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Re: Deborah
in reply to a message by irene
I've never liked it, because of the Debbie image.
If not for that, I would like it more.
And it seems conspicuously Biblical, which isn't my style. It even still seems Jewish to me, especially now that it's not a fad. Although I don't think that Jewishness limits how much names appeal to people generally now, at all - personally I'd hesitate to use a name that I perceive as belonging to any ethnicity I'm not identified with.
I don't care for the bor sound in it, either.It's really striking how much it was a fad midcentury - I've never even looked at its popularity. There aren't many names that came into fashion and went out so fast, back then.I agree with queenv that it's going to make a comeback in the US at some point. Probably not for a while - maybe more of the slow comeback where it is hipster for a decade or two, and then gets more popular overall as people see it's OK again.
I think if that does happen, though, it seems more likely to be Devorah, not Deborah.
I think Devorah would sound cooler to people than Deborah.- mirfak
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An interesting tidbit for youDorothy Sayers wrote mysteries in the '20s and '30s. One of her characters was Harriet Vane. At one point another character asked her what her middle name was and she replied "Deborah. Unfortunate, isn't it?" And then - boom - Deborah was in, then back out.
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yeah, i understand the hesitation of using a name (/other things for that matter) that would have you perceived as an ethnicity you're not. that prevents me from considering some names. my SO is Jewish though, and I myself am looking into the religion for myself, and if I don't end up choosing Judaism in the future, it would probably still be an Abrahamic religion. so while that's no guarantee i would use a Biblical name in the end, i do like them.i think Deborah/Debbie would make a comeback because of Debbie Reynolds, actually- there are so many Carrie Fisher fans who also love her.
Devorah is a cool name, though the correct pronunciation is apparently different than it looks? The one listed in a comment is not something I'm able to say.
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I think I remember a Jewish friend pronouncing it duhVORa, with the VOR like or or oar with a v tacked on. So it's just the stress that moves to the middle syllable, apart from the b-to-v shift, which makes sense when you think of all the Slavic speakers using Varvara.
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oh, that's how i read it! thank you.
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