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I personally like both names, even though Delphine reminds me of dolphins. Both names would be a good choice, in my opinion, and I’m sure your music teacher would be flattered if she learned your daughter shared her name.

I have no frame of reference for Despina. It made me think of despot, desperation...nothing good.

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I like Delphine. I'd think Delphina fits in more with your daughters names mainly because of length, but either one is pretty.

This message was edited 5/10/2020, 9:56 AM

Delphine is ruined for me by Delphine Lalaurie.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delphine_LaLaurie

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No way.

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Despina is not my favorite, but it sounds really cool and Greek and exotic.

Despina does nothing for me personally. I dislike the pina sound. The only way I like that sound is if it’s for Pina Colada! ;)

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Delphine is alright and I think it would fit with your other girls names. Delphina would also work.

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How long until you can find out if baby is a girl or boy?

Delphine is almost identical to the word for dolphin in my mother tongue. Delfin (also stressed on the last syllable). It’s also very French and I have a very soft spot for French names. Overall, while I could never use it IRL, I lowkey love it. That it makes me think of dolphins, the ocean and underwater stuff makes it excentric in an endearing way, though I could also easily imagine it on a classy, French woman.

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Despina is not a name I’ve heard before. The Desp- part is very unusual but it also makes it very interesting. I want to go look up the meaning and history behind it. It makes me think of antique Greece or Rome or Shakespearean names. I wouldn’t be gutsy enough to use it IRL, but it fascinates me and I already feel it growing on me.

This message was edited 5/9/2020, 1:45 PM

They are both fun names. I agree they sound nice with your current girls. My association with Despina is that very strong association with Cosi Fan Tutte... almost as strong as Cherubino. But not quite. I like her sassy character pretty well, and I love her aria.

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I might chat with your music teacher if you're seriously considering using it! So she hears it from you first, and can share your amusement about it and feel sort-of honored.

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I have a friend who really, really likes my middle name, which is a super random, rather obscure family surname. In high school she used to use it in her top combos for babies. I felt a bit affronted by it. I wouldn't feel affronted today, but I would think it was weird and totally random.

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D is sort of an underplumbed letter. Davina is another one in that group, maybe? Diantha?

Despina made me first think of the word despise, then the song Despacito that was way too popular couple years ago, and finally spinach. I can't say I like it.

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Delphine is ok. It has a playful, marine vibe (dolphins!). I think your girls' names are a bit more... I don't know, grounded than Delphine (and I mean that in a good way, your girls have beautiful names). I prefer Wilhelmina/e over Delphine.

I much prefer Delphine to Despina, which sounds like a servant character in an opera to me, but I don’t think knowing one is a concern, especially as on one hand you aren’t super close to that person on the other it seems you have a positive enough association?

Delphine reminds me of dolphins. I think I've given you negative feedback before. It just feels a touch formal and stiff. Delphina feels slightly less so, but is maybe too flowery for no reason?

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Despina is a new name to me. That Desp- gives me an initial connection to desperate which isn't cool. I think the close connection would be q deal breaker for me personally, but that given your struggle with names it might be worth using anyhow. Maybe explain it isn't after her, but that she certainly left you with good feelings about her name?

I think Delphine fits with the others fine, origin wise. It seems Greek-y because of Delphi.
I do not think of dolphins.
I like Delphina more than Delphine - the een ending sounds a little prissy to me.
Also the extra syllable makes it match better, in my opinion.

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I'm not feeling Despina because of the same things others said - the "desp-" negative word-associations, and the peen sound.
But she could be a Desi.
I don't think it'd be too weird to use it even though you know one.

This message was edited 5/8/2020, 11:56 PM

I really like Delphine. Also Delphina and Delphia.

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Despina... I want to like it, and I feel like I should, but... I don't know. The "desp" sound is throwing me. Maybe it's too close to "desperate" or "despot" for me.

I'd use Delphine

Sorry, I can't get past the PEEN (short for a certain part of the male reproductive system) in Despina. It also reminds me of "desperate", like the parents were so DESPERATE for a baby that when they finally got one, they made it her name. lol

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Delphine - now, that I can get behind. I love the dolphin association, because dolphins remind me of Florida, my favorite vacation state.

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Just for fun, I plugged your other girls' names into Magic Baby Names, and one of the names it came up with was Evangeline. I think it'd go perfectly alongside Theodora and Hermione - same whimsical vibe.

Delphine is interesting and kind of pretty. It’s quite close to dolphin though.

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I don’t like Despina, the first thing that came to mind was despot. It’s not an attractive combo of sounds.

This message was edited 5/8/2020, 9:21 PM

Despina is kind of cool, kind of witchy, in a good way. I can't like Delphine, it's just not a name I can warm to. I'm still pulling for my #1 pick, Augusta. :P