[name_u]Day[/name_u] One
[name_u]March[/name_u] 12, 2021
[name_f]Maud[/name_f]
Meaning: “battle-mighty”
current popularity: was last in the US top 1000 in 1950
color according to [name_f]Annabel[/name_f]: mauve (ha!)
When I was walking the dog with my sister [name_f]Mae[/name_f] (always a great way to start a story), and I told her about my idea to start a name of the day thread. Now, I know I got lucky, but [name_f]Mae[/name_f], while not being a complete and total name-nerd, will talk to me for a while about names before getting bored. She’s fairly open minded when I ask her about unusual names. But when I told her that my first name of the day was going to be [name_f]Maud[/name_f], she made a face. It might just be me, but I think [name_f]Maud[/name_f] is a pretty polarizing name. Not on the levels of [name_u]Greer[/name_u] (personally, not a fan), but close.
To be honest, it took me a while to warm up to [name_f]Maud[/name_f]. I always had an aversion to so-called ‘old lady names’, until I discovered [name_f]Lois[/name_f] (now that’s a story for another time!). Now, especially after reading the Nameberry blog posts and recently joining the forums community, I’ve started to really like most of them. But even after I warmed up to [name_f]Esther[/name_f] and [name_f]Edith[/name_f] and the like, I couldn’t get behind [name_f]Maud[/name_f].
The final thing that changed my mind was reading the book ‘The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland’, by Catherynne M. Valente. [name_f]My[/name_f] little sister is very into fractured fariytales, so I took it from her bookshelf one day when I was bored. It’s a great book, and I went on to read the rest of the books in the series. I highly recommend it to any fantasy fans! And name-nerds too! (the main character is named [name_u]September[/name_u]. Need I say more?) [name_f]My[/name_f] favorite part about the story was by far the antagonist, who happened to be named [name_f]Maud[/name_f]. Without spoiling the plot, I can safely say that her story was so powerful, sad, and moving that I was crying by the time I closed the book. And I never cry at the end of books or movies.
So, anyway, because of [name_f]Maud[/name_f] in the Fairyland series, the image of the name [name_f]Maud[/name_f] was changed in my head from kind of weak and floppy to strong and powerful. Also, the color of the name to me, which is mauve, very fittingly, was a color I didn’t originally like, but is now growing on me. I actually really like the name [name_f]Maud[/name_f] now! It’s not an absolute favorite, but it’s getting up there. I think it would be so, so sweet on a little girl. [name_f]My[/name_f] guess is it’s definitely going to make a comeback soon!
To me, Maud is going on adventures and finding things you lost a long time ago. It’s walking along beaches by yourself and making new friends. It’s being brave, and getting back up again when you’ve been hurt. Maud is a journey that is long and hard, but leaves you a different and better person than when you started.
So that was my first name-of-the-day post! They’re probably not all going to be this long, but hey, I was having fun! I hope you all like this. Please, leave feedback about things you would like me to include or take out of these posts. I’m planning on doing this for a while. Alright, I have to go, but I’ll leave you with a quote and a question. Have a great day, everyone!
Question of the day: [name_f]Do[/name_f] you think [name_f]Maud[/name_f] is a very polarizing name? And what are some very polarizing names you can think of?
“I have read quite as many stories as you, [name_u]September[/name_u]. More, no doubt. And I know a secret that you do not: I am not the villan.” - [name_f]Maud[/name_f], from the Fairyland Series by Catherynne M. Valente
) I’ll post about a name. I’ll include meaning if I can find it, checking on Nameberry first and Behind the Name if I can’t find one or there’s something unclear. I’m mostly going to include my own opinions of the name, what it makes me think of, and other stuff. I’ll probably end with an open-ended question.
You write so warmly and humorously!
) but it’s the AW vowel sound I just can’t quite get past. But I do admire its style and think it’s a very classy choice.
Well done for sticking with it! Yes, I agree that [name_f]Maud[/name_f] is polarising between and within people! Like your sister, I used to make a face at the idea of it being used, but now I like it quite a lot, and I may well be on the way to loving it. The turning point for me was hearing an American [name_u]Berry[/name_u] say it in a lovely lilting voice. [name_f]Maud[/name_f] in my [name_f]English[/name_f] accent sounds a whole lot more blunt!
Bye!!! 
Have a great day!