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Elise sounds fresh and young to me. It's pretty but not frilly. The only person I know named this is my niece (spelled Elyse though) so I have a very pretty little face to put with it.

I think it is pretty. Not boring. It does make me think of Beethoven, but it would depend on the parents as to whether not I assumed it was a nod to the composer.

DH and I like Elise quite a bit. In fact, I'm surprised it was never in serious consideration for us (as a short form of Elisabeth, that is). It definitely feels fresh to me (haven't known a single person with the name) and I definitely wouldn't associate it with Beethoven at all.

I like it. I don't think it's boring- maybe a tad dull, but still unexpected enough to stand out from all of today's popular names. I wouldn't assume it was a Beethoven reference at all. The only concern I would have is the similarity to Elsie and that she would be mistaken as one.

It's classic and I would never assume it was a reference to Beethoven. I like it on paper, it's very pretty. However one time my daughter was playing with a girl at the park whose name was Elise, and I thought it sounded prissy, weak, and cold when it was said aloud. How disappointing. Well, I still like it, there's nothing wrong with it - I just discovered it's not my style after all.

It's a beautiful name - not boring. It's used regularly and is close enough to other popular, or at least regularly used or well-known girls' names like Elisa, that I wouldn't assume that it was used as a reference to Beethoven. It's one of those names that doesn't make me think of any particular references right off the bat despite the Beethoven song. Someone could have easily been named after Aunt Elise, Grandma Elise, etc. or their parents could have simply used it because they liked it. I think of Elise as an "international" name like Alexandra and Maria since it's used in various countries.

This message was edited 3/23/2014, 11:19 AM

Would that be eLEES or eLEEZ or eLEEZa? I'd associate eLEEZa with Beethoven. South Africans are famously bad at French, so when there's an -s- spelling we say eLEES; this means that people who actually want the -z- have to spell it Elize.

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There are lots of them here, some with it as their full name and others, more I think, with Elisabeth or Elizabeth as the fn and Elise/Elize as a nn. (So, I was at school with an Elise who was Elisabeth Deborah, and I know an Elize Antoinette.)

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I quite like it, so it's probably both boring and classic! But I'd only use it as a nn.

It's ok, but I like alternatives better, like Elsa, Eliza, etc. Also I can only think of Sonic 06 when I hear this name!

No, I wouldn't automatically assume Beethoven. I think it's very pretty, but doesn't seem to be...substantial enough, for lack of a better word, as a first name for me. I would love it as a middle name though:)

It's really nice. And no, I wouldn't assume it's a reference to Beethoven.

Elise and Alyse (they're said very nearly the same way here so I'm just mentioning them both even though they're technically different names) were relatively popular for girls in my age group growing up so it's not classic to me, it's just another meh name in the vein of Heather, Jennifer, Amanda, Tiffany, Michelle, etc so common to my generation. Plus the girls I knew who were Elise/Alyse were snotty and self-centered which gives me a more negative connotation.

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And honestly Beethoven never even crosses my mind when I see, even though Fur Elise is a favorite of mine and one of the few songs I can play on piano lol, because Elise is just so commonplace to me.

Love love love it so much. Classic. Nope.

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I always want to use it in the middle name spot, but my top girls names all end in -a so it tends not to flow awesome. Hence the use of Lise instead. But I love Elise.

It's my name. It's a good name to have and I like it. I'm definitely never embarrassed to be named it and I often get compliments like "That's such a pretty name" and things. The only drawback for me is that there are a number of different spellings and I have definitely known more Elyses and Alyces than Elises in my life.

I've never liked it. I don't like the -lees sound. It reminds me of Alicia, which I despise.

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I prefer any other Elizabeth or Elisabeth nn.

So pretty.

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It's so soft and hauntingly beautiful- Elise. Like the sound of rain late at night. I love it.

My middle name is Elyse, and as a kid I never really liked it. I do like it now, I think Elise is a pretty name and it's sort of light and musical. I happen to despise Fur Elise, creeps me the heck out. But Elyse makes me think of Champs-Elysees, which I like. I think as a middle name it seems fillerish, so as a first name it feels much fresher.

I love Elise. I'd consider using it if I had another girl.

I like Elise, though it's a little flavorless to me.

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Unfortunately, I would not assume that it was in reference to Beethoven.

I'd think if Elise Keaton on Family Ties before Fur Elise. Or the misprint of Elsie's name in my grandma's (her great grandma's) obit. I don't think I'd call it classic like Elsa. It's not my style, either.