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Ursula
been thinking about the name Ursula lately, especially after Ursula K. Le Guin's death. i appreciate the name a lot because of her, but am on the fence because of a personal association. also, while i don't care about the Disney character, i feel like everyone would go OH LIKE THE DISNEY CHARACTER WHO I HATE? to a little kid. also, while i don't care about the character, it grosses me out how that movie villainized a woman who specifically looks like that, and taught kids to see her as ugly.
alSO, the pronunciation..."ur-suh-luh" doesn't bug me much, but "oor-soo-lah" is so much lovelier. if it wasn't an English name, people may get it and learn the second pronunciation, but since it has been used as an English name for a while, both would be seen as right, which is slightly annoying.anyway, wdyt of Ursula, what would you pair with it, and do you like any of:Sylvia Ursula / Ursula Sylvia
Ursula Guinevere (hah get it)
Ursula Gwendolyn
Ursula Ludmila
Ursula Lyubov
Ursula Miruna
Ursula Serafina
Ursula Victoria
Ursula Zaharina
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Ursula is a nice name, my husband has an aunt named Ursula. He had a puppy dog crush on her when he was young - they are not related genetically - I totally understand why because she is very attractive, sweet, and a complete nerd.Phoebe's evil twin in Friends is named Ursula and there is the Little Mermaid villain which tarnishes the name slightly but I still really like it.I slightly prefer the name Ursa because it doesn't have the negative associations and it makes me think of the constellations and star gazing.Both Ursula and Ursa make me think of bears which is fairly cool.
For combos I like Ursula Guinevere, Ursula Gwendolyn, and Ursula Serafina.What do you think of:
Ursula Maeve
Ursula Marina
Ursula Matilda
Ursula Marguerite
Ursula Margaret
Ursula Margot
Ursula Magdalene
Ursula Madeleine
Ursula Marceline
Ursula Caroline
Ursula Corrine
Ursula Celeste
Ursula Estelle
Ursula Selene

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This message was edited 2/2/2018, 12:51 AM

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I've never associated Ursula solely with Disney. The problem I have with Ursula is that I just don't care for the sound of it. Despite it being open voweled and flowing (the type of name I typically love), it has a very harsh sound to my way of thinking.
Maybe it's the stress on the first syllable.Re: your combos, the ones that flow best to me are the ones where the mns don't begin with a vowel since the vowel at the end of Ursula and the mn beginning with a vowel tend to run together. I'd say Ursula Gwendolyn and Ursula Victoria flow best for me.
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I like this name in theory, but I can’t shake the Sea Witch association.
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I’ve liked it ever since I watched George of the Jungle as a kid. I think it’s regal and feminine. I like it with Miruna, Serafina, Victoria and Zaharina.
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Ursula is very overhated as a name. I like how its not common and it sounds pretty and feminine. I also like the association with a friends teacher, even if it is Ursula Buffay.
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I've never heard "oor-soo-lah" before and don't find it preferable to the English pronunciation. Ursula has been one of my favorites for a few years. I like the meaning and think the look/sound/history is interesting. I do associate it with the Disney villain but not in a negative or specific way. It just reminds me of water and the color purple...although "Poor Unfortunate Souls" is one of my favorite Disney songs...it also vaguely reminds me of the TV show Friends (Phoebe's evil twin).I've met one person IRL with the name; she'd be in her 40s now.
Here is the result of a (one selection per vote) poll I did on this site last year...Ursula
I love it: 25%
I like it: 21%
It's usable: 25%
It's too weird/ugly/pretentious to use: 29%
The Disney villain made it unusable: 0%
Ursula Guinevere and Ursula Gwendolyn are my favorites of the ones you listed; they do bring to mind Ursula Le Guin, but I've never read any of her books, so that doesn't mean much to me. Ursula Miruna and Ursula Zaharina are interesting. I think Ursula Victoria is nice, but I'm biased in favor of Victoria anyway.
Right now my favorite MN with it is Ursula Niobe.
More combos I've liked at some point...Ursula Matild
Ursula Nimue
Ursula Esme
Ursula Emerald
Ursula Remei

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This message was edited 1/29/2018, 3:00 PM

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i like how Niobe looks and sounds with Ursula, but the history behind the name Niobe is so tragic. i first discovered this site through my 5th grade teacher finding it, looking up all the names of the class, and reading the meanings aloud...and i'd feel terrible if my teacher read that out about my name, as funny as that'd be in retrospect lmaomy favorites:Ursula Nimue - sounds so soft, like a lamb
Ursula Irene - though i'm currently trying out Irene for myself actually, so if i do stick with it and give a kid that as a middle name, i'd feel a little vain
Ursula Emerald - sooo pretty...and Ursula sounds very green on its own
Ursula Margot
Ursula Willow
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(Not so) fun fact, Ursula actually fell off the chart after the murder of Ursula Sunshine Assaid, which was a few years before the Disney movie. Either way, I think there's enough distance between then and now to use Ursula. I'd have to get more exposure to it to get a real opinion; maybe I'll name a sim Ursula soon. Gut reaction is that Ur- is kind of an unpleasant sound, but oor-soo-lah is nicer, but you'd always be correcting people.
I'd want to avoid another -a name if it were me:Ursula June
Ursula Margot
Ursula Mavis
Ursula Mabel
Ursula Reverie
Ursula Lenore
Ursula Ruby
Ursula Violet
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oh, i wasn't aware of her beforehand, that's horrible...also i like matchy middle names, but all of those you listed are also nice and maybe more suited....Ursula Violet i think is my favorite. and i haven't heard Reverie as a name, and i think it's cool
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Am I the only one who thought Ursula was the coolest character in that movie? I know she's the villain, but she has charisma, and she's the one I remember the most. Plus, she has one of the best Disney songs EVER, and I will shamelessly sing it in the car, to this day.Anyway, um, yeah, Ursula by itself is a cool name. It's kind of slick, and it doesn't give a shit. I never read Ursula K. Le Guin, so that has no influence, for me. The only way I've heard it pronounces is the first way. I've never heard oor-soo-lah.
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i don't remember it so well, but she definitely seemed to have the most personality. i also like the whole octopus mermaid idea...actually, i like many elements of her design (her body shape, the cool rocker hair, the purple), which makes it such a shame that she was portrayed as ugly, and as wanting to look like Ariel (iirc?). if she had a friendlier face, she'd be beautiful. and that's a cool way to describe the name- it definitely comes off as a little punk lmao.
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James Adomian has a great bit about Ursula. There are curse words, so don't click if you're not into that kind of thing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwFasVl8EVE
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I read somewhere that Ursula was based on the drag queen Divine.
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I love Divine, I wonder if it is true. I can definitely see similarities between the character and Divine.
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that's especially awful then, and not surprising at all given Disney loves basing villains off of LGBT people (there's problems with drag culture, but it's of course associated with gay men, like Divine was, and trans people, and so of course Disney saw that as fitting villain inspiration)
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The rest of Adomian's bit on gay/lesbian villains in movies is pretty good. I suggest checking it out, because he goes into all that, and it's pretty funny.
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Makes sense.

This message was edited 1/31/2018, 9:05 AM

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My best friend is Iris Ursula & and basically I think the name is quite passable, even though it looks rather old-fashioned and traditional here in Germany.
Common NN's are Ulla, Ursel & Uschi. I like from yours Ursula Guinevere & would suggestUrsula Sylvie
Ursula Ruth
Ursula Marlene
Ursula Margit
Ursula Katrina
Ursula Frida
Ursula Eva
Ursula Elena
Ursula Christine
Ursula Alida
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OH i was gonna mention in the post that i'd use the nn Ulla. i really like:Ursula Sylvie
Ursula Marlene - considered this actually
Ursula Eva - though i'd prefer to use Eva as a first name
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I absolutely love Ursula! It’s in my top three favorite names ever. Seriously, the meaning, sound, and history are all amazing.
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I used to hate it due to the Disney character and just the way it sounded but now I feel neutral towards it. I do think it's slightly more usable than my previous opinion. I actually graduated highschool back in 2012 with a girl with this name and she never endured any headaches because of it.
Sylvia: love it! This is my niece's name who was born just last saturday! (: Ursula needs a shorter middle to balance it out. Though, Ursula Gwendolyn has a good ring to it despite being long
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I like Ursula. I have an aunt with this name, so it's never been exclusively a Disney character name for me. I particularly like your Ursula Gwendolyn combo!
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ADOREUrsula is one of my favorite names -- it's sensuously intellectual (whatever that means). Also, I've always loved that Disney villain!Ursula Guinevere, Ursula Miruna, and especially Ursula Zaharina are gorgeous. Here are some others:Ursula Antoinette
Ursula Beatrice / Beatrix
Ursula Berenice
Ursula Betony
Ursula Bryony
Ursula Capucine
Ursula Constance
Ursula Daphne
Ursula Dorothy
Ursula Edith
Ursula Enid
Ursula Eugenie
Ursula Frances
Ursula Frederique
Ursula Genevieve
Ursula Ginevra
Ursula Gudrun (the names of the Brangwen sisters in D.H. Lawrence's novels)
Ursula Gwendolen
Ursula Harriet
Ursula Henriette

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sensuously intellectual fgfghggfhg that's quite a combo..thank you i'm glad someone likes Ursula Zaharina..i know it sounds a little dramaticalsoooo i adore:Ursula Beatrice - LMAO this is actually almost EXACTLY the name of the "personal association" i mentioned in the post, except it's Orsolya Beatrice
Ursula Edith - this would be a double honoring name for me
Ursula Enid
Ursula Inez
Ursula Ingrid - these go together so well. it'd be a good sibset. both have a fantasy vibe
Ursula Gudrun- i haven't read that novel yet though so i'd be a fake
Ursula Odette
Ursula Sigrid
Ursula Vashti - DAMN you would not wanna mess with her!!
Ursula Winifred- they look a little clashy? but out loud it sounds so delicate and prettyty for the huge list of suggestions!!
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I have no problem with it being the name of a Disney villain, I’ve just never liked the sound.
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I love Ursula. I think it's a lovely name with a lovely meaning. Ursula Guinevere is an amazing combo. :)How about...Ursula Catrin
Ursula Marsaili
Ursula Sigrid
Ursula Noelle
Ursula Vesper
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ty!!and omg Ursula Vesper is such like...an elegant goth name..i love it. Ursula Marsaili sounds very singsong-y in a good way. and Ursula Sigrid is tough but pretty
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No lie... Ursula Guinevere, a long time ago, was in my Top 10.I love Ursula - I have ever since I was a kid. And yes, that means when I was watching The Little Mermaid, liking the villain's name better than the heroine's. (I was a weird kid.)I feel like an Ursula today might get some good-natured teasing, but it wouldn't be pervasive. As for combos, let me also suggest:Ursula Raquel
Ursula Kathryn / Ursula Katharyn
Ursula Miranda
Ursula Jane
Ursula Juno
Ursula Mary
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Ursula is much cooler than Ariel as a name...actually i like Ariel a lot as a boy's name, but i think that would be hard to have nowadays, unfortunately.Ursula Raquel - this is interesting, i like the sharp contrast in sound
Ursula Jane- oh i forgot to put this in my list- i may use that middle name as an honoring name
Ursula Juno- i would like this a lot if not for some distaste i have with the movie, and also the fact that i had a dog named Juno, lol
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It's pronounced "ur-shuh-luh" where I live. I don't really like it.
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