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I quite like them both. I fought a bit for Judith before we decided on this baby's name, but everyone thought it too dated. I think it's rather retro-chic myself.

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Jude is a fantastic nick for it, though I do like Judy and Ditta as well.

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Gretel is so cumbersome it's cool I think. I happen to really like Greta, which is a bit more modern and modish sounding, but Gretel brings both the fairytale vibe AND the dusty old gem vibe. It's more solid than Greta, as seems to happen with variations that do not end in a.

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I would love to meet a youngster with either of these names, though I personally couldn't pull off Gretel I think.

I love Judith, Gretel reminds me way too much of Hansel and Gretel.

They seem very different to me. I've never known or known of a Gretel from an English-speaking family or even an Afrikaans one, where German and French names are more frequent. The closest was a very old lady, great-aunt of a friend, who hadn't spoken German since her parents died and was known to one and all as Grey or Auntie Grey, this being their best attempt at Gretel. So, certainly old-lady but by no means stern! And I've no clue to what extent it's used in Germany.

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Judith is seldom used, OK, but it still does get some exercise. The youngest one I know (Judith Maria, family names)goes by Judi and is in her 30s. I'm not over-fond of it, but I do prefer it to Julia and Julie. And I also know a Judith Margarete in her 40s, English-speaking but named after her Afrikaans grandmother.

I don't like either one.when I hear Gretel all I can think of is hansel and Gretel.judith is very stern

Judith is kick-ass, but Gretel is dopey. I would do Judith and Greta, but that's just me.

I don't like either one. Especially not Gretel, because all I think of is Hansel and Gretel.

This message was edited 11/29/2015, 1:36 PM

I absolutely adore Judith! I also really like Gretel.

I like Judith more than Gretel. Gretel makes me think of "Hansel and Gretel."

This message was edited 11/29/2015, 12:15 PM

I like 'em. They are crunchy and woodsy. Jude and Gretel sound like they need a quirky movie or book series.

I LOVE the name Judith. I might consider it for a child. I've never thought of it as an old lady name. I have never really considered Gretel that much but wouldn't use it because I feel that the only association a lot of people would have with it would be fairytale 'Hansel and Gretel. I think Greta is really lovely though.

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:0)

I prefer Judy be the nickname for Judith, but I like it regardless. I think it's a strong and sturdy name.

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Honestly, Gretel feels young and sweet to me rather than stern or old ladyish. Possibly even cutesy.

Judith is soft, strong, and quietly pretty. I like both Judy and Jude for nicknames.

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Gretal will always be abandoned in the woods with Hansel to me. I'd hate for it to be my name.

I actually see Judith and Gretel as fragile, delicate-sounding names. I used to dislike Judith, until I started seeing it as "Jude" with an "-ith" at the end. I think Jude is kinda cool, so it changed how I felt about Judith.

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Gretel makes me think of Hansel and Gretel. For me, it straddles the line of pretty and ugly.

I love the names: Judith easily shortens to Jude or to Judy; Gretel easily shortens to Gret / Grett / Grette.