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Worse. I prefer Melvina.

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Mal-names generally turn me off because of the strong association with mal- as a prefix meaning sick/bad. It's so commonplace, I can't overlook it. Malfeasance, malady, malign, malinger, malformation, maladapted, maladroit, maltreatment, malpractice, maladjusted, malcontent, malfunction, malignant, malodorous, malaise, malnutrition ... and no truly pleasant mal-words to compensate! HOW can anyone think this syllable sounds nice?

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I knew a woman from Poland (I think) whose daughter was Malvina. I guess maybe other languages don't have this mal- problem.

This message was edited 3/12/2016, 7:59 PM

OMG, WORSE, HOW DARE YOU!?!? ;)

I think it sounds better slightly just because it rolls a bit easier off the tongue, but like it less. The "mal-" beginning doesn't sit well with me, it is too evocative of the prefix. Malvina could be a malevolent malcontent who spent her time devising methods of maltreatment in some sort of fairy tale.

Worse. The main thing that comes to mind when I hear it is "malevolent" (mal+v is a pretty unique sound).

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I prefer Alvina over Elvina, though.

Sounds like a villain. The love child of Malvolio and Maleficent.

I adore it! I prefer it to Melvina, which I also like. "Smooth brow" is such a lovely meaning.