Agnes is my middle name. I think it's pretty! I love the meaning of "lamb"! Saint Agnes is a beautiful role model, and I love how old the name is! I don't see why people would hate this name... No one should hate a name. Agnes is fine and beautiful, and maybe the reason you don't like it is who/what you associate it with, not the name itself. In either case, keep your unkind comments to yourself. I met a young girl named Agnes, and she had a twin named Therese. It fit very well for someone so young, and the name ages well! When I hear this name, I think of a very beautiful woman!
Agnes Sampson was one of the first women to be prosecuted in the 1590-1592 witch trials in North Berwick, which were infamous for their brutality.Agnes (aka the Wise Wife of Keith) was an elderly woman who was well respected for her work as a healer and midwife in her community. When fist accused of witchcraft, she firmly denied it, even when brought before the king, until eventually making a confession after much brutal torture. She was strangled and burnt at the stake for the crime of witchcraft on the 28th of January, 1591.
― Anonymous User 2/17/2024, edited 2/17/2024
1
I don’t associate it with being old fashioned although that might be because I associate it with Agnes from Despicable Me.
I have never liked the name Agnes. I find it to be old-fashioned, harsh, and boring. There is nothing feminine or soft about it, and it doesn’t flow well. The nicknames Aggie and Nessie are hideous as well. One positive thing about Agnes is that it’s internationally well known, easy to spell and pronounce.
Agnes Waters ran for president as many as four times in the 1940s and 1950s. (Different sources claim different numbers, though as far as I can tell she formally pursued the presidency in 1944, 1948, 1952 and 1956.) Each campaign looked roughly the same: Waters was hyper-nationalist and unapologetic in her racism and antisemitism. Some of her rhetoric feels uncomfortably similar to campaigns, candidates, and activists in the present. She called for the execution of Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt, and his Cabinet, and his supporters. She only wanted “real Americans” in positions of authority, not “Moscow Jews and Negroes.” In Life Magazine in 1942, she declared, "There are 100,000 Communist Jews at the Mexican border waiting to get into this country. […] They will rape every woman and child that is left unprotected.” In her campaigns, she dubbed herself a “Pistol-Packin’ Mama,” and she loudly embraced “The Protocols of the Elders of Zion,” the falsified 1903 antisemitic text that became the basis for still present-conspiracy theories.Perhaps most distressing of all of this is the fact that she found an audience willing to listen.And that audience included people in positions of authority.Agnes Waters was born in New York City, New York in 1893. She moved to Washington, D.C> as a young woman, working for the government during World War I. She became a personal secretary to famed suffragette Alice Paul and joined the suffragist cause. She married a WWI veteran and had two daughters with him before his early death. Waters, a devout Catholic, never remarried. Waters supported herself and her family as a real-estate agent.In the 1930s she became an ardent anticommunist. Initially she aligned with the Democratic Party, voting for Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932. In 1936, though, she attended the Democratic National Convention and was rebuffed in her desire to implement an anticommunist platform. She turned sharply away from Roosevelt and from Democrats more broadly.Whether her raging antisemitism set in before or after her disillusionment with the Democratic Party is unknown. Regardless, Waters became what could only be described as a raging antisemite.After becoming disillusioned with the Democratic party, Waters became a raging antisemite. As previously mentioned, she adopted “The Protocols of the Elders of Zion” as her own belief, and spoke about a “Jewish conspiracy for world domination” in earnest. She came to believe that Roosevelt was a disciple of Lenin and had surrounded himself with communist Jews who were inspired by the devil.Waters found an audience for her antiemetic rhetoric in the nationalist movement known as the Mothers' Movement. The Mothers' Movement was a loose confederation of women’s clubs that formed a right-wing coalition of isolationist, anti-Semitic, “true American” mothers and women. Groups such as the National Legion of Mothers of America and the National Blue Star Mothers supported Waters and invited her to speak at their meetings and rallies. Waters testified often before Congress and railed against any bill that she deemed communist. She touted herself as an "expert" on communism and had enough support from enough members of Congress to be taken seriously quite often. She was also often removed from Congress when her speeches became too much - they were usually chock full of conspiracies, profanity, and biblical references.In 1939, Waters was instrumental in the defeat of the Wagner-Rogers Act, which would have provided haven for German Jewish children. Speaking about Jews, she yelled at different hearings, "The refugees have a heritage of hate […] they could never become loyal Americans," and "Just let the Jews come in and the pistol-packing mamas will take care of them. There will be nothing left of them."In 1940, when Roosevelt ran for a third term as president, Waters called for his and his appointees' execution.In 1944, Agnes Waters announced her presidential campaign. She promised that if elected, she would prohibit all immigration into the United States and arrest all communists and Jews. She also promised to kill all Black people in the country because, she said, they were traitors and communists. She believed the NAACP was controlled by Moscow and that Blacks were indoctrinated into communism by a branch of the University of Moscow in North Carolina. She promised to appoint only “real” Americans to her presidential Cabinet, not “incompetents and dirty Jews.” She also raged against China.Waters was fully convinced she spoke for a majority of Americans. She repeatedly thought she would be chosen by both the Republicans and Democrats for their presidential nominations, and attempted to storm the floor of various national conventions. When she wasn’t, she ran write-in campaigns, or found small right-wing parties to run with. She found significant support from the Mothers' Movement, but she was never able to woo right-wing leaders to her cause. Her personality made her impossible to work with, and her message never had as wide traction as she assumed.Waters died in 1963 at age 68.
This is my cat's name. It sounds like an old lady name and it's ugly lol.
― Anonymous User 6/6/2022
-11
I get why people think this is a 'grandma name'. Maybe it's because of the 'ag' sound. Once, someone said my name sounded like an old lady's name. I'm proud of Agnes, though. I think it's a timeless, classic, unique name that is much more than just a generic old name. And in school, I've been taking French, so we had to take a French name on the list. Agnes was on there and I chose my own name. I still think Agnès is great, although the pronunciation sounds a little like 'onions.'
― Anonymous User 4/15/2022
10
I like this name. It's so elegant, classic, beautiful and a lovely name. ❤❤.
I respect this name because it belongs to a saint, but have never liked the sound of it. The first time it called my attention was in the novel Agnes, by Anne Brontë. With all due respect to St. Agnes, I'd prefer to name a daughter Agatha, Barbara, Lucy, Felicity, or Cecilia instead, but I wouldn't mind if the father decided to choose Agnes.
― Anonymous User 2/19/2022
5
Agnes Monica Muljoto, known professionally as Agnez Mo (stylized as all caps), is an Indonesian singer, songwriter, music producer, actress, dancer, model, and businesswoman. She was professionally known as Agnes Monica before amending her new stage name. As a bilingual singer who records in Indonesian and English, she is known for her image reinventions and musical versatility throughout her careers.
Agnes is a minor character in the Wes Anderson animated film, Fantastic Mr. Fox. She is a quiet young fox and is the love interest of Kristofferson, the title character’s nephew.
Agnes is the title character in the 1979 play (and subsequent 1985 film) Agnes of God. Sister Agnes, a nun, is at the center of a court case and mystery as a psychiatrist and the mother superior attempt to figure out whether Agnes’s claims of virginal conception are true, and whether or not she knowingly caused the death of her newborn.
My favorite name at the moment! You could say that I'm a huge Agnes fan. I love that it has so much history, and the fact that you never really hear it anymore. Also, old women were children once too. It sounds like it's a little rude to say that. Also, Despicable Me is a wonderful association, and part of my childhood. I think the name Agnes is intriguing. It has sort of a mysterious dark side, all while sounding sweet, happy, and kind. Agnes is not for everyone, this comment section made that clear. You guys can take your Emma, Mia, Isla, and every other very popular name (which I don't mind at all. Popularity doesn't matter to me, but still. All are exceptionally beautiful names either way). Me, I like being unique. Agnes is perfect for me.
Ah, one of those old lady "ugly" names that I absolutely love. I'll take it with a side of Mabel, Gladys, and Doris. I think all these names are lovely.
― Anonymous User 4/23/2021
10
Also Judeo-French and Judeo-Anglo-Norman. Source: Seror, Simon "Les noms des femmes juives en Angleterre au Moyen Âge".
― Anonymous User 4/7/2021
3
In Danish the pronunciation is “OW - nes”, making it different to Swedish “ ANG - [noted -ed]
A refined and stately name that would be worn just as well by a woman of 25 as by a little girl. When people say a name is an old lady name, it means the name is not in over-use. It is irrelevant that a name had a hayday in another era, since a name doesn’t make a person look or seem old... it’s entirely irrelevant.
Funny how everyone associates it with old ladies. Maybe this name is a little “vintage” now because it was popular in the 1800s, but I never associated it with an old woman. Quite the opposite! I associate it with St. Agnes, who was twelve or thirteen when she was martyred. This name has always sounded cutesy and young to me, for that reason. I quite like it, and a future daughter of mine will definitely bear this name.
― Anonymous User 8/7/2020
11
Agnes Montague is a somewhat important character in the horror podcast The Magnus Archives. She's an avatar of The Desolation and the messiah of The Cult of the Lightless Flame.
Hello my name is Agnes! I’m highly offended by some of the comments on here. I used to not like my name that much, but now I’m really proud of it. I was named after my aunt and many people in my family have this name. Y’all need to stop being so damn rude and saying “Yuck,Yuck,Yuck”. Anyways, what I do appreciate is the people that said Aggie is a cute nickname because that is my nickname.
I don’t really understand the yucky or “Old lady” association. I’ve always associated this name with St. Agnes, who was young and pretty and is depicted with a pure lamb at her side. Anyways, I love this name. It has a nice meaning and to me, a nice association. Definitely a name I’m keeping in mind for a future child.
― Anonymous User 3/3/2020
12
AG-nəs, not AG-nis, in English, AKH-nəs in German and Dutch, OW-nəs in Danish, and A-NYEHS in French.
"Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch" is a 1990 novel by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman.
― Anonymous User 6/25/2019
4
Contrary to a previous comment that made a statement on the harshness of this name’s sound. I must confess that I would politely beg to differ. The name Agnes, at least from my perspective, is a lovely, phonetically pleasing name that adds an image of gentility to the respective bearer of this timeless classic. Agnes would definitely debut “perfectly” for an infant and stretch forth all the way till the ripe old age of an individual’s latter years. If you are searching for a classic that commences with an ‘A’ and combine that with a good dose of history, then this name may be the select prize for you and your delightful progeny.
― Anonymous User 4/17/2019
5
I’m in the minority, but I don’t like this name. Too harsh!
― Anonymous User 1/16/2019
-11
One of my favorite choreographers is Agnes De Mille.
Agnes is such a pretty name. My favourite nickname is Aggie. I don't really like Nessie, but it's not terrible and might grow on me. If I ever have a daughter, I would definitely name her Agnes, either for her first or middle name. Here are some good Agnes combinations: · Agnes Matilda · Agnes Elizabeth · Elizabeth Agnes · Lily Agnes · Agnes Lily · Agnes Olivia · Olivia Agnes · Mary Agnes · Agnes Pearl.
In 2018, 86 is the most common age for an American (U.S.) Agnes who is registered female with the Social Security Administration. It is the 754th most common female first name for living U.S. citizens.
Loving this name lately. It sounds so gentle and beautiful and would be adorable on a baby. Agnese and Agnessa are still very nice names.
― Anonymous User 5/5/2018
5
I'm Hungarian and I never liked Ágnes 'Ági' + the girls I met with this name weren't overly nice, but mostly the adults were mean and everything out of their mouth including our names sounded... not nice. Though for me most Hungarian pronunciations are ugly. Harsh and too literal, too direct - no room for softness or imagination. Then for a long time I haven't even thought about this name, until I heard it in "The Blacklist" in English. Elizabeth Keen (Masha Rostova) named her daughter Agnes, and it just sounded sweet, endearing and unique, multi-cultural... It's simple but feminine yet not overtly girly - a classic.... graceful, soft & strong... It can be worn by a badass heroine and/or a sweet girl... someone to protect or a protector. There's definitely a light in it. I agree with "It sounds like an angel."The meaning (from various web-pages) Agnes is a female given name, which derives from the Greek name Ἁγνὴ hagnē, meaning "pure" or "holy". Latinized form of the Greek name 'Αγνη (Hagne), derived from Greek 'αγνος (hagnos) meaning "chaste". Saint Agnes was a virgin martyred during the persecutions of the Roman emperor Diocletian. The name became associated with Latin agnus "lamb", resulting in the saint's frequent depiction with a lamb by her side.PURE & CHASTE are not necessarily naive-virginal. For me it means 'pure of heart' as in lack of malice, clear thinking, deep seeing-feeling + chaste as delicate, refined.About the Lamb: Dexter's son in the DDK season & Silence of the Lambs - so a bit controversial, but that's okay.Sanskrit - Agni - "sacred sacrificial fire". Fire has great symbolism, so many aspects I won't go into details, it would be too long here.I like the literary associations too - Bronte, Dickens, Hugo. Very much do not like Ags, Aggy, Taggy, Nessie (though what's the problem with the Lochness Monster is a mystery to me) - Instead Nessa or even Nyssa & Love: Neža - Slovene short form.+ Aegnes' the perfect feminine pair to Aegon of the popular Game of Thrones TV-series (G.R.R.Martin- A Song of Ice and Fire) also very Stark or 'Northern' ~ Agnes Snow, Agnes Stark (has a bit of Sansa-like sound to it)And I really don't get the grandma or nun branding. Or what is so wrong with old-fashioned - you take it and make it fresh & all the yuck is really just lack of intelligence.Name variants I like also: Agnessa (Russian), Агнеса 'Agnesa' (Macedonian), Agnese (Italian, Latvian), Agneza (Croatian), Anežka (Czech)(Slovak), Agnieszka (Polish), Агнија (Agnija) (Macedonian), Agniya (Russian), Aignéis (Irish), Nesta (Welsh) إيناس 'Inās' (Arabic), Ines (French)(German)(Italian), Inès (French), Inés (Spanish), Inês (Portuguese), Inesa (Lithuanian), Inessa 'Инесса' (Russian), Inez (English) Nieske (Dutch)Interesting also: with a 'K' or 'J' Akanisi (Fijian), Akneeta (Finnish), Akneetta (Finnish), Aknes (Finnish), Aknietta (Finnish) Jagienka (Polish), Jagna (Polish), Janja (Serbian and Slovenian) Oanez (Breton)
I do prefer the name of the saint's sister, Emerentiana of Agnese/Agnessa. But Agnes is also pretty. Aggie is ugly though.
― Anonymous User 12/1/2017
5
I like Agnes so much. It's just so classy and elegant. And yes, old fashioned, but in the case of this name I see it as an advantage. It's definitely not a wonder to me that people in Sweden like it so much. Maybe because I'm not from an English-speaking country and I don't know any old ladies called Agnes, I see this name as fitting a woman absolutely any age. It's really nice for a little girl too. Nicknames Aggie and Nessie are cute. I strongly associate this name with a singer and composer Agnes Obel and with Agnes Grey from Anne Bronte's novel and Agnes Conway from Wingless Bird by Catherine Cookson.
Agnes is also occassionally used in Poland by nuns, instead of much more traditional form Agnieszka.
― Anonymous User 11/23/2017
2
Agnes Muljadi is an Indonesian-American ballerina, actress, celebrity blogger, and photographer. Agnes Muljadi was born in Jakarta, Indonesia. Muljadi began her career as a ballet dancer and received her professional training in Indonesia, England and America on full scholarship. Following the completion of her training, Muljadi went on to dance with different troupes in the Pacific Northwest.
Agnes Meiling Kaneko Chan is a pop singer, a "foreign television personality", a Doctor of Education, a professor at Japanese universities, an essayist, and a novelist. Since 1988, Chan has been a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and also supports the Japan Committee for UNICEF.
More than 99.9 percent of people with the first name Agnes are female. Also Estonian, Flemish, Welsh and Yiddish.
― Anonymous User 6/5/2017
2
I actually love this name, even the English pronunciation. I prefer it to my actual name (even when I told my mom and she said "But you already have an old lady's name!")
Agnes Lum is an American gravure idol, singer, actress, and bikini model popular in Japan in the late 1970s and early 1980s. At that time, she was nicknamed "Lum-chan" in Japan, though now that nickname can be confused with that of the fictional character Lum Invader from Urusei Yatsura. Lum was the inspiration for the name of this character as she was well-known at the time the manga was first released (1977). In order to avoid confusion with Agnes Chan, another popular idol at the time, "Lum-chan" was used, though many fans called both "Agnes". Lum has appeared in numerous calendars, on posters, and magazine spreads, and these items regularly fetch high prices in the collectors market.
Agnes is an extremely pretty girl's name. Not too common anymore, and I do not understand why! Some people are biased... but I think it has a great sound. Goes great as a middle name and with other personal names. For example, "Mary Agnes, Cecilia Agnes, and Rose Agnes", etc...
I have had the honor of being named Agnes by my father, who wanted uniqueness in the names of his daughters and giving us girls the same middle name. (uniqueness and unity)Who knew that this name would be a blessing to me! Wherever I travel across the globe, the name helps me make connections. For example, in Spain, Latin America and France... I am Ines, In Italy... Agnese. I am traveling to Wales, I wonder what my name will bring up? Makes me feel cosmopolitan when I hear my name in different accents.It is not glamorous, dramatic or popular. It is not for everyone, yet if you embrace uniqueness... this is the one to pass on.
I think this name is really pretty. I'd use it. It reminds me of the character Miss Marple for some reason (character's first name Jane). She was clever and stylish. I think this name is ready to be resurrected from old lady to cute, cool, clever little girl.
― Anonymous User 1/23/2016
3
It seems to me this is a Greek borrowing from Hebrew because Latinized form of the Greek name ‘Αγνη (Hagne), derived from Greek ‘αγνος (hagnos) meaning "chaste" does not explain meaning.In Hebrew "HaGan et" (Hellenised es) means "The Garden [is] this", The Garden being The Garden of Eden, otherwise known as PaRDeS ('Paradise'). The meaning of "chaste" in Greek borrowing then becomes obvious because Eve did not conceive until after she and Adam were exiled from The Garden of Eden after the 'original sin', meaning in The Garden she was "chaste", i.e. a virgin, virginity being defined differently in the ancient Greek culture.
We called our daughter Agnes. We wanted a name that's distinctive yet familiar & a name that works internationally and isn't too hard to spell. Yes, it was a bit of a leap of faith as it did grate slightly on the ear to begin with. But it works & people love it. It's a strong name & the shortened versions (Ags, Aggy, Taggy) are all fab.
― Anonymous User 12/22/2015
2
I think it's a sweet, underused name which deserves a revival. Not a "yuck" name as others have mentioned. It's a strong name that is charming on a little girl and lasts a lifetime.
My Grandma is called Agnes, so I tend to think it rather old fashioned. However she has always been known as Nan, which is a Scottish nickname for Agnes.
My name is Agnes and I love it. I usually get comments about it whether it's "That's a nice name" or "You don't hear that name very often".So I love my name and wouldn't change it. :)
I think this is a strong, amazing name for girl to have. :)
― Anonymous User 8/9/2014
6
I think this is such a beautiful name: clunky cool. The nickname Aggie is my favourite, but Nessie is very sweet too. I certainly think it can work wonderfully nowadays, especially after that spunky little Agnes on Despicable Me.
My middle name is Agnes and although I've always hated it, I recently fell in love with the French pronunciation, "ahn-YES" to me this sounds so elegant & beautiful, I no longer dread the day that I'll have to decide whether to carry on my family's tradition of having Agnes somewhere in the first daughter's name. I might even make it her first name now that I've learned such a beautiful pronunciation!
This name was used on a hurricane which flooded eastern Pennsylvania in June 1972. Official damage estimates were about $3 billion, although recently the damage was estimated at $2.3 billion. This made Agnes the costliest hurricane at the time, surpassing Betsy of 1965, although it was later surpassed by other hurricanes.
― Anonymous User 6/25/2013
1
I like the name Agnes! I wouldn't name my daughter it, but I think it would be cute to see a little girl with it. It also reminds me of the little girl from despicable me, which is probably why I like it :) also, the French pronunciation is very pretty, they say it ahn-YES.
I love the name Agnes, it's so vintage and pretty! I think a lot of people would be pleasantly surprised to meet a little girl named Agnes. Aggie and Nessie are cute nicknames :)
― Anonymous User 1/11/2013
5
Agnes (1281-1364) was the daughter of King Albert I of Germany and his wife Elisabeth.
No, it's too grandma-ish. It belongs in the year 1920 and it should stay there. I try to put the stress on the second syllable, but that doesn't make it any better. Nessie is almost cute as a nickname, but it's not enough to redeem the name.
Agnes Crandall, heroine of Agnes and the Hitman by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer. This book is a romantic suspense novel and it is awesome! I really like this name especially after reading Agnes and the Hitman. I think the name is spunky, cute, fresh, feminine and not too girly. I like it!
― Anonymous User 2/4/2012
2
Agnes Lark (b. May 2011 in New York City) is the daughter of American actress Jennifer Connelly and her husband Paul Bettany. Agnes has an older brother named Stellan.
― Anonymous User 1/6/2012
2
I really think this is gorgeous. Old fashioned, yes, but very pretty.
I love this name! It's very pretty and graceful. And I agree with few of you: it IS time for some old-fashioned names to make a comeback. This is the name of a character in a story I've written, which is set in the late 1500s. :P
This name has got to make you think "grandma" name without a doubt. I think it also has a hint of "nun" to it, meaning it's also a perfect name for a nun. The meaning of the name just adds to the idea. I do not like the sound of it either, it's unpleasing.
OK, People. Let's cool it with the yuckies. I know there has to be more originality on this website. :p Anyway, this name is cute and rare at this time in history. I think it's one of those names that most people just skip past because it is so dated, but I would personally take advantage of that if I were in a position to be bestowing a name upon a child. And aren't older names coming back into style? Agnes has history, style, grace, poise, and beauty. Need I say more?
I always used to hate this name because I thought it sounded like an old lady's name, but I must admit that ever since I saw the movie Despicable Me with the adorable little girl named Agnes, the name has been growing on me. I wouldn't mind using it on a little girl.
I don't have a problem with how it sounds. Agnes actually sounds a bit pretty to me. And I could care less about it being "old-fashioned"- it's classic, not dated. It's just that the religious background is too strong for me.
Apparently, Nessa can be a nickname for Agnes.I like it. I like its classic-ness. Not sure how usable it'd be in real life, but I do definitely like it for a character in a story.
Agnes sounds ugly and masculine. The nickname "Aggie" is cute, but it's just not enough to save this name. I guess if I met a lovely girl called Agnes I'd like the name more but I've only saw one girl called Agnes and she was really nutty.
― Anonymous User 7/16/2010
-6
I think origin of this name is Lithuanian Agnė, Ugnė. This means fire in our language. In near pagan history of my country there was very widespread cult of fire, there is many girl names Agnė, Ugnė nowdays.
I really like this name and always have. I have to admit though that it does seem rather old fashioned to me. While I would have disregarded it for this reason several years ago, I think I will embrace it all the more for the same reason now. Many "old fashioned" names are coming back and I believe this one surely will too. I think the "g" sound is just fine in it. There are many beautiful names with this g sound (Gabrielle, Guinevere, Gretchen, etc.) I wouldn't hesitate to use this name!
In Denmark we pronounce it OW-ness, with the ow sounding like en how. While being an old name and quite uncommon today it's not considered ugly in any way but that may be because of a character on a Danish show called Matador who was called Agnes. She was a beautiful, complex and very strong character so the name is, for a Dane, closely connected to her - and therefore something positive. Needless to say, I therefore like the name (and prefer it in Danish).
I think Agnes is a nice unusual name. I don't understand all this nonsense about 'YUCK YUCK YUCK'. It can sound a bit hard if it is pronounced with too much emphasis on the 'ag'.
Also common in French, likely because of the Catholic use of a Saint's name for all baptized children and the encouragement by the church to select a newly canonized Saint's or patron's name. Pronunciation in French is /ah NYES/.
"Yuck yuck yuck!"? How immature can you people get? It's a name. You can say you hate it (and hate is a strong word), or that it sounds disgusting, but is it necessary to type yuck three times in all caps? Anyways, I like the pronunciation "ANN-yay", but otherwise no, just no.
Depending on the pronunciation used, Agnes comes off to me as a name that can be pretty or "ugly" so easily. The English pronunciation sounds a bit old-fashioned, but the Swedish one delivers a refreshing name that stands out just enough from the sea of girls with soap opera princess names.
Wow. Lots of negative comments about this name. O.OIt's never really sounded that "old lady"-ish to me because I've almost always associated it with the young Saint Agnes. I still like the way it sounds, anyway. XD
My maternal grandmother's name was Agnes, though she generally went by Nessie. Nobody seems to be able to stand this name, but pronounced and used properly, it is actually quite pretty.
― Anonymous User 6/9/2008
2
This name is ugly in English. It sounds pretty in other langugaes. In Swedish, for instance, this name is pronounced as ''ahng-nes'', with the 'a' pronounced like it's pronounced in 'ah', and with the 'ng' sound insyead of just the 'g'. I wouldn't use such a religious name, but it's not a bad name, except in English. It would be better if it was pronounced a bit more like in non-English spekaing countries. You might check out The Mystery Jets' song Alas! Agnes from 2005 and listen to how it's pronounced in it. That would be much nicer.
Agyness Deyn, English model. Pronounced like Agnes. Birth name: Laura Hollins.
― Anonymous User 4/7/2008
-1
Patient in the Janus Thickey ward for permanent spell damage at St. Mungo's Hospital. Agnes' entire head is covered with fur and she barks instead of speaking. The Healer told her that her son would soon visit and had sent her several Christmas gifts.
Agnes, although not contemporary, is a sweet, pretty, yet understated name. It's easy to pronounce (unlike all those Niamhs and Aoifes), it doesn't have many English variants to be misspelled (Cameron/Kamryn, Reese/Reece/Rhys), it isn't overused (you'll have three Emilys and Madisons in a kindergarten class), yet it has a beautiful meaning (either "chaste" or "lamb") and has a regal grace without being too "aristocratic" (like Alessandra or Ariana).
Famous bearers include Agnes Baden-Powell, founder of the Girl Guides or Girl Scouts, and dancer and choreographer Agnes de Mille. It was also the name of David Copperfield's lovely childhood friend and later, his wife, in Dickens' novel of the same name.
Agnes was my paternal grandmother's name. The story she always told was that her parents wanted to name her Bridget. Her father said that was a good Irish name (they were Irish). But the woman who was to be her godmother insisted on Agnes. She said, "If you name that baby Bridget I'll drop her down on the altar rail and walk out of the church." So Agnes it was. I always thought, "Man, Grandma, you got the raw end of that deal" as I had always considered Agnes an extremely ugly name. But then I was not aware of the French pronunciation which indeed makes this name very pretty. Nessie, though, just makes me think of the Loch Ness monster as that is a nickname for it.
In Tracey Chevalier's novel Girl With a Pearl Earring there was a character called Agnes. She was the sister of Griet.
― Anonymous User 6/1/2007
2
Agnes is of a Greek origin. It comes from a word in Greek pronounced og-nay ἁãíÞ. Its meaning is basically pure or sacred.
― Anonymous User 5/29/2007
2
In French, Agnes is spelled the same way but pronounced Anyes. I've always really liked that pronunciation. I am an Agnes, and I've noticed that it is a difficult name for children to pronounce. Small children usually call me ag-uh-nes. In the TV show Moonlighting (I was just a kid when it was on) there was a woman named Agnes Depesto. Bruce Willis always called her Miss Depesto but her boyfriend called her Agnes. That was my nickname growing up (Depesto).
Although I'd never personally use this name, I've really come to appreciate Agnes after reading the story behind it.
― Anonymous User 5/7/2007
1
I love this name. It's uncommon and strong and refined, and it would be terribly refreshing to see it on a little girl, instead of so many Taylors and Madisons and Ashleys.
My grandmother's name was Agnes and she hated it so much she had it changed to Nancy. And she was born in 1912 so it would say it has never been a particularly pretty name, even back then.
I'm an Agnes, so I'm quite sad to hear that some people don't like it. I've always been the only Agnes but a lot of Swedish girls are being named it now. Mixed feelings. I think Agnes is a lot prettier in Swedish, we say "ang-ness"
Agnes is a character in Charles Dickens' classic "David Copperfield." I associate the name with her character and love it. It's in my top 20. It's also the name of my father's aunt who died at 14. I love this name so much, it's so pretty.
I think it is a beautiful, stylish name. I like both the English and Polish form of this name. In Polish Agnes is Agnieszka pronounced like agh nyeh shkah. It has beautiful nicknames.
― Anonymous User 1/9/2007
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For a character, I could see it with the nickname Aggie. But I would never use it as a name for a real person.
Agnes is my maternal grandmother's name, and I am considering it for my daughter. If not for her first name, it will certainly be one of her middle names. I love the nickname Aggie, which my grandmother always used, and Nessie is nice also. I think Agnes is a beautiful, strong name.
Agnes is a lead character in Wilkie Collins' "The Haunted Hotel". Throughout the story she is praised for her beauty, innocence, and generosity. For some reason, reading that book, the name has left a rather sour impression with me.
Agnes was also a character in Charles Dickens' classic "David Copperfield." She was virtuous and kind woman who loved David her whole life and eventually marries him. I associate the name with her character and love it.
Agnes is a wonderful, wonderful name with a rich literary history! In addition to Anne Brontë's use of the name in "Agnes Grey," Victor Hugo also chose Agnes to be the birth name of the lovely La Esmeralda in his classic book, "The Hunchback of Notre-Dame." More recently, Annie Proulx chose the name Agnes for Quoyle's great aunt in her Pulitzer Prize winning novel, "The Shipping News."
I'm doing a book report on The Great Gilly Hopkins, Gilly's real name is Galadriel, but anyway. There is a character named Agnes Stokes, and I felt like putting this on.