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The name of one of my grandmothers was Inez & I never really cared for it. (I'm weird, though; I don't like the ever-classic Helen, either). I do like Agnessa and Annis, although to be honest, I never knew Annis was a feminine given name until I looked up Inez a while back. :o) Where I grew up, there was a family whose surname was Annis & they ran a very small chain of grocery stores called (you guessed it) Annis' Grocery. After I got acquainted with the idea of Annis as a fn though, I really fell in love with it. It's like Anne, but not nearly as popular & has a lovely meaning. I think there are a lot of strong feminine names that have died, like Bertha, Agatha, Agnes, Olga & Irene. A lot of it could have to do with the way Americans (mis)pronounce the names. For instance, I love the prn. Bear-tah, but no one in the US says it that way. Americans also seem to put a very hard g on the Ag names, making one think of agriculture. On Olga, Americans often swallow the l making the name sound muddled. Those are really the only reasons I can think as to why the names aren't being used much.

I love Agnes - it was my great-grandmother's name, but she hated it and went by Lilac instead - it sounds like a gentle and unselfish girl. I'll probably never use it for a real child, but I might for a character.

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My favourite variation is Ines / Inez. I love Inez in particular.

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♦ Chrisell ♦

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All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us. - J.R.R. Tolkien.

To me, Agnes is like the names Beatrice, Hazel, Mabel and Harriet which were popular around the turn of the century, perhaps a bit earlier or a bit later, that just haven't come across their tide of popularity yet. Already, some names from that period have enjoyed some popularity in the last few years, such as Grace, Anna, Emma and Ella. Even Beatrice is being used more now that it was a decade ago. It's just a matter of time before Agnes gets it's share of the limelight, which could be sooner than I predict if a celebrity discovers its simple beauty and bestows it upon his or her child. It just depends on trends.

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As for the varients Agnessa and Annis, I'm not liking them very much. I do, however, like the varient Agnieszka.
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I LOVE AGNES! i have a sad feeling it will be popular

Names, especially female names, go in and out of fashion. I guess people in English-speaking countries find it an "old lady" name.

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In Sweden, it has been popular for at least 20 years. So we picture a young girl when we hear this name.

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I like Agnes but I like Agnessa even more. Annis is pretty too. Ines or Inez is another variation I love.

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I must add that I only like Agnes pronounced the Swedish way (UNG-ness). The English pronounciation (AGG-nes) sounds a bit harsh imo.

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"You sought a flower and found a fruit. You sought a spring and found a sea. You sought a woman and found a soul. You are disappointed."
"It does not become me to make myself smaller than I am." (Edith Södergran 1891-1923)

Why has it died? --> It isn't pretty by today's aesthetic standards.

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I like Agnessa. I quite like Annis as well. Dislike Agnes, it sounds unpleasant to my ears. The only Agneses I know hate their names and go by Senga. That's a popular choice here, for middle-aged women.

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♥Elinor♥

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'Why do people with closed minds, always open their mouths?'

This message was edited 12/15/2005, 5:08 PM

I like it. It drips with history.

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Why has it died? "Ag" is not a popular sound.

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I like Agnessa and Annis, but I adore Inez / Ines.

I've always thought Agnes sounded like "eggs," but that's probably just me.

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I like Annis though.

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-Amy-

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I like it and Annis is very pretty.I have no idea why it has become unpopular when names like Lydia,Charlotte,and Eleanor are used over and over again. It's like the name Irene. I'm glad it isn't catching on.

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Without love we cannot survive

It's my mother's name and she absolutely hates it. We pronounce it differently, in the Netherlands, with a pretty harsh G sound. I think it's quite pretty but it definitely has an old feeling about it. I like some of the variants, like Inez and Annis because they sound softer.

Please don't use the name Annis!

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I like Agnes alright, though I like Agatha and Inez more.

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And Agnessa, maybe with the nick name Ness or Nessa.

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--Nadia

I don't know why it has died out perhaps it was just used too often, but it really doesn't seem like it was! I personaly want to like it more than I do but it always reminds me of my grandpa's chain smoker girl-friend so I can't really like it and it would hurt my mom if I used the name in any form! :(

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I think Annis is pretty and I like Agatha, Ines / Inez, Annice and I think Segna is a really cool name too (it's Agnes spelled backwards). Oh, and I like the boy's name Anson too! But I just can't like Agnes that much, it's the same thing with Carol, both names really need a face lift, a new image, I think.

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Have yourself a buggy little Christmas! I've adopted 26 ! and 4 @, see my profile