When he was first born I'm told they received quite a few less than nice comments about their name choice. I probably don't need to mention that August got rave reviews from me :) A year later no one thinks August is weird so I find that a little encouraging.
~Mark Twain
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Augustus is one of my favorite names as well. It's unusable for me however as close friends have a son named August and I wouldn't want to step on their toes. Oh well, I'm just content with the fact he's a well-named kid :)
“It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.”
~Mark Twain
~Mark Twain
1
Amadeus - would work, but too Mozart for me
Antonius - would work, would become Tony anyway, I don't really care for it
Augustus - not sure if it would work
Aulus - wouldn't work, sounds like Owl-us
Aurelius - wouldn't work I think, it's a nice name though
Caius - would work, and it's ok
Cicero - wouldn't work, would become Sissy I think, I like the name
Dominicus - would work, I think it's a bit long for a little boy
Fabius - would work, it's ok
Faustus - please no, bad associations
Felix - would work, ok
Justus - would work, nice
Liber - would work, I don't really like it
Livius - dunno, sounds a bit like trying to make a male name out of Liv
Octavius - don't think it will work, I mean: a boy called Octavius?
Pollux - don't if it would work, I love this name
Tacitus - dunno, it's ok
Antonia - would work, I don't really like it
Aurora - would work with a nickname
Benedicta - a bit too serious for a little girl I think
Cardea - would work, it's ok
Cassia - would work
Crescentia - dunno, maybe a bit much for a girl
Faustina - no
Flavia - might work, I don't like it
Flora- would work, nms
Juno - don't think this would work, I love the name
Lavinia - would work, nice name
Livia - would work, nice
Lucia - would work, nice
Mariana - would work
Octavia - dunno, I don't like it
Prisca - would work, nms
Vesta - would work, ok
Everybody lies, but it doesn't matter because nobody listens.
- Nick Diamos
Antonius - would work, would become Tony anyway, I don't really care for it
Augustus - not sure if it would work
Aulus - wouldn't work, sounds like Owl-us
Aurelius - wouldn't work I think, it's a nice name though
Caius - would work, and it's ok
Cicero - wouldn't work, would become Sissy I think, I like the name
Dominicus - would work, I think it's a bit long for a little boy
Fabius - would work, it's ok
Faustus - please no, bad associations
Felix - would work, ok
Justus - would work, nice
Liber - would work, I don't really like it
Livius - dunno, sounds a bit like trying to make a male name out of Liv
Octavius - don't think it will work, I mean: a boy called Octavius?
Pollux - don't if it would work, I love this name
Tacitus - dunno, it's ok
Antonia - would work, I don't really like it
Aurora - would work with a nickname
Benedicta - a bit too serious for a little girl I think
Cardea - would work, it's ok
Cassia - would work
Crescentia - dunno, maybe a bit much for a girl
Faustina - no
Flavia - might work, I don't like it
Flora- would work, nms
Juno - don't think this would work, I love the name
Lavinia - would work, nice name
Livia - would work, nice
Lucia - would work, nice
Mariana - would work
Octavia - dunno, I don't like it
Prisca - would work, nms
Vesta - would work, ok
Everybody lies, but it doesn't matter because nobody listens.
- Nick Diamos
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I think most of the female names would work today, but very few of the male; we seem to have a higher tolerance for long, self-consciously elegant, high-toned names on women than on men. I have asterisked the ones I think are most workable.
Amadeus: Too Mozart.
Antonius: Go for Anthony instead.
*Augustus: Usable, but I'd plump for August instead.
Aulus: Nobody would pronounce it right, unfortunately.
Aurelius: I wouldn't.
Caius: I'd prefer Gaius, which is probably not going to survive junior high school.
Cicero: The association with one person is far too strong.
Dominicus: No, but Dominic is great.
Fabius: I wouldn't.
Faustus: The legend is, I think, too strong and negative an association.
*Felix: Cartoon cats be darned; I think this one could work.
Justus: Possible, but the uninformed would think it was a kre8ive variation on Justice.
Liber: No. No.
Livius: I wouldn't. Titus, maybe, if you're a fan of the historian?
Octavius: I really wouldn't.
Pollux: Only if you name his twin Castor. I dare you.
Tacitus: Same as Cicero--too strong an association with one man.
*Antonia: Gorgeous!
*Aurora: I can never wrap my tongue around those r's, but it does get used on actual people in the present day.
Benedicta: At present, it would sound as if you're naming your daughter after the Pope.
Amadeus: Too Mozart.
Antonius: Go for Anthony instead.
*Augustus: Usable, but I'd plump for August instead.
Aulus: Nobody would pronounce it right, unfortunately.
Aurelius: I wouldn't.
Caius: I'd prefer Gaius, which is probably not going to survive junior high school.
Cicero: The association with one person is far too strong.
Dominicus: No, but Dominic is great.
Fabius: I wouldn't.
Faustus: The legend is, I think, too strong and negative an association.
*Felix: Cartoon cats be darned; I think this one could work.
Justus: Possible, but the uninformed would think it was a kre8ive variation on Justice.
Liber: No. No.
Livius: I wouldn't. Titus, maybe, if you're a fan of the historian?
Octavius: I really wouldn't.
Pollux: Only if you name his twin Castor. I dare you.
Tacitus: Same as Cicero--too strong an association with one man.
*Antonia: Gorgeous!
*Aurora: I can never wrap my tongue around those r's, but it does get used on actual people in the present day.
Benedicta: At present, it would sound as if you're naming your daughter after the Pope.
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we seem to have a higher tolerance for long, self-consciously elegant, high-toned names on women than on men.
I agree. It probably doesn't help the male names any that a lot of them are very, uh, Roman sounding and often connected with very famous historical figures.
“It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.”
~Mark Twain
I agree. It probably doesn't help the male names any that a lot of them are very, uh, Roman sounding and often connected with very famous historical figures.
~Mark Twain
1
These are the ones I think would like on a real person:
Caius
Fabius
Felix
Justus
Aurora
Cardea
Cassia
Juno
Livia
Lucia
Mariana
Octavia
I think nearly all the girls' names are usable today, but not many of the boys' names. If someone did say "This is my son Octavius," I'd think them very pompous and superior.
_____________________________________________________________________
♥Elinor♥
"Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so."
~ Douglas Adams
Caius
Fabius
Felix
Justus
Aurora
Cardea
Cassia
Juno
Livia
Lucia
Mariana
Octavia
I think nearly all the girls' names are usable today, but not many of the boys' names. If someone did say "This is my son Octavius," I'd think them very pompous and superior.
_____________________________________________________________________
♥Elinor♥
"Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so."
~ Douglas Adams
1
If someone did say "This is my son Octavius," I'd think them very pompous and superior.
I think that's a very reasonable and honest response. A lot of the Roman names we're familiar with today is because they had such famous bearers. I'd probably think someone was pompous if they named their son Napoleon (unless they were really odd, than I would just think they liked Napoleon Dynamite way too much). Quite a few of the names are a bit weight-y imo.
“It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.”
~Mark Twain
I think that's a very reasonable and honest response. A lot of the Roman names we're familiar with today is because they had such famous bearers. I'd probably think someone was pompous if they named their son Napoleon (unless they were really odd, than I would just think they liked Napoleon Dynamite way too much). Quite a few of the names are a bit weight-y imo.
~Mark Twain
1