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Re: Dutch names
in reply to a message by Isis
Linde, Ninthe and Lente (sometimes also creatively spelt Lenthe) are feminine names ending in an -uh sound, which are quite popular here at the moment. To me, they did sound very pretty at first, but I now find them rather tiresome: it's like most parents can't come up with anything better than that anymore, a bit unimaginative. I even have two young cousins named Yenthe and Jente (one is on my father's side of the family, one on my mother's) - go figure. *sigh*Feline is very posh to me. It reminds me of Bambi's (from the Disney film) girlfriend, who in the Dutch language version of the film is named Feline (that was because the English Faline wouldn't have sounded as nice in Dutch). I can still remember how her name was always said in a very posh manner in the film. Hmm. :/Carice reminds me of Dutch actress Carice van Houten. I don't particularly like her, but even if I did, I wouldn't particularly like her name. All names ending in -ice sound a bit cheap to me, like Clarice and Shanice. *shudder*Phileine is nice (the look and sound of it, at least), it reminds me of the book (and film of the same name) "Phileine zegt sorry" (English: "Phileine says sorry"). The name sounds nice, but I don't think it's an actual name. If I am not mistaken, the author made it up: it's a play on the Dutch word vilein, which is a more posh word for "mean, malicious" and is etymologically related to English villain. That makes sense, since the titular character in the book isn't very likeable (at least at first). Also: there are no data available for the name Phileine before 2004. The author published the book in 1996, but the screen adaptation of it was released in 2003 - and then suddenly, in 2004, out of nowhere, 20 little Phileine's were born. The name has been increasing in popularity ever since: highest amount was 59 babies in 2009.Fenna is also nice, but nothing really special. At least it's better than Fenne (another -uh name...). I had a classmate named Fenneke once, which is derived from that.Senna is Italian, not Dutch or even Frisian. The name is unisex in my country. It was a rare name for many years (before 1985, there are next to none statistics about the name available). It was only after prominent Dutch-Italian singer Marco Borsato named his newborn son Senna (in 2001) that the name got more exposure and skyrocketed into popularity: in 2001, there were only 109 babies named Senna, but in 2008, there were 310 babies named Senna (the highest amount ever for this name). The name's popularity is now declining again: there were 253 Senna's born last year. Good thing, because I don't particurly like Senna and similar-sounding names (like Sienna). I don't know, they just seem a bit too... hip, I can't really put my finger on it.In short, you've generally picked the more popular Dutch names at the moment - only Feline and Phileine are really uncommon enough for them to stand out. Pity that none of them really make my heart beat faster, but oh well, there's no accounting for taste. :)

This message was edited 5/3/2012, 10:24 AM

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I got them from the top 500 list, which is why they're all somewhat popular. I guess I've been feeling somewhat homesick lately as I've been combing the Dutch name lists. I generally picked the names not in the database and wondered how they would work in an English speaking environment.
On the other hand I haven't been home in a long while, so other than statistics I have no real feel as to what's popular. I hate Lenthe btw. Kreeativetie gives me shivers most of the time.
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Hey, I'm sorry to hear you're feeling homesick. :( I'd been wondering whether you were Dutch or a non-Dutch person interested in Dutch culture and names, but now I know. ;)By the way, your mention of Phileine made me remember how much I actually like the ei-sound and the ij-sound, it sounds so soft and cuddly. Names containing the ij-sound are steadily getting more popular here at the moment, but I don't mind that as of yet... let's hope it remains that way. ;)I have put together a small list of such names, none of them are currently featured in the main database and a fair few aren't very popular, either. Some of them are recognisable enough to be able to fit in in an English-speaking country. Perhaps you'd find a nice alternative to Phileine there (or Philein, which is what people independently have been making into the masculine form of Phileine), in case you might be put off by the "villain" connotation. ;)MALEAntonijn
Bastijn (I actually had a classmate named this back at Utrecht University, which is where I first heard the name)
Calvijn
Casijn
Celestijn
Colijn
Crijn (or Krijn)
Crispijn
Florentijn
Frijn
Justijn
Maximijn
Merlijn
Nicasijn
Perijn (or Perrijn)
Pippijn
Romijn
Sebastijn
Severijn
Silvijn
Tijl
Victorijn
WijnandFEMALECarlijn (or Carlijne)
Carolijn
Catharijne
Cathelijne
Jolijn
Karlijn
Marlijn
Roosmarijn (or Rosemarijn, Rozemarijn)
SanderijnUNISEXChristijn (my favourite, would love to see this on a boy someday)
Clementijn
Laurijn
Merijn
Nicolijn
Robijn
Wendelijn
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