Jezebel
WDYT of Jezebel? Usable or not?
Replies
I love Jezebel. I will always love Jezebel. But, sadly, there are too many negative connotations with it - especially if you live around any more conservative or "traditional" people. It wouldn't be an issue with teasing in the schoolyards, unless kids overheard their parents say something bad about the name.
It's one of these names post-feminist parents are convinced they should transform, which they should give new meaning for - let's ignore the fact that naming your child Lilith won't help the thousands of women living in poverty and abuse, nor will it give your daughter an easy ride through life.
I do the old side eye at people who would name their daughter Jezebel or Lilith and think it will do their daughter or gender politics any good. It's such a naive and weird world-view.
Beyond that, it's just not pretty.
And, okay, we can reclaim the word 'slut', we can change readings of characters which have traditionally been negative, we can do this, that and the other - but a girl named Jezebel is always going to be judged by the old patriarchal mold. You can't overcome the stigma attached to that name, like it or not.
Plus, it's just ugly, in look and sound.
I do the old side eye at people who would name their daughter Jezebel or Lilith and think it will do their daughter or gender politics any good. It's such a naive and weird world-view.
Beyond that, it's just not pretty.
And, okay, we can reclaim the word 'slut', we can change readings of characters which have traditionally been negative, we can do this, that and the other - but a girl named Jezebel is always going to be judged by the old patriarchal mold. You can't overcome the stigma attached to that name, like it or not.
Plus, it's just ugly, in look and sound.
I think it's much more usable for an adult woman changing her name to it, than it is for parents naming a baby girl. It makes a very strong statement (criticism of Judeo-Christian ideology/mythology). Only less usable than Lilith because of the word jezebel.
Not in real life on a person. I could see someone trying to use it the way Rowling used Sirius Black- everyone thinks one thing, but we find out that the character is really the opposite. On pets would be fine, too.
not.
Totally not usable. However, I do like it for a cat.
I don't think it's usable but I do like it! It has a great sound to it. BTW, when my dh was a boy, his family had the cutest dog named Jezebel. :-)
Not usable. Whether you believe in the Biblical story of Jezebel or not is irrelevant. The name is not a common noun to describe that kind of woman, and it is very negative and not used lightly. And there have been no famous Jezebels besides the one, so nobody has left any other association with the name.
Besides which it's ugly.
Besides which it's ugly.