Looking up some more name options and I remembered the name Dahl (pronounced almost the same as [name_m]Doll[/name_m]). Does Dahl work as a middle name, more specifically does [name_f]Elowen[/name_f] Dahl work?
I really love the idea of Dahl as a middle name despite it being a bit unusual because I love the [name_m]Roald[/name_m] Dahl reference as he was and is one of my absolute favorite authors. He always inspired my creativity as an illustrator and as a child his work really helped me through a lot of my tough times. His work was honestly the next best thing to magic as a child.
I also really like the idea of [name_u]Edi[/name_u] (EE-dee) as a nickname from the initials E.D. I know Dahl is a strange middle name, but is it too weird?
I actually really like [name_f]Elowen[/name_f] Dahl! I wasn’t sure what to expect when I saw the title of this thread. I thought you were asking about Dahl as a first name, to which I say no. But I love the meaning behind it. [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] and The BFG are two of my favorites
[name_f]Matilda[/name_f] is a wonderful book and movie! The BFG and The Witches are my other top two favorites I’m a huge book nerd (I own over 2,000 hard copies of books, it’s an obsession! ) so I always look for literary names (authors, characters, places, etc) and this one just popped up!
I agree, Dahl to me isn’t a substantial first name and it too cute-sy to me. I think for a middle it’s fun, a little quirky, but not completely outlandish. I know middles can be virtually anything but I don’t want to go too out there
I think it works as a middle name, especially with a longer first name like [name_f]Elowen[/name_f] :).
I have to say though, after thinking of [name_m]Roald[/name_m] Dahl, the second thing that came to mind was a common [name_f]Indian[/name_f] dish which is pronounced the same way: Dal - Wikipedia . Shouldn’t be a problem if it’s a middle, though.
Huh, I’ve never heard of that before. Honestly I think unless we lived in an area populated by a lot of [name_f]Indian[/name_f] cuisine it wouldn’t even be something people really thought about. I’m guessing there would be more “doll” references than anything else. Food references aren’t so bad anyway, people name their kids food related names all of the time. I am interested to try this [name_f]Indian[/name_f] cuisine though! I’ve never even had [name_f]Indian[/name_f] food… o-o
It sounds nice, but Dahl is also a lentil dish (although I’m not sure if they’re spelled in the same way). Although the literary tribute is great, the food is not quite as fantastic. Maybe something like [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] to honour the author instead?
[name_f]Matilda[/name_f] is okay and I like it, but I don’t think I actually like it enough to use it. I really love the character and story but the name itself, outside of the book, just doesn’t speak to me as much if that makes sense? I’ve tried to make myself adore it but I just can’t seem to really fall in love.
I’m not familiar with the food (no one in my family would be either) so I don’t really think the food association would be a big deal where I live. I think a previous poster said the dish was spelled [name_m]Dal[/name_m]? Plus there’s [name_m]Doll[/name_m], so the name sort of brings the childs toy up before anything else (not that I really mind that one way or another). I’ve looked at a few lists of [name_m]Roald[/name_m] Dahl character names but nothing really struck me quite as much as his last name. I am curious to try the dish now though just to see how I like it!
Oh that’s so interesting that you know people with that name. I’ve had a hard time finding it as a name for anyone or used outside of the author. With them being men I can see why it’s masculine to you Dahl sounds like [name_m]Doll[/name_m] to me so I find it pretty feminine. In another literary form it was used for a woman so it sort of reinforced the feminine point for me. I think gender wise it doesn’t have a strong feel unless you have prior experiences with it. Probably because it’s just so uncommon.
No need to apologize! Everyone has an opinion the “doll” sound makes it sound feminine to me but I don’t really mind masculine girl names/feminine boy names either.
I think [name_f]Elowen[/name_f] Dahl works… I don’t love it, personally, but it works. [name_m]How[/name_m] do you feel about [name_f]Dahlia[/name_f]? Dahl is still definitely in there, there is no mistaking it for masculine, there’s no food with the same name, just a flower
[name_f]Elowen[/name_f] [name_f]Dahlia[/name_f] is very striking and lovely to me.
I [name_f]ADORE[/name_f] the nn [name_f]Edie[/name_f]! I used to have [name_f]Evadne[/name_f] nn [name_f]Edie[/name_f] on my list.
I don’t think it’s too weird at all as a middle name. I wouldn’t even blink at it. I’d probably assume it was a family name, though the [name_m]Roald[/name_m] Dahl reference is sweet. And I loooooove the [name_f]Indian[/name_f] dish tarka dahl (dal? I forget the spelling), but if I saw Dahl as a middle name that connection wouldn’t cross my mind.
Since it’s a surname, I don’t think it’s too masculine for a girl’s middle name. (I’d have some concerns if you were considering using it as a first name for either gender.) I really like [name_f]Dahlia[/name_f] too, as suggested above, but Dahl on its own doesn’t trouble me at all.
[name_f]Elowen[/name_f] Dahl totally works (I think it’s lovely actually!), and I think [name_f]Edie[/name_f] as its nickname works too.
I’ve considered [name_f]Dahlia[/name_f] (it was my “name” in my Spanish class and I fell in love!) My concern with [name_f]Dahlia[/name_f] is that I’m big on crime research and in the US the big connection is the [name_m]Black[/name_m] [name_f]Dahlia[/name_f] Murder. Which I think is a bit worse than a food connection, but I’m not sure if that ruins the name for me or if everyone outside of my circle will get the connection.
I’ve never had [name_f]Indian[/name_f] food before but there’s a place a few minutes from my house, if they have dal I absolutely have to try it!
I definitely wouldn’t use Dahl as a first name, it’s too cute-sy for me sound wise and just isn’t necessarily my style for a first name. I love [name_f]Dahlia[/name_f] but since I’m really into crime (research, not the act itself! XD) and cold cases my first thought is The [name_m]Black[/name_m] [name_f]Dahlia[/name_f]. I’m not sure how big that connection is to others in the US but it’s the first thing I think of. I find the case fascinating but it’s horribly gruesome. I could potentially look past it but I’m not sure how well others could.
[name_f]Elowen[/name_f] and [name_f]Dahlia[/name_f] are both 3 syllables (the way I pronounce them) and our last name is as well it just seems so…long! Both combos have a nice ring to me, I’ll have to mull them over
I think that Dahl as a middle totally works. From the title of your thread, I wondered if you were referencing [name_m]Roald[/name_m], because that was my immediate thought when I saw Dahl. Sounds like a perfect choice!
I’m a huge book nerd (I own over 2,000 hard copies of books, it’s an obsession! ) so I always look for literary names (authors, characters, places, etc) and this one just popped up!