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Greta, Gretchen, Gretel
What are your thoughts on these three? Which is your favourite? How would you imagine a bearer of each to be?
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Oh Greta for sure. Gretel is too associated with the fairytale and Gretchen is just very unappealing and almost harsh. very unapproachable too. Greta on the other hand is more simple and warm. It's also just an all around beautiful name, at least in my opinion. This is the name that I used for the main character in a trilogy novel that I wrote, and also a name I also wouldn't mind using in real life. 😊
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Gretchen is the cutest and most youthful. I like Gretel. It sounds friendly and makes me think of peanut brittle, but it is very associated with the fairytale. In some accents, it sounds soft and in others it sounds more guttural. Greta is nice enough. It is more stripped down and everyday compared to the other two, but is a bit dull. I'm not sure why, but Greta makes me think of an older woman who was thwarted somehow in her youth and carries that resentment. On the plus side, I imagine her as someone who gets stuff done.
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I think, it's funny how some wrote, Gretchen and Gretel would be fine, if you're german.
As a German, I'd say: Only Greta is fine. Gretel is a very outdated nickname, which makes pretty much everybody think of "Hänsel und Gretel").
Gretchen ... well, -chen is a diminutive, but I barely hear it used in names. Gretchen sounds pretty american to me. In Germany I only know it (as a nickname) from Goethes "Faust" and the so called "Gretchenfrage".
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Greta is my favorite. Gretchen is fine if you are German or want to use a German name to honor your ancestry. I don’t care for Gretel. I can’t think of anything but the fairy tale or the little girl in the Sound of Music.
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Greta, the others are too nicknamey and Gretel in particular reminds me too much of the fairy tale.
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Gretchen and Gretel are fine in German. Greta in English has pronunciation issues: GRETa or GREETa. I knew a Grethe who pronounced it GRETa; that's what I'm used to, but I'd never think of using any version. I don't mind them, but they just wouldn't work for me.
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Gretchen is my favourite because it has the softest sound overall
Gretel & Greta sound too much like 'grater'
Gretchen ages well. I can imagine it on all ages and personality types
Greta is cute and will never mature
Gretel is cruel and angry
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I like Greta best. Gretchen is alright, maybe a bit dated. Gretel reminds me way too much of Hansel and Gretel.
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I like all 3, Greta the most
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