Comments
Meaning
Usage
Pronunciation
Famous
Impression
Other
The name is pretty, but the child may get jokes about it if they ever read "Antigone" in school.
1
1
Pronunced "eez-MEEN" or "eez-MEE-nee" in English.
1
1
I've always heard it pronounced "iz-MAY-nee" which I think is the prettiest of all those mentioned.
8
8
One of my friends has a great-grandmother named this, although she spells it Ismini. She was born in Greece. At first I hated this name, since I read Antigone and found Ismene rather annoying. But meeting my friend's great-grandma helped me like it, since she really is knowledgeable (like the meaning) despite being over 100 years old.
4
4
It's a pretty name. I heard it in my Humanities class and fell in love with it.
BTW, I pronounce it "Iz-MUH-neh".
1
BTW, I pronounce it "Iz-MUH-neh".
1
The only jokes the girl will get on the name will be on the "is-meanie" pronunciation. How many children know about Greek mythology? I honestly didn't know of the incest association until I read these comments.
Having gotten that off my chest, it's kind of cute. Not beautiful or pretty, but cute. It isn't a favorite.
3
Having gotten that off my chest, it's kind of cute. Not beautiful or pretty, but cute. It isn't a favorite.
3
I don't like it. It reminds me too much of "is meanie". Antigone eclipses it entirely.
1
1
Ismene was the daughter of Esperanza and Estevan that got taken away from them in Guatemala in the book The Bean Trees, by Barbara Kingsolver.
1
1
Ugly. It sounds like "is mean", and it feels troublesome to have a name associated with a child of incest.
-2
-2
Say it with me, people:
iz-MANE-ee.
3
iz-MANE-ee.
3
My literature book (World Drama from Holt, Rinehart, and Winston) says it's pronounced is-MEN-ee. However, my teacher and all of the students say is-MEE-nee.
1
1
I've always heard this pronounced iz-MEE-nee.
1
1
Like other names attached to the story of Oedipus, I think this name shouldn't be passed on - it's legendary and immortal, and no child should have it. Yes, it's a beautiful name, but ... any child named Ismene (or Antigone) would be bugged throughout school about being the product of incest.
-8
-8
" any child named Ismene (or Antigone) would be bugged throughout school about being the product of incest."
You were reading Sophocles in grade school, eh? IMPRESSIVE.
5
You were reading Sophocles in grade school, eh? IMPRESSIVE.
5
I have really liked this name ever since I read "Antigone" in English class, although her character bugged me. I probably wouldn't use it on my child but it's pretty nevertheless.
5
5
The only person in Oedipus' family to survive the Oedipus Cycle.
4
4
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