Margaret.
For some reason my top girls' name is often an M name - Miriam, Magdalene, Margaret, Mirela. Lately Margaret has wormed its' way into my heart. It has everything that I want in a name - a strong history of usage, lots of great namesakes, lots of NNs, will age well, and has a down-to-earth, working-class feel to it. It's always been on the periphery, but lately it's REALLY risen.
So WDYT? I would probably use Margaret Christine, after my boyfriend's grandmother. I know it sounds very dated, but that's not an issue to me. She would most likely be called May, after his other grandmother. (I'd also call her Maisie.) Her sister would be Judith Helen, and their brothers would probably be Nathaniel Allan and Raphael Michael.
So WDYT? I would probably use Margaret Christine, after my boyfriend's grandmother. I know it sounds very dated, but that's not an issue to me. She would most likely be called May, after his other grandmother. (I'd also call her Maisie.) Her sister would be Judith Helen, and their brothers would probably be Nathaniel Allan and Raphael Michael.
Replies
I like it. It has a nice,traditional feel to it. You are right, it has a lot of history to it and ages well. May, Maisie, and Meg are great nicknames. The brothers and sister's names are great also.
I love Margaret. It's a longtime favorite of mine.
And I love that there are soooo many nickname options...e.g. Daisy, Greet, Greta, Gretchen, Grete, Gretel, Grethe, Gretl, Griet, Madge, Mae, Maggie, Maidie, Maisie, Maj, Mamie, Mara, Mare, Mared, Maret, Marg, Marga, Marge, Margery, Marget, Margie, Margit, Margo, Margot, Mari, Marit, Marjorie, Marta, Martie, Marty, Mattie, May, Meg, Megan, Meggie, Meggy, Meta, Mette, Midge, Mitzi, Molly, Pearl, Peg, Peggy, Polly, Rita...you know, just to name a few. ;)
And I love that there are soooo many nickname options...e.g. Daisy, Greet, Greta, Gretchen, Grete, Gretel, Grethe, Gretl, Griet, Madge, Mae, Maggie, Maidie, Maisie, Maj, Mamie, Mara, Mare, Mared, Maret, Marg, Marga, Marge, Margery, Marget, Margie, Margit, Margo, Margot, Mari, Marit, Marjorie, Marta, Martie, Marty, Mattie, May, Meg, Megan, Meggie, Meggy, Meta, Mette, Midge, Mitzi, Molly, Pearl, Peg, Peggy, Polly, Rita...you know, just to name a few. ;)
A very good name. I have(or had, she's dead now) a aunt named Margaret, also a cousin.
As it happens, neither of them were nick-named, though that family is very given to nick-naming.
As it happens, neither of them were nick-named, though that family is very given to nick-naming.
I love Margaret. It was my great-grandmother's name and has a long history of usage in my family so it is likely it will me one of my future daughter's mns. My Auntie is actually Christine Margaret, so I quite love Margaret Christine even though the flow isn't the best.
May, Meg, Maisie and Greta are all cute nns.
ETA: I keep forgeting the Margaret tradition is being continued with my new sister. She will be Marguerite to be named after my Dad's grandmother.
May, Meg, Maisie and Greta are all cute nns.
ETA: I keep forgeting the Margaret tradition is being continued with my new sister. She will be Marguerite to be named after my Dad's grandmother.
This message was edited 11/30/2007, 5:18 PM
I like Margaret. I've often thought using it myself (however, at the moment, I'm mooning over Greta, so Margaret is out for me). I'd love to see Margaret on a child, as the two little Margarets I've known, Margaret Cecilia nn Peggy and Margaret Alan nn Meg, were absolutely adorable and carried the name so well. So, I'm encouraging your use of Margaret. :)
Margaret Christine is lovely (and much more so for sounding 'dated'!). I understand what Starla is saying, though, about the 'gr' and the 'chr' kind of smooshing together. The combo almost gets stuck at this point. Too bad, because I really like both names together.
Is Margaret a must use? I ask because May Christine also sounds darling.
Margaret Christine is lovely (and much more so for sounding 'dated'!). I understand what Starla is saying, though, about the 'gr' and the 'chr' kind of smooshing together. The combo almost gets stuck at this point. Too bad, because I really like both names together.
Is Margaret a must use? I ask because May Christine also sounds darling.
This message was edited 11/30/2007, 5:17 PM
I do like Margaret. It has a lot of history as a family name on my father's side so I would consider it. It's timeless and strong. I like how it has lots of nn options, but my favorite is Margie. But I know that's not most people's favorite. I like Margaret Christine all right, but I prefer Margaret Rose. I think Margaret fits in nicely with the other names in your possible future sibset.
This message was edited 11/30/2007, 3:22 PM
I love the name Margaret, and May and Maisie are lovely nicknames.
I don't think Margaret Christine sounds dated.
I don't think Margaret Christine sounds dated.
I don't really like it that much. Yes, it's a traditional name with good namesakes (if you don't count M. Tatcher, although here's surely a strong and powerful woman for you!). But I just find it boring and dated.
I like Christine, though.
I like Christine, though.
This message was edited 11/30/2007, 2:38 PM
Margaret's okay. I'd never use it, but it is good for all the reasons you mentioned. However, Margaret Christine has no flow to it, the gr and cr sounds so close together create a repetitive, engine-grinding effect.
I prefer Marguerite or Margarita to Margaret. They sound softer and less rough to me.
I prefer Marguerite or Margarita to Margaret. They sound softer and less rough to me.
You might be right.
I'd love to use Margaret Rose, but I think that I'd best let his sister use Rose - it's a family middle name. She has it, her mother has it, and her grandmother had it.
I prefer a rougher sound, honestly - hence why I love Judith so much.
I'd love to use Margaret Rose, but I think that I'd best let his sister use Rose - it's a family middle name. She has it, her mother has it, and her grandmother had it.
I prefer a rougher sound, honestly - hence why I love Judith so much.
Margaret is lovely, and May / Maisie is just darling.
I agree with everything you say about Margaret, and Margaret Christine is really pretty. I wouldn't call it dated, afterall Margaret is timeless, I think Christine adds some more elegance to her. (For some reason, I've always found Christine very elegant)
She would fit in wonderfully with her other meaningful and beautifully named siblings. Very classy :)
I agree with everything you say about Margaret, and Margaret Christine is really pretty. I wouldn't call it dated, afterall Margaret is timeless, I think Christine adds some more elegance to her. (For some reason, I've always found Christine very elegant)
She would fit in wonderfully with her other meaningful and beautifully named siblings. Very classy :)
I think Margaret Christine is lovely Siri :-) It doesn't sound at all dated to me but it does seem traditional. Sounds like a wintry type of name and very pretty.
I've always like Margaret myself as well, though it's nowhere near the top of my list so I'll never use it personally but I like to suggest it to friends and family who are having children :-) It's not all that common these days and I LOVE the nn of Meg (but hate Maggie lol).
edit: I forgot to say that in high school I worked with a Margaret and she didn't go by any nn's, which I actually liked. She was kind of gothy/rock-ish and calling her Margaret was a good balance. Plus it's just a pretty name to say!
I've always like Margaret myself as well, though it's nowhere near the top of my list so I'll never use it personally but I like to suggest it to friends and family who are having children :-) It's not all that common these days and I LOVE the nn of Meg (but hate Maggie lol).
edit: I forgot to say that in high school I worked with a Margaret and she didn't go by any nn's, which I actually liked. She was kind of gothy/rock-ish and calling her Margaret was a good balance. Plus it's just a pretty name to say!
This message was edited 11/30/2007, 1:51 PM
Her grandpa would call her Margaret
As would her daddy. :-D Only my side of the family would use nicknames.
I really like the traditional feeling to it. I'd still like something a little more quirky, but X doesn't.
And as for Maggie: I really hate it. I do love Meg, though. We'll see how her personality develops and whether she's a Meg, May, or Maisie.
As would her daddy. :-D Only my side of the family would use nicknames.
I really like the traditional feeling to it. I'd still like something a little more quirky, but X doesn't.
And as for Maggie: I really hate it. I do love Meg, though. We'll see how her personality develops and whether she's a Meg, May, or Maisie.
I never even thought of May as a nn for Margaret but I like it. In your original post you said there a lot of nns for Margaret and so I was trying to think of some and all I could come up with was Meg and variants of Maggie... but I see May and Maisie now. What other nns would you consider for Margaret?
Meg, Maisie, May, Mare , Greta
Maybe Peg/Peggy.
Maybe Peg/Peggy.
Greta!
I love Greta. Long ago, I decided that's what I'm going to be called in my 'old age' becuase Stacey is not a Gramma name =)
I love Greta. Long ago, I decided that's what I'm going to be called in my 'old age' becuase Stacey is not a Gramma name =)
oooh I like Greta! Very classy.