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HelpOphelia and Gillian
Two names that have been on my mind lately. What do you think of them?
Here are my concerns:
Ophelia - the story of Ophelia in Hamlet is so tragic, plus I don't really think she's as wonderful and selfless as most people paint her to be. This seems like a lot to stick on a child, but maybe the majority of people wouldn't even know about the Shakespeare connection?
Gillian - Is this too 80s? To me, there's something charming and earthy about the name. Do you pronounce it with a hard or soft G? Do you think the nn "Jill" is avoidable?
Here are my concerns:
Ophelia - the story of Ophelia in Hamlet is so tragic, plus I don't really think she's as wonderful and selfless as most people paint her to be. This seems like a lot to stick on a child, but maybe the majority of people wouldn't even know about the Shakespeare connection?
Gillian - Is this too 80s? To me, there's something charming and earthy about the name. Do you pronounce it with a hard or soft G? Do you think the nn "Jill" is avoidable?
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Replies
I think Gillian (and for that matter Lillian) are more classic names, like Elizabeth or Catherine, or even Lily. A few people get named them every decade. Maybe more than a few were in the 80s, but it definitely isn't like Amanda, Tiffany, Brittany, Stephanie... which just screams "I was born in the 80s" to me.
I really like Gillian, and I think it is lovely. I think Jill is more avoidable if you use Gillian.
Ophelia was one of my favorites for a long time. It's in our family tree, and it has a lovely sound, but I couldn't get over the Shakespeare association, either.
I really like Gillian, and I think it is lovely. I think Jill is more avoidable if you use Gillian.
Ophelia was one of my favorites for a long time. It's in our family tree, and it has a lovely sound, but I couldn't get over the Shakespeare association, either.
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I love Gillian. Love it, love it, love it. This is one of those cases where the spelling makes all the difference to me; I don't find Jillian appealing at all, but Gillian, and I pronounce them the same, is lovely. I think Jill is avoidable if both you and Gillian are committed to avoiding it. I don't want to think there's any such thing as an unavoidable nickname.
I loathe Ophelia. For realz. If I could hurl lightning bolts from atop some name Olympus somewhere, Ophelia would have been burned to cinders long ago. I hate everything about it from the sound, to the Shakespearean character, to what I feel Ophelia has come to represent collective conscious. I'm lazy, and I've hurt my wrist, so I'm going to cheat and copy my Ophelia thoughts from a different post:
- It reminds me of "oaf" and "offal."
- The "I feel ya" thing and the "necrophilia" thing...whether you pronounce it with 3 or 4 syllables, there's a vile play on words just waiting to be discovered.
- The character from Hamlet, a crap association. Even if it doesn't bother you, it's one pretty much everybody is aware of. Which brings me to the biggest reason I hate it...
- Because the character from Hamlet is so wedded to the name, Ophelia is used over and over again by people and organizations working with "girls in crisis." Ophelia Project? Relational Aggression Disorder in girls. Ophelia's Place? Eating disorders. Reviving Ophelia? The impact on adolescent girls of consumerism and the media pressure to conform to unrealistic body images. It's a name often picked by people who want to evoke some kind of tragic imagery: A quick Google search pulls up a bajillion tear-filled blogs with Ophelia in the title, yet another Ophelia Project (this one about famous female authors and poets who have committed suicide), and even a California radio DJ named "Ophelia Necro" who plays "murder ballads and suicide dirges." Ick.
I loathe Ophelia. For realz. If I could hurl lightning bolts from atop some name Olympus somewhere, Ophelia would have been burned to cinders long ago. I hate everything about it from the sound, to the Shakespearean character, to what I feel Ophelia has come to represent collective conscious. I'm lazy, and I've hurt my wrist, so I'm going to cheat and copy my Ophelia thoughts from a different post:
- It reminds me of "oaf" and "offal."
- The "I feel ya" thing and the "necrophilia" thing...whether you pronounce it with 3 or 4 syllables, there's a vile play on words just waiting to be discovered.
- The character from Hamlet, a crap association. Even if it doesn't bother you, it's one pretty much everybody is aware of. Which brings me to the biggest reason I hate it...
- Because the character from Hamlet is so wedded to the name, Ophelia is used over and over again by people and organizations working with "girls in crisis." Ophelia Project? Relational Aggression Disorder in girls. Ophelia's Place? Eating disorders. Reviving Ophelia? The impact on adolescent girls of consumerism and the media pressure to conform to unrealistic body images. It's a name often picked by people who want to evoke some kind of tragic imagery: A quick Google search pulls up a bajillion tear-filled blogs with Ophelia in the title, yet another Ophelia Project (this one about famous female authors and poets who have committed suicide), and even a California radio DJ named "Ophelia Necro" who plays "murder ballads and suicide dirges." Ick.
This message was edited 3/31/2012, 2:41 PM
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I don't like Ophelia, it seems pretentious and hyperliterary, and the "feel ya" sound and the accompanying jokes are a problem. In fact I think they're more of a problem than the Shakespeare connection.
I don't like the spelling Gillian but I do really like Jillian. I pronounce Gilian just like Jillian. As for the nn Jill, none of the Jillians I met were ever called Jill, to my knowledge.
I don't like the spelling Gillian but I do really like Jillian. I pronounce Gilian just like Jillian. As for the nn Jill, none of the Jillians I met were ever called Jill, to my knowledge.
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I don't think most people would care about Hamlet when they met an Ophelia. I used to work with an Ophelia (she was of Greek descent) and everyone loved her name. It was terrific.
Gillian - pronounced Jillian. If it is 80s - and I don't feel like it is, but I see how it could be - it's in a neutral way. It's not like it was ever a huge fad. Jill is probably not avoidable, unless Gillian herself rejects it, and you'd constantly be correcting people who say Ghillian. But I like Jill and am used to correcting people, so whatever. It's a great name.
Gillian - pronounced Jillian. If it is 80s - and I don't feel like it is, but I see how it could be - it's in a neutral way. It's not like it was ever a huge fad. Jill is probably not avoidable, unless Gillian herself rejects it, and you'd constantly be correcting people who say Ghillian. But I like Jill and am used to correcting people, so whatever. It's a great name.
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I think if I actually encountered an Ophelia in real life that it would seem pretentious. I don't think the Shakespeare connection is a bad one. Yeah, her end was tragic, but meh.
Gillian I like, and I used to really love it. I pronounce it with a J, never heard it with a hard G and would assume anyone who said it that way don't know how to pronounce it properly. But I have heard people on here say they've encountered people who said it that way, so maybe it is a legitimate pronunciation, I dunno. I think any nickname ever is unavoidable, so I wouldn't be too concerned about Jill.
Gillian I like, and I used to really love it. I pronounce it with a J, never heard it with a hard G and would assume anyone who said it that way don't know how to pronounce it properly. But I have heard people on here say they've encountered people who said it that way, so maybe it is a legitimate pronunciation, I dunno. I think any nickname ever is unavoidable, so I wouldn't be too concerned about Jill.
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Ophelia for me is this painting:
and 'drowned' would be my first word association. Also, while it looks pretty, it undeniably sounds like 'oh feel ya' or 'oh failure', depending on your favoured pronunciation. So no, not a fan.
I love Gillian. It doesn't seem 80s to me - all the Gillians I've known were older than that, and anyway, it's unusual enough not to feel dated. I think Gill (which I don't mind at all) is likely, but I have known a Gillian who wasn't one, so it is possible. It would be really great to see a little Gillian. I would yay loads.:)
and 'drowned' would be my first word association. Also, while it looks pretty, it undeniably sounds like 'oh feel ya' or 'oh failure', depending on your favoured pronunciation. So no, not a fan.
I love Gillian. It doesn't seem 80s to me - all the Gillians I've known were older than that, and anyway, it's unusual enough not to feel dated. I think Gill (which I don't mind at all) is likely, but I have known a Gillian who wasn't one, so it is possible. It would be really great to see a little Gillian. I would yay loads.:)
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I've never read Hamlet (yet) so the Shakespearean connection doesn't bother me. I doubt most people would even know about the connection. I think Ophelia looks very pretty, but I'm not as fond of the sound. To me it sounds like "oh-feel-ya." For that reason, I prefer the Spanish Ofelia, which is pronounced slightly differently.
I've never been a fan of Gillian. I also don't like this spelling, because it makes me want to pronounce it starting with gill, like the gill of a fish. Jillian looks nicer in my opinion. The nickname Jill is avoidable, I think.
I've never been a fan of Gillian. I also don't like this spelling, because it makes me want to pronounce it starting with gill, like the gill of a fish. Jillian looks nicer in my opinion. The nickname Jill is avoidable, I think.
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Ophelia- I think even if people are aware of the Shakespeare connection, they won't think the name is lame because of the character. If anything, they are more likely to say, "Oh, a Shakespearean name! That's cool." Also, Ophelia is very pretty and not overused, so keep it on your list.
Gillian- I don't think it's too 80's; when I was a kid in the 80's, I never met anyone with this name. I think the 'G' spelling gives it a romantic, medieval feel without going overboard, and I've grown to love it. If I had a daughter tomorrow, this is what I would name her.
I don't think any nickname is inevitable if the kid corrects the people who use it. Not a big deal.
Gillian- I don't think it's too 80's; when I was a kid in the 80's, I never met anyone with this name. I think the 'G' spelling gives it a romantic, medieval feel without going overboard, and I've grown to love it. If I had a daughter tomorrow, this is what I would name her.
I don't think any nickname is inevitable if the kid corrects the people who use it. Not a big deal.
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I also get the medieval feel from Gillian! I picture long hair and flowing dresses. Didn't know you loved this name so much. That makes me like it even more!
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Aw, thanks! :)
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I find Ophelia to be pretty but I would never use it irl. I think it would be very, very, very sad if the majority of people don't think of Shakespeare. I understand why you wouldn't want them to but I come from Shakespeare land so the thought of someone not being obsessed with his stories breaks my heart just a wee bit.
My sister is Jillian. So Gillian, to me, looks wrong. And with the hard 'g' sounds horrific. Jillian usually goes by Jill. She was born in the mid-80s, too. So while I understand the appeal of Gillian/Gilly, I am preconditioned to hate it thanks to the association I have with Jillian. (and growing up, my mom hated Gillian with a 'g' so that's warped my judgment, too!) :)
My sister is Jillian. So Gillian, to me, looks wrong. And with the hard 'g' sounds horrific. Jillian usually goes by Jill. She was born in the mid-80s, too. So while I understand the appeal of Gillian/Gilly, I am preconditioned to hate it thanks to the association I have with Jillian. (and growing up, my mom hated Gillian with a 'g' so that's warped my judgment, too!) :)
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I'm also in graduate school for English literature, so chances are I'll be surrounded by literary people for the rest of my career. And they'll, hopefully, have a more sophisticated reading of Ophelia than *just* this feminist icon subjugated woman nonsense. I mean, surely she is partly that, but also partly powerful. Either way, a lot to saddle on a child.
Thanks for your comments. :)
Thanks for your comments. :)
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I like Ophelia because it is a beautiful name. I think it is pretty tied to the Shakespeare thing... I can't say for sure how many people would not know about it.
Gillian is way cute. I admit I like it with a hard g, but it seems most people use the soft g. There is definitely something earthy and elfin about it. I'm not sure if Jill is unavoidable.... I wouldn't use it, but some people might.
Gillian is way cute. I admit I like it with a hard g, but it seems most people use the soft g. There is definitely something earthy and elfin about it. I'm not sure if Jill is unavoidable.... I wouldn't use it, but some people might.
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