So, I was on another forum today (one less name centered, but still a sub section for it) and I asked about these two names (two of my favourites). Normally I’m okay with getting a little negative feedback - not everyone has the same taste, of course, but people actually laughed at me and thought I was joking. Was kind of a shocker, in all honesty, and hurtful.
So, to my question, disregarding whether you personally like the names or not, are the names [name_f]Astrid[/name_f] and [name_f]Poppy[/name_f] useable in modern society?
[name_f]Astrid[/name_f] has so many wonderfully positive connotations in my life, and [name_f]Poppy[/name_f] just as many. I really would like to name my daughters them someday. But if they’re unusable, I don’t want to saddle my kids with names that would not be beneficial to them.
Well, I am located in the US so my answer might not be as useful. But in the general population… [name_f]Astrid[/name_f]-no and [name_f]Poppy[/name_f]-maybe. The thing is enough people have to use it for it t become acceptable. Anytime your child is “the only one I have heard of using that name…” it puts it in the category of potentially unusable. [name_f]Poppy[/name_f] [name_m]Montgomery[/name_m] is a celeb here (though not a major one) so that helps [name_f]Poppy[/name_f] gain a little ground.
I, personally, have a tendency to fight convention. We used [name_u]Wren[/name_u] in the middle for our daughter. I make no apologies for it though it seems strange to some. I would consider using an unconventional name (like [name_u]Bay[/name_u] for a girl) but it will always sound ridiculous to some people. One of the posters on this site is named [name_u]Navy[/name_u] and I think that is a stunning name. She has commented that she likes her name very much. But if you ran a poll asking if [name_u]Navy[/name_u] were a “usable” name you would probably get a lot of no’s.
So I think using an unusable name by the definition of some, is not akin to saddling them with a name that is not beneficial.
I live in [name_f]Canada[/name_f]. I knew an [name_f]Astrid[/name_f] growing up, and I grew to adore the name when I read “White Oleander” so it seems usable to me. I imagine it could lead to some teasing on the playground, but as to whether it’s usable in general, I think it is, especially in more culturally-diverse places.
I think [name_f]Poppy[/name_f] is usable too, although I’ve heard some criticisms of it sounding unfavourably like “papi” in Spanish-speaking places. I’m aware of [name_f]Poppy[/name_f] [name_m]Montgomery[/name_m] and I’ve seen a TV character named [name_f]Poppy[/name_f], and it just feels like a floral name to me, albeit one that hasn’t seen nearly as much use over the years as [name_f]Rose[/name_f], [name_f]Iris[/name_f], etc.
I think both are totally usable! [name_f]Poppy[/name_f] is a bit cutesy for me personally, but I still love it. I would use it as a nickname for [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] maybe.
I love [name_f]Astrid[/name_f]–gorgeous meaning, strong and a bit edgy. I think [name_f]Astrid[/name_f] would age better than [name_f]Poppy[/name_f] ([name_f]Poppy[/name_f] as a stand-alone name).
I’m not even sure what we’re talking about here… what were their criticisms? the “ass” sound in [name_f]Astrid[/name_f]? the closeness of [name_f]Poppy[/name_f] to “poopy”?? i only now thought of the latter as i just made that typo…
How on earth are they considered unusable!?!?! I know what you mean with name sites though - I was on one from the UK once, asking about hyphenated names, and was promptly sworn at and called quite a few names, learned my lesson
I’d also like to point out - while Poppy doesn’t rank in the US, and I can’t really check Australian stats, I know that Poppy Montgomery is from Australia, and, Astrid is 989th in the US, and has been in and out of the top 1000 in the past 10 years (and is a character in How To Train Your Dragon), and, in England and Wales, Poppy has been in the top 100 since 1998. Definitely usable.
I’d just remember that those who laugh at names that others honestly like (ok, something like Banana would get a chuckle out of me, but it’s a fun word to say) are just narrow minded and quite sad - they think that everyone should abide by THEIR style, not your own. I know it might be difficult, but try to just let it roll off your back - I still get worked up sometimes when names I like get laughed at (and trust me, they’re laughed at a lot more than Poppy or Astrid), but I’ve learned that you can’t let it get to you too much.
I am from the US, and I think both are usable. I adore [name_f]Astrid[/name_f] and while [name_f]Poppy[/name_f] is a little to nicknamey for my taste, though there’s nothing wrong with it, both could be used.
[name_f]Poppy[/name_f] is definitely useable. In the UK it is quite common and popular as a name at the moment. I don’t see why [name_f]Astrid[/name_f] wouldn’t be useable, there are plenty of less common and more unusual names out there that people would be fine with.
Neither are usable where I am. Where I am, when pronouncing [name_f]Astrid[/name_f], we put, or at least I put, more emphasis on the first two letters: AS-trid. Which in turn sounds like I’m cursing with a “trid” at the end. And [name_f]Poppy[/name_f], I think it’s cute, but I could never use it myself, being that I’ve been in several years of Spanish class. [name_f]Poppy[/name_f] reminds me of “Papi” which reminds me of a dad.
I am personally a big fan of both names, so I might be a bit biased. But [name_f]Poppy[/name_f] is a floral name, and not even a particularly unusual one, at that (I like [name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f], as well), and pretty much all floral names are on the table at this point. I find it no less usable than [name_f]Lily[/name_f] or [name_f]Daisy[/name_f].
[name_f]Astrid[/name_f] is definitely more out there, and true, the first syllable may be liable to teasing, but I think the popularity of the Dreamworks cinematic series [name_m]How[/name_m] To Train Your Dragon, featuring a female heroine [name_f]Astrid[/name_f], would make the name familiar enough to most youngsters.
[name_f]Poppy[/name_f] more so where I live as it’s a top 100 name but I think it is the sweetest name! [name_f]Astrid[/name_f] isn’t as mainstream but nonetheless a stunning name, and if Royals think it’s good enough then I think it’s perfectly acceptable.
[name_f]Astrid[/name_f] is a perfectly usable name. It is a very common female name here in Scandinavia and has been around for centuries. While it may be relatively new to the English-speaking world, it is a wonderful and solid name with a long history.
[name_f]Poppy[/name_f] does sound in my opinion more frilly and less professional but it could well serve as a darling middle name
I see them both as usable. [name_f]Astrid[/name_f] is a lovely Scandinavian name. [name_f]Poppy[/name_f] is not my style - a bit too cutesy for my taste - but that certainly doesn’t render it unusable. It seems the people on whichever forum you visited were pretty closed-minded.
Thanks for all of the advice everyone. I feel a little better (not completely - not all were positive). I’m probably going to have to rethink for a while now… sigh.
They’re both completely fine. [name_f]Poppy[/name_f] is currently ranked 52 in Australia - so it’s quite popular, and I think it’s very pretty. I know two grown-up Poppys. [name_f]Astrid[/name_f] is a classic, established name - I know 3 or 4 women with this name. I think you were probably just on a forum where people are about 15 years behind in naming trends…
