[Opinions] Re: Rosalind vs. Jocelyn (and more)
in reply to a message by Joiya
Jocelyn would be my choice for a mn. As a fn, in my experience it always shortens to Jossie or Joss, which I couldn't live with. Rosalind is pleasant enough; I've got personal associations with it that aren't too encouraging, but of course one's own child would come complete with her own associations!
Roberta. Josepha is just too out there. I mind Josephine much less. But I think I'd shorten Roberta to Robin.
Yvette. Nicer than Yvonne. Lenore is just mangled. Eleanor or Elinor would be lovely.
To my mind, the only hope of improving Abigail is to use Gail. With that spelling, of course. Gale is too weather-forecast, and Gayle is the ln of a West Indian cricketer who is dazzlingly talented and spectacularly, piratically dishy but that's no reason to use his ln as a female (or any) fn.
I knew a Suzanne Edwina whose mn honoured an Edward. I really can't see the Edwarda or Eduarda versions working in an Anglophone environment, but maybe as mns they might.
Roberta. Josepha is just too out there. I mind Josephine much less. But I think I'd shorten Roberta to Robin.
Yvette. Nicer than Yvonne. Lenore is just mangled. Eleanor or Elinor would be lovely.
To my mind, the only hope of improving Abigail is to use Gail. With that spelling, of course. Gale is too weather-forecast, and Gayle is the ln of a West Indian cricketer who is dazzlingly talented and spectacularly, piratically dishy but that's no reason to use his ln as a female (or any) fn.
I knew a Suzanne Edwina whose mn honoured an Edward. I really can't see the Edwarda or Eduarda versions working in an Anglophone environment, but maybe as mns they might.