I named my baby girl Kestrel and I love it so much. Kess/Kessie are great nicknames that some of her friends and extended family use. It's a name that has feminine energy but also has an inherent strength and grit that I'm such a fan of.
Quite honestly, I think Kestrel is a beautiful name. I can't believe so many people dislike it. It is my girlfriend's name, so that may make me a little biased, but even before I met her I thought it was beautiful. I can't believe that so many people think it's ugly! I saw one comment on here listing other bird names that you would never name someone, but tell me, have you never heard of the name Robin? Is Peregrine not a lovely name? There are many bird names out there that perfectly suit humans. Saying otherwise is like saying that a girl shouldn't be called Rose, or Willow, or Violet because they are the names of plants and you would never call your child Toadflax, Borage or Pimpernel. That is just silly. Thank you for coming to my TED talk.
I actually like this name as a male name. One of my guy characters is name Kestrel, so I think it's a pretty unisex appellation.
― Anonymous User 11/8/2016
7
Kestrel is such a beautiful name. *o* I'm surprised so many people on here don't like this name!
― Anonymous User 10/20/2015
8
This is my chosen name, and I love it; I'm surprised people think it's ugly as it soars off my tongue perfectly every time I say it! It can be a bit of a mouthful, so I go by Sketch (my nickname for years works, phonetically speaking, as a nickname) and Kel (first and last letters).
I actually prefer this name for a boy and love it there. It's sort of similar in sound to Cassius - another favorite of mine - but with the same sort of imagery I get from Peregrine. But I also love Kester for a boy, which I think could easily be used as a nickname for Kestrel :)
I really love this name. I would seriously consider it for my daughter, if (and hopefully when) I ever have one. I can't quite explain why I like it so much, it just make me smile when I say it or read it. Plus it's unique, but not stupid. Kestrel, to me, is simply beautiful.
Personally, I think the Old French root of this name, Crecelle, would make a better given name! Kestrel is rather harsh.
― Anonymous User 12/27/2009
-4
Kestrel sounds weird on a person. Most bird names don't work as human names. Would you name your kid Pigeon, Ostrich, or Flamingo? Certainly not, I hope!
A very ugly name. I guess it's the combo of s, t, and r following each other, but this just doesn't sound pleasant. And it ends in an 'l'! Too many consonants and all.