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HelpTabitha
It surprises me a bit that Tabitha isn't more common. It was my favorite name for a while and I still like it. It has constantly been falling since 1992.
Can you think of a reason why it isn't more common? Do you like it?
Do you think it's religious sounding? Just wondering.
Can you think of a reason why it isn't more common? Do you like it?
Do you think it's religious sounding? Just wondering.
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The name Tabitha isn't common anymore because it's too old-timey for children of this age.
No matter how upsetting that is, it's true.
Tabitha's a beautiful name.
No matter how upsetting that is, it's true.
Tabitha's a beautiful name.
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I think Tabitha is lovely too, though I'd only use it for a mn. Maybe parents find it a little stale or frumpy? Not sure!
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I like Tabitha. Yes it reminds me of bewitched but I would consider it for a daughter name.
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It's probably not as common as it has the potential to be because A) People still associate it with Bewitched and witches in general, and they don't want that image associated with their daughter, and B) The sounds don't quite fit in with what's popular at the moment.
I don't think it's religious-sounding at all. I wouldn't associate it with anything related to any religion.
I love Tabitha and would definitely consider it for my own child.
I don't think it's religious-sounding at all. I wouldn't associate it with anything related to any religion.
I love Tabitha and would definitely consider it for my own child.
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Hmm it became common because of Bewitched so I think we can rule that out.
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One of my students last year had a sister named Tabitha (her name is Katrina). I thought it was a nice sibset. I also subbed for a girl named Tabita this year. She was Hispanic, so I'm assuming she spelled it the way she would say it.
There is that show on Bravo now about that hair stylist Tabitha, which is why I think some people may think bitchy when they hear it.
There is that show on Bravo now about that hair stylist Tabitha, which is why I think some people may think bitchy when they hear it.
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Hmm. To me Tabitha sounds slightly whimsical, a little witchy, a little proper, a little old-fashioned, and quirky.
I think the reason it isn't popular is the same reason Agatha isn't popular-- something about that syllable pattern is a little grating to someone who'd prefer more 'contemporary' names. I don't know what it is exactly, but when you say "Tabitha" and then "Agatha" you can see how they're similar... I just can't articulate the similarity exactly. Anyway, I think some association with that sound is the culprit.
I think the reason it isn't popular is the same reason Agatha isn't popular-- something about that syllable pattern is a little grating to someone who'd prefer more 'contemporary' names. I don't know what it is exactly, but when you say "Tabitha" and then "Agatha" you can see how they're similar... I just can't articulate the similarity exactly. Anyway, I think some association with that sound is the culprit.
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Tapioca
I hate Tabitha for two main reasons: 1--a girl I knew was so horrid. One of her catch phrases was, "Because I"m Tabitha!" and referred to herself in the third person all the time. Makes you a little tired of the name.
2.) Tapioca. The food makes me gag and I associate it with Tabitha. They sound alike to me I guess. Not really... they just go hand-in-hand.
I don't know why it isn't more common. I'm glad it isn't. I don't know if it's the witch/cat thing. I feel like that makes it better imo.
I don't think it's religious sounding at all. Religious sounding to me would be a name like Zachariah or Josiah or any "iah" male name, really.
I hate Tabitha for two main reasons: 1--a girl I knew was so horrid. One of her catch phrases was, "Because I"m Tabitha!" and referred to herself in the third person all the time. Makes you a little tired of the name.
2.) Tapioca. The food makes me gag and I associate it with Tabitha. They sound alike to me I guess. Not really... they just go hand-in-hand.
I don't know why it isn't more common. I'm glad it isn't. I don't know if it's the witch/cat thing. I feel like that makes it better imo.
I don't think it's religious sounding at all. Religious sounding to me would be a name like Zachariah or Josiah or any "iah" male name, really.
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I like it. I used to like it a lot more (it was one of my favorites when I first joined here), but I just sort of grew out of it. I prefer Talitha now.
I don't know why it's not more common. I see it never made the top 100, but it did have a high point in the late 70s/80s and maybe now it's just resting? Or maybe, the opposite of what QueenV said (doubt I'm right though), but maybe Bewitched has been off the air long enough for people to almost sort of forget about the name? Bewitched started in 1964, and it charted in 1966. Kind of like Madison and Splash (somehow I think a movie has a faster effect than a tv show).
I don't think it's religous sounding. But actually, the first time I ever heard the name (and was aware of it-- I know Bewitched reruns played on Nick at Nite when I was a kid, but I didn't pay much attention to Nick at Nite) was when I watched Scary Movie 3 (the parody of Samara from The Ring was named Tabitha-- and actually I really liked both names when I joined here, because I was that kind of 15 year old. I mean, have you seen my username).
I don't know why it's not more common. I see it never made the top 100, but it did have a high point in the late 70s/80s and maybe now it's just resting? Or maybe, the opposite of what QueenV said (doubt I'm right though), but maybe Bewitched has been off the air long enough for people to almost sort of forget about the name? Bewitched started in 1964, and it charted in 1966. Kind of like Madison and Splash (somehow I think a movie has a faster effect than a tv show).
I don't think it's religous sounding. But actually, the first time I ever heard the name (and was aware of it-- I know Bewitched reruns played on Nick at Nite when I was a kid, but I didn't pay much attention to Nick at Nite) was when I watched Scary Movie 3 (the parody of Samara from The Ring was named Tabitha-- and actually I really liked both names when I joined here, because I was that kind of 15 year old. I mean, have you seen my username).
This message was edited 6/2/2012, 6:22 PM
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Tabitha was born in 1966, she wasn't on the show for the first two years :)
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This message was edited 6/2/2012, 6:22 PM
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I love it.
Honestly, if I had a baby girl today, this would be in my top five for sure. A very likely contender. I think it has the perfect combination of recognizable, but not common. Easy to say and spell. And to me, a feline association is a good thing.
The negative feedback I've gotten on the name has always been dislike for the feline and/or witch associations.
Honestly, if I had a baby girl today, this would be in my top five for sure. A very likely contender. I think it has the perfect combination of recognizable, but not common. Easy to say and spell. And to me, a feline association is a good thing.
The negative feedback I've gotten on the name has always been dislike for the feline and/or witch associations.
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I don't know why it's not more popular, either. I think it's pretty and that it has a "bite."
I don't think it's religious sounding at all. Is it in the Bible?
I don't think it's religious sounding at all. Is it in the Bible?
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I see it and my mind automatically goes to "Bratitha". Not sure why, but the name seems so bratty to me.
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It doesn't sound all that similar to most of the names that are currently popular for girls, so that could be why it isn't more popular at least where I live. Then again, it isn't that far off from Samantha and Abigail, so it could just be because it was never an extremely popular name, and therefore, it just doesn't come to mind for a lot of people when they name their daughters, especially now that "Bewitched" is now in the shadows of current television shows. I really liked watching "Bewitched" reruns in the 1990s, but I ended up forgetting about the character named Tabitha.
I think it's a pretty name and wouldn't mind encountering it more often.
I don't think it sounds religious.
I think it's a pretty name and wouldn't mind encountering it more often.
I don't think it sounds religious.
This message was edited 6/4/2012, 6:46 AM
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I love it. I can only guess at why it's been falling and why it isn't more popular. That people think of it as a cat name? That they don't like the nickname Tabby, as in tabby cat? That they somehow remember the little girl witch from "Bewitched", long ago as that was?
I really don't think it's any more religious sounding than any other Biblical name. I wish that it could lose the dang cat\witch association.
I really don't think it's any more religious sounding than any other Biblical name. I wish that it could lose the dang cat\witch association.
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hmmm maybe! I have never met a cat named Tabitha but the tabby cat thing could be an explanation. Still I don't really see why that would keep so many people from using it. Chloe and Sam seem to be super common on pets and people use them often. Maybe it's too old lady-ish?
But the litte girl from Bewitched was super cute and she made the name common. It entered the top 1000 when the show was first aired. It was even number 100-something in the 70s and 80s and then from 1992 on it started falling.
I don't get it, I mean Sarah Jessica Parker used it so I thought it would rise. Not that I mind that it's uncommon it just confuses me a little. I actually think the witch/cat association is cute and I like the nn Tabby.
But the litte girl from Bewitched was super cute and she made the name common. It entered the top 1000 when the show was first aired. It was even number 100-something in the 70s and 80s and then from 1992 on it started falling.
I don't get it, I mean Sarah Jessica Parker used it so I thought it would rise. Not that I mind that it's uncommon it just confuses me a little. I actually think the witch/cat association is cute and I like the nn Tabby.
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I love Tabitha! I don't think it's religious sounding at all. I love the nicknames Tabby and Tibby.
I think some people probably think of it as an old lady's name. School marmish. Perhaps that's why it isn't more popular??
I think some people probably think of it as an old lady's name. School marmish. Perhaps that's why it isn't more popular??
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I think of the TV show "Bewitched", as Samantha and Darrin's daughter was named Tabitha. As such, I think of witches whenever I hear it... and stuck-up ones at that.
Aside from that association, Tabitha just doesn't seem elegant enough for a feminine name, somehow. It sounds a little bit harsh, if you see what I mean.
Aside from that association, Tabitha just doesn't seem elegant enough for a feminine name, somehow. It sounds a little bit harsh, if you see what I mean.
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