I was wondering how you ladies weigh certain names you like when the meaning of the name just doesn’t do it for you. For example, I’ve always thought a [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f] was lovely but it means “work” which is such a let down for such a beautiful name. I’ve taken it off our list of possibilities because name meaning is important to us. But I can’t help crushing on it every time I see it. [name_f]Do[/name_f] you keep names you like on your list no matter what or do you take them off when the meaning is not what you want?
If you like it that much, I think you should definitely consider keeping it on your list. Name meanings are important to you, but if you regret not using it every time you see it, that may be worse. I doubt anyone else who hears it is going to know what it means though, so it really is up to you and how you alone feel about it.
Also, you didn’t ask for this, but I don’t think the meaning of ‘work’ is bad at all. My mind went immediately to ‘being a hard worker’, ‘not afraid of work’, getting stuff done, basically, haha. I kinda like it.
For me, meaning isn’t so important - a good meaning is just a bonus - so personally I’d keep it on my list.
As for the meaning of [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f], I’ve also seen it listed as industrious and hardworking, which I think are pretty positive - but then it totally depends on what sort of meaning you want a name to have 
Perhaps using it as a middle or pairing it with a middle with a meaning that you love/or that gives it new meaning when their meanings are combined might help?
Meanings generally do not matter to me. I care much more about sound or personal meaning (such as family significance). For me, a nice meaning is a bonus rather than a requirement. Plus, I don’t think [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f]'s meaning is really that bad. “Work” seems like a fairly neutral meaning to me, no worse than [name_m]Xavier[/name_m]'s (“new house”). There are plenty of common names that have worse meanings. Take [name_u]James[/name_u] for example, which is usually said to mean “supplanter”… That’s hardly a positive meaning, yet there are still of plenty of people out there who love that name and use it.
Also, plenty of names have a meaning beyond their literal meaning e.g. they might be the name of an important religious figure or admired person, or a famous work of literature, etc. For example, if you hear the name [name_m]Romeo[/name_m] you’re probably more likely to think of [name_m]Shakespeare[/name_m]'s [name_m]Romeo[/name_m] and [name_f]Juliet[/name_f] rather than the literal meaning of that name.
A nice meaning for a name I like is just icing on the cake. I don’t care about meanings at all, and I definitely don’t let them dictate what names I can and can’t like. I worry more about sound, style, and my personal connotation of the name.
Regarding names in general, I have definitely been turned off from a name based on its meaning.
Regarding [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f] specifically, it means “Industrious and hardworking”, which I think are great traits. Also, a famous bearer of the name was [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f] Pankhurst, who was a famous suffragette.
I don’t think “work” counts as a terrible meaning. I think terrible meanings are more like
[name_f]Susanna[/name_f] (“full of tears”)
[name_f]Melanie[/name_f] (“black” as in melancholia “black gall”)
[name_f]Rebecca[/name_f] (“calf to be slaughtered”)
As you can see, even names with truly bad meanings can still become mightily popular.
I do love myself a name with a good, solid meaning. But for instance in the case of family names, personal significance is more important. If I were to pick a brand new name outside my family tree though, I’d def want to make sure it has at least an ok meaning. “Work” is such an ok meaning for me.
For me meanings are quite important, but they wouldn’t put me off a name. If it did then I probably didn’t like it all that much in the first place. A good meaning can make me love a name more, but a bad one doesn’t make it unusable. The only name where meaning really matters for me is my top girls’ name, because my dad gave me a first/middle with a combined meaning, and I want to pass that on. Otherwise I’m a lot more flexible, like my second favourite boys name has a bad meaning, but I love everything else about him too much to care. Meaning can come from more than the literal translation of a name.
As for [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f] specifically, I don’t think ‘work’ is a bad meaning at all, and there’s definitely a lot worse, although I don’t think that should prevent you using a name you love.
To me, meaning isn’t the most important, but I do consider it. I had [name_f]Zelda[/name_f] on my list for a long time, but the meaning made me uncomfortable, so now it’s on the back-up list. However, if a name I really, really loved had a bad meaning, I think the sound would be more important to me. Also, I wouldn’t choose a name just because I like the meaning.
Meanings totally do matter to me, so I feel your pain. There are MANY beautiful names that won’t go on my list due to their meaning.
I agree with a pp too, though, that my mind goes to a positive place when I hear the meaning “work.” Being a hard worker is a good thing!
My name is similar to [name_f]Emmaline[/name_f] and also means “work” or industrious. I’ve always liked the meaning. When I first read about the meaning of my name I thought, “well yes, I can get things done! I’m industrious!” It’s not a bad meaning at all. I think it’s a better meaning than something like “beautiful”…boring.
I personally don’t care for meanings at all.
I don’t know why anyone gets hung up on a name’s literal meaning. So few people know them and most etymologies tend to be unclear anyway and/or irrelevant out of their historical contexts. Focus on the other meanings the name could have, for example any personal meaning the name has to you or historical namesakes like [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f] Pankhurst.
I only take names of my list of they brave a truly negative or distasteful meaning. Simple meanings like “work” don’t bother me. If you really love the name so much, I think you should keep it.