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Thoughts on Basil?
I really like Basil. I think it's refreshing (like the herb) while still feeling refined. I also think it's a nice choice for unisex/gender non-conforming name. My friends however said, "who the F would name their kid Basil?". What do you think?‧˚₊•┈┈┈┈୨୧┈┈┈┈•‧₊˚⊹
Fashion doll fan & Greek mythology nerd
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Basil is a dog or a cat name, I'm sorry. It is not a name for people.
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Thoughts on Spinach? Coriander? Parsley?
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It's adorable, I love it. It is pretty quirky and obscure nowadays, but I think it's a great name! I never thought of it as being gender neutral, Basil is like Clive or Aloysius to me, a very buttoned up Victorian gentleman name ... Are you pronouncing it like the plant? BAY-zul? Yeah, that's pretty cute. If you really wanted to blow people's minds, spell it Basel, like the city is Switzerland.
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It’s okay. I prefer it pronounced BAH seel rather than like the spice.
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I like it
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Terrible
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I've got good associations with Basil: knew a nice one at uni, a South African of Greek descent. I'd never use it, though, not because of the Greek association but because of the herb. Which is delicious, but not human.
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Basil is traditionally masculine. Someone could still name their daughter Basil, rather like they could theoretically use Michael or Archibald, but it doesn't have a history of use as a name for girls, so it isn't unisex. It is derived from "basileus" meaning "king", "emperor" or "tzar," which may be why it strikes me as a little pompous in an antiquarian way. It has that British boarding school vibe as well. Famous people named Basil that come to my mind are the British actor Basil Rathbone (known for portraying Sherlock Holmes), and the "Great Mouse Detective." There were also a couple of Byzantine Emperors named Basil.
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Basil is not and never has been a unisex name. It's a man's name, and in the US it never caught on. It's a very cliched name for an upper-class, early-20th-century British man.
Also, some people say bazzle, some rhyme it with hazel. That ambiguity is a dealbreaker for me by itself.
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I have a transfemme friend who chose Basil as her name. She also goes by Basie. As for Basil as a male name, the first thing I think of is Basil from Omori, who is definitely not stiffy British man lol
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It’s sweet, I like it a lot. Reminds me of names like Miles and Ambrose. Soft.
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