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HelpGirls nicknames that can hold their own: eta
The post about Josie got me thinking - what are some cutesy-ish nicknames (i.e. not Kate or Lena or Beth) that can hold their own? Like, professional-sounding. Can you imagine them on teenage girls, young women, grandmothers?
I was thinking about Romy in particular, because I enjoy it as a nickname for Rosemary. I think that works. I also like Billie, Effie, Milly, Rosie, Maggie and Evie, but not so sure on these.
I know a couple of women named Maggie (in their late-20s and early-50s), a 22-year-old Rosie and a 8-week-old Evie. The Maggies are short for Margaret and go exclusively by Maggie, but the Evie is just Evie. Some nicknamey names like Maisie, Milly, Winnie and Evie just seem babyish to me, idk about you guys.
** ETA okay so I'm not being clear. I don't care whether they're the full first name or a nickname for a full first name, but just called that name the majority of the time. Like, either a girl christened Milly or a Millicent who goes by Milly. Would you take them seriously? **
I was thinking about Romy in particular, because I enjoy it as a nickname for Rosemary. I think that works. I also like Billie, Effie, Milly, Rosie, Maggie and Evie, but not so sure on these.
I know a couple of women named Maggie (in their late-20s and early-50s), a 22-year-old Rosie and a 8-week-old Evie. The Maggies are short for Margaret and go exclusively by Maggie, but the Evie is just Evie. Some nicknamey names like Maisie, Milly, Winnie and Evie just seem babyish to me, idk about you guys.
** ETA okay so I'm not being clear. I don't care whether they're the full first name or a nickname for a full first name, but just called that name the majority of the time. Like, either a girl christened Milly or a Millicent who goes by Milly. Would you take them seriously? **
This message was edited 3/25/2013, 12:15 AM
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I would definitely take a Maggie seriously. And also a Tess, Tessa, Sadie, Libby, Molly and possibly Ellie. It depends a lot on the context though. If I meet a doctor or see a scientist or historian on TV (don't meet them in real life) then I take into account what they have to say and how they present themselves, as opposed to their name.
I think the reason people struggle to take these names seriously is because they have only recently come into fashion. I don't know any grown up Millies, Tillys, Evies, Maisies, Emmys, Lexies etc. So I think people get a cutesy, fluffy vibe from these names because they only see them on small children or teenagers. In 30 years time the world will be full of doctors and scientists called Evie and Millie and we might have a different image from them.
I think the reason people struggle to take these names seriously is because they have only recently come into fashion. I don't know any grown up Millies, Tillys, Evies, Maisies, Emmys, Lexies etc. So I think people get a cutesy, fluffy vibe from these names because they only see them on small children or teenagers. In 30 years time the world will be full of doctors and scientists called Evie and Millie and we might have a different image from them.
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I said something similar to this in response to the Josie post, but it was a bit confusing so I'll try to express my thoughts more clearly here:
Cutesy nicknames have a similar sound to a lot of names ending in an -ie sound that most people feel are 'legitimate'. I'm thinking of names that aren't traditionally nicknames, such as Amy, Kelly, Ashley, Casey, etc. I don't see why a nickname (given as a fn or not) like Katie, Rosie, Evie, etc. should be taken less seriously than those other names. IMO, a cutesy name is much more professional than a made up or creative name.
With that being said, I also tend to prefer longer names with cutesy nicknames. You can't go wrong with multiple names to choose from!
Cutesy nicknames have a similar sound to a lot of names ending in an -ie sound that most people feel are 'legitimate'. I'm thinking of names that aren't traditionally nicknames, such as Amy, Kelly, Ashley, Casey, etc. I don't see why a nickname (given as a fn or not) like Katie, Rosie, Evie, etc. should be taken less seriously than those other names. IMO, a cutesy name is much more professional than a made up or creative name.
With that being said, I also tend to prefer longer names with cutesy nicknames. You can't go wrong with multiple names to choose from!
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I don't have a problem taking women with names like Milly and Rosie seriously. If I only a list of names to go on, I'd have higher expectations for Dr. Maggie or Prof. Winnie than I would for women with names that make me roll my eyes, like Primrose or Princess. And my expectations for Maggie and Winnie wouldn't be lower than for Margaret or Winifred. In some respects, I'd respond more positively to Maggie and Winnie than Margaret and Winifred. I might imagine, sight unseen, that Dr. Maggie would be a more compassionate listener than Dr. Margaret, for example, or that Prof. Winnie can deliver a more energetic and engaging lecture than a Prof. Winifred could.
Of course, once I met these women, whether or not I take them seriously depends on their performance and behavior. I'd still like or dislike their names depending on my tastes, but that would pretty much be the end of it. Anything else would be like meeting a gorgeous Bertha and claiming she's butt-ugly just because of her name.
Less and less am I buying into the idea that you must put the longest and most formal form of a name on the birth certificate to spare your child a lifetime of disrespect. I know I can't think of any real world example I've personally seen where someone was held back because they were Jenny, rather than Jennifer...not even when I worked in HR. If you have a stack of resumes that includes 15-letter names from Africa, 2-letter names from Asia, invented names, crossgender names, and creatively spelled names that defy all rules of phonics, a Molly or an Allie just isn't extreme or unusual enough to spark a strong reaction.
Of course, once I met these women, whether or not I take them seriously depends on their performance and behavior. I'd still like or dislike their names depending on my tastes, but that would pretty much be the end of it. Anything else would be like meeting a gorgeous Bertha and claiming she's butt-ugly just because of her name.
Less and less am I buying into the idea that you must put the longest and most formal form of a name on the birth certificate to spare your child a lifetime of disrespect. I know I can't think of any real world example I've personally seen where someone was held back because they were Jenny, rather than Jennifer...not even when I worked in HR. If you have a stack of resumes that includes 15-letter names from Africa, 2-letter names from Asia, invented names, crossgender names, and creatively spelled names that defy all rules of phonics, a Molly or an Allie just isn't extreme or unusual enough to spark a strong reaction.
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I like this post.
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I think Tess is a nickname name that really works on its own.
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None. I detest nicknames as given names.
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Not what I meant. I prefer given names with cute nicknames myself.
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One of my best friends is Romy (full name). She pronounces it like ROE-mee rather than ROH-mi though. I like it and I think it holds it's own just find. I think of her pronunciation as full name because I've only known her with the name...the other pronunciation I'd assume would be a nickname if I heard it.
I generally prefer nicknamey names with full names to back them up. I often have the issue though where I love the nickname but don't like any full names enough and don't think they can stand on their own (Evie is an example).
My exceptions:
Billie
Ellie
Libby (maybe?)
Yeah, I actually don't have that many exceptions off the top of my head!
I generally prefer nicknamey names with full names to back them up. I often have the issue though where I love the nickname but don't like any full names enough and don't think they can stand on their own (Evie is an example).
My exceptions:
Billie
Ellie
Libby (maybe?)
Yeah, I actually don't have that many exceptions off the top of my head!
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What is the difference between ROE-mee and ROH-mi?
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They're pronounced differently (here anyway). ROE-mee is more like the city Rome followed by an ee sound. ROH-mi is like the Rom of CD-Rom with a shorter 'i' sound.
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Hmmm, I've never seen anyone use "oh" to describe that vowel sound. Do you pronounce the word/exclamation (oh) that way as well?
I can't imagine pronouncing the y/ie at the end of a word with the short "i" sound. Maybe it sounds different in Australia?
I can't imagine pronouncing the y/ie at the end of a word with the short "i" sound. Maybe it sounds different in Australia?
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Interesting! The only ROM-ee's I've known have been nicknames for Rosemary and one for Romilly. When I first met 'my' Romy, it took me awhile to get used to her pronunciation haha.
I like the name a lot though, either pronunciation, although I do prefer ROE-mee these days just because it is more familiar to me.
I like the name a lot though, either pronunciation, although I do prefer ROE-mee these days just because it is more familiar to me.
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I think Maggie and Billie are ok by themselves, and to some extent Rosie (but seriously, why call her Rosie and not Rose??). Evie does sound really cutesy by itself. My sister's name is Evie, but her full name is Genevieve. Milly is another super cute name, I think it would just be weird by itself. I know at least three Millys/Millies, but their full names are all Amelia.
Another name is Edie. I really like Edie, and I reckon it would work pretty well just by itself. Also Tess, Kirsty, Lucy, Georgie, Sadie, maybe Abby, Molly and Libby. Definitely not Ellie, Allie, Tilly, Izzie, Maisie, Katie, Pippa, Lexie, Trixie...
Romy would probably be ok. It's better than Rosemary. It's much less cute-sounding than lots of others.
Another name is Edie. I really like Edie, and I reckon it would work pretty well just by itself. Also Tess, Kirsty, Lucy, Georgie, Sadie, maybe Abby, Molly and Libby. Definitely not Ellie, Allie, Tilly, Izzie, Maisie, Katie, Pippa, Lexie, Trixie...
Romy would probably be ok. It's better than Rosemary. It's much less cute-sounding than lots of others.
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