Augustine for a girl

Girl Names
1

We are considering the name [name_m]Augustine[/name_m] for a baby girl, [name_m]Augustine[/name_m] [name_f]Rose[/name_f] White. I know this is traditionally a boys name, (i.e. [name_m]Saint[/name_m] [name_m]Augustine[/name_m]) but I feel it has the same kind of feminine ring that [name_f]Christine[/name_f], [name_f]Celestine[/name_f], [name_f]Justine[/name_f], etc have. I have a unisex name ([name_u]Jordan[/name_u]) and on occasion I am assumed to be a boy/man, but it has never really caused much distress. However, [name_u]Jordan[/name_u] is a widely assumed unisex name, originally feminine not masculine, and pretty popular. [name_m]Augustine[/name_m] would be the opposite originally masculine and not common, so would it work feminine? I just don’t want our little girl to end up being like the girl Logans, Michaels, and Scotts. All are recent (boy) girl names I have encountered, and have felt bad for because I know that they will always face the assumption of being men (which does get old pretty fast especially junk mail to Mr. [name_u]Jordan[/name_u] White lol).

We thought of using it as a middle name instead [name_f]Rose[/name_f] [name_m]Augustine[/name_m] White, which would then eliminate the worry all together, but I really like [name_m]Augustine[/name_m] especially for a girl due in [name_u]August[/name_u].

[name_f]Rose[/name_f] is a long running family name for me so it will be included no matter what first name we decide or even second middle name.

So thoughts, [name_m]Augustine[/name_m] in the same realm as names like [name_u]Michael[/name_u], [name_m]Thomas[/name_m], [name_m]William[/name_m], or does it bring a feminine image to mind?

Thanks!

2

Yes, this.

I’d do Augusta Rose or Rose Augusta/Augustine if you really want to use it.

3

Have you considered [name_f]Augustina[/name_f]? Or even [name_f]Augusta[/name_f]? I think [name_f]Augustina[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f] is lovely, and has a lot of the sound of [name_m]Augustine[/name_m]. I’ve also come across girl Augusts, which I think works pretty well, too, because it’s a month name. It has masculine origins, but it seems less bad to me, somehow. I don’t know, with [name_m]Augustine[/name_m], St. [name_m]Augustine[/name_m] is a pretty strong association. I’m not Catholic, and I’m still pretty familiar with him. There’s even a town in [name_f]Florida[/name_f] named after him, I think, and the idea of [name_m]Augustine[/name_m] on a girl seems pretty jarring. [name_u]True[/name_u], it does have the -ine ending that girls usually have ([name_f]Seraphine[/name_f], [name_f]Josephine[/name_f], [name_f]Madeline[/name_f], [name_f]Catherine[/name_f], [name_f]Madeleine[/name_f], [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f], [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f], [name_f]Christine[/name_f], etc.), but there are some masculine versions, as well ([name_u]Valentine[/name_u] has quite a lot of masculine usage, for example), and just because [name_m]Joshua[/name_m], [name_m]Ezra[/name_m], and [name_u]Luca[/name_u] end in an “A” doesn’t make them girls’ names, either. I would advise against it (I had a unisex name, too, and while I didn’t catch any flack for it, I feel it’s confused my association with my gender–at heart, I am quite girly, but I feel like I shouldn’t be, because I have the same name as my uncle. And I can’t seem to get over that.). I mean, [name_u]Jordan[/name_u]'s unisex. So is [name_u]Ashley[/name_u]. So that’s one thing. But [name_m]Augustine[/name_m] is full and out male, and I think that’s another issue altogether. While gender lines are more fluid, I’m just not sure I’d do that to my child these days, and I’m not sure there’s a great [name_m]Augustine[/name_m] nn that sounds feminine enough to overcome it? I think Auggie and [name_u]Gussie[/name_u] are kind of cute for [name_f]Augusta[/name_f]/[name_f]Augustina[/name_f], but those are feminine variations, so I feel like they can get away with a more masculine nn (sort of like [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] nn [name_m]Lenny[/name_m]/[name_f]Leni[/name_f], or [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] nn [name_u]Charlie[/name_u], or [name_f]Samantha[/name_f] nn [name_u]Sam[/name_u]…).

Sorry if this wasn’t what you wanted to hear. I think [name_f]Augustina[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f] White would be absolutely gorgeous, though, and an [name_f]Augustina[/name_f] in [name_u]August[/name_u] is pretty fun. :slight_smile:

4

It’s like naming a little girl [name_u]Michael[/name_u].

[name_f]Augustina[/name_f] and [name_f]Augusta[/name_f] are feminine options, or simply [name_u]August[/name_u].

5

[name_m]Even[/name_m] though I see the appeal ([name_m]Augustine[/name_m] does remind me of [name_f]Justine[/name_f], [name_f]Christine[/name_f], etc like you mentioned) I wouldn’t do it simply because it isn’t a unisex name. It was the name of a fairly well known male saint and therefore ingrained as masculine in most people’s minds.

Like the others, I think [name_u]August[/name_u], [name_f]Augusta[/name_f], or even [name_f]Augustina[/name_f] are all good options. Good luck!

6

[name_m]Augustine[/name_m] is a feminine name in [name_m]French[/name_m] and [name_m]German[/name_m].

7

Oh, by the way, I found this thread about the same topic very interesting: Nameberry - Welcome to the Nameberry Forums

Apparently more people view it as feminine than I thought!

8

I love [name_m]Augustine[/name_m]! I’ve always felt is was more of a girls name, so I think it will work. However you could also use [name_f]Augustina[/name_f].

9

Thanks for the replies, my family is way too dramatic and opinionated to even bring up name ideas!

I already thought of both the Catholic association, and my grandparents live in St. [name_m]Augustine[/name_m] FL but I guess I just thought it sounded girly despite these things. I think we will scrap it all together. We have 8 more months to decide and other names we like just as much like [name_f]Lavinia[/name_f]:slight_smile:

Thanks again!!

10

I went with the french -ine as feminine too. That is why I think in my head it sounds so feminine, even being an Italophile it seems so feminine to me. Thanks for making me feel less crazy! lol.

11

It actually is a unisex name. [name_m]Augustine[/name_m] is the [name_m]German[/name_m] (and [name_m]French[/name_m]) feminine form of Augustinus (Meaning, origin and history of the name Augustine (2) - Behind the Name).

12

[name_m]Just[/name_m] talked to the husband about it he loves the name none the less even if people associate it with a boy because it is feminine in [name_m]German[/name_m]. We are also thinking of maybe hyphenating it, [name_m]Augustine[/name_m]-[name_f]Rose[/name_f]. I think it is the first name we have both loved. So it is staying on the top of our list. Thanks for continuing to help us!

13

When I first heard this name I thought it was super-feminine, so I think it could potentially work, but I STRONGLY prefer [name_f]Augusta[/name_f].

14

I think it could work. It’s not a terribly common name, and it would fit in with many “feminine” names.

15

I don’t like any ‘[name_u]August[/name_u]’ names very much, but at the same time, it’s rare enough that people might not know it’s not a male name.

16

It’s too harsh for a girl. [name_f]Augusta[/name_f] is beautiful.

17

[name_m]Augustine[/name_m] is simply the [name_m]French[/name_m] Fem. form of the name…no gender issue at all. It’s lovely!

18

I think this name is extremely masculine. [name_m]Even[/name_m] with an -ine ending (like [name_f]Christine[/name_f]) I find this name to be so firmly in the “male” category, I would not suggest saddling a daughter with this name. Try [name_f]Augusta[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f] instead (which is quite stunning). [name_m]Even[/name_m] [name_u]August[/name_u], to me, is firmly a male’s name.

Unless you have some overwhelmingly strong ties to this name (which from what you posted, I don’t see), I’d either look for my feminine alternatives or select a different name. I really hate [name_m]Augustine[/name_m] on a girl

19

[name_m]Augustine[/name_m] (and -ine ending names) sounds very feminine to me.

20

I think it can work, but I really love the idea of [name_f]Augustina[/name_f]. I love names with the “een” sound too. I think [name_f]Augustina[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f] flows better than [name_m]Augustine[/name_m] [name_f]Rose[/name_f], but that is just my opinion.