Bland vs Fresh

Hubby and I both adore the name [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f] for our daughter due in september.

But we are afraid it is too old fashioned or bland…

but we also know vintage names are making a comeback. Is [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f] one of them, or should we move on to another name?

No way! [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f]/[name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f] is classic and one of those core names that never goes out of style. I think it’s a keeper!

I agree that it’s a classic, and not tied to any particular era. If you’re open to less common nicknames, that would certainly alleviate any issues with seeming generic or bland.

The only variation I can see as being called old is [name_f]Elspeth[/name_f]/[name_f]Elsbeth[/name_f] (both of which I like).

But the fact is [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f], or any variation, can’t be called bland. No. I actually prefer [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f], but I think there might be troubles with people wanting to spell her name with a Z.

[name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f] to me is classic and not dated. I do find the [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f] spelling a bit bland but this is overidden by the range of cool nicknames that come as part of the package.

[name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f] is definitely a classic that can’t go out of style. I, myself, prefer the [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] spelling but both names are lovely and more than usable. There are also tons of on-trend nicknames to go with it, such as [name_f]Ellie[/name_f], [name_f]Ella[/name_f], [name_f]Elle[/name_f], [name_f]Elisa[/name_f], [name_f]Lizzie[/name_f], [name_f]Beth[/name_f] - the list is pretty much endless.

If you check the rankings for [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f]/[name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f] over the last 100 years, you’ll notice that it has never gone out of style and therefore doesn’t need a comeback to be “in style”. The lowest [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] has ever ranked was #26 in 1945 and 1948. [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f] was lowest at #655 in 1946. It’s bland to me due to overuse in my area but if [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f] is The Name, don’t let my opinion stop you. It’s a classic that never goes away for a reason! If you love it and it isn’t bland to you, go for it.

[name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f] is well known and classic so I think it’s a keeper. If you want to freshen it up a bit, you can always look for a modern nickname. Maybe [name_f]Ellie[/name_f], [name_f]Elle[/name_f], or [name_f]Libby[/name_f]. [name_f]Hope[/name_f] that helps!

I agree. [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] is one of those rare names you don’t really think of in terms of being in or out of style because it’s been around and in consistent use since [name_m]King[/name_m] [name_m]Henry[/name_m]'s day. (Actually there were so many Elizabeths at the time that the masses had to keep hunting up increasingly creative nicknames in order to keep all these women straight.) It’s absolutely usable and will probably never go “out of style” in the way we usually conceive of it on Nameberry.

That’s the good news - however, you can’t really call it ‘fresh’ meaning ‘original’ or ‘unique.’ I work in a school system and [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] is every-freaking-where. It ranked # 14 last year with 9,492 births, and I’d bet good money that it’s going to become one of the next ‘rediscovered’ classics as [name_f]Olivia[/name_f] and [name_f]Emma[/name_f] wear out their welcome. So there’s a very high chance your daughter will meet multiple Elizabeths throughout her life. I don’t know how much that bothers you. I also don’t really care for the S substitution. I taught an [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f] last year and it took me over a month to stop misspelling her name because I just defaulted to Z.

That’s all just me griping, though; I find it bland simply because of overexposure. It’s a pretty, well-worn classic that no girl or woman ever need be ashamed of. Use it if it’s The Name for you.

It really depends on your naming sense. If you usually like traditional names, then [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f] is a perfect fit. For me personally, I find it bland, but it’s a respectable name with nothing bad to say about it. If you love it, go for it.

If you love it, go for it.

[name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f] will NEVER go out of style!

I find the name incredibly boring - but I am certainly out numbered by the other responses. It is a classic thats for sure and there are so many nickname options - my fave is [name_f]Libby[/name_f]. I think you will find people will naturally assume it is spelt with a z.

[name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f]/[name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] is a classic name. It’s sophisticated and has a fabulous strong namesake in [name_f]Queen[/name_f] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] I. I don’t think it’s bland at all. And it doesn’t seem old fashioned the way [name_f]Agnes[/name_f] say is (a.k.a an old lady name). If you’re worried about using [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] there are loads of nn’s or variants you could use instead. [name_f]Elspeth[/name_f], [name_f]Elise[/name_f], [name_f]Bess[/name_f], [name_f]Beth[/name_f], [name_f]Lisbeth[/name_f], [name_f]Eliza[/name_f] etc. I think if it’s a name you both like you should definitely go for it though!

I don’t think [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f] is old fashioned or vintage. “Timeless” describes it better, and it’s strong and feminine as well.

Bland? Maybe. It does lack some pizazz, which you could get with some of the variations that have been suggested – I particularly like [name_f]Elspeth[/name_f], [name_f]Lisbeth[/name_f], and [name_f]Eliza[/name_f]. But you can’t really go wrong with [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f].

I don’t think it’s too bland, but it’s not super fresh either. But it sure is lovely!

I agree with most of the other posters here. [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f] isn’t exactly fresh, but it’s not going out of style, either. Probably not ever. It’s like the little black dress: not the talk of the party, but not scorned by anyone either.

Personally, I wouldn’t use it because it’s so classic and so popular and I like names that are a little different. If you ever had another child, you’d probably want to use another classic name for him/her, too, to go with [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f]. But if this is your style, then [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f] is perfect for you!

Side note: she will probably spend a lot of time correcting people about the “s” in her name. Perhaps a little annoying for her, but if this is the spelling you love (I don’t know your reasons for choosing it), then don’t worry about that.

I think the [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f] spelling is beautiful, not dated at all. It might get confused with [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f], but that’s the only con I can think of.

[name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f]/[name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f] has been in style for hundreds of years, and I don’t see that changing any time soon. I wouldn’t call it bland. There are so many zippy nicknames you can use to spice it up! And the middle name you choose can make a huge difference.

I had the exact same thought. [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f] is timeless.