My husband and I are considering naming a daughter after my maternal grandmother. Although her birth name is [name]Bertha[/name], her maiden name was [name]Davis[/name], and when she was in the army as a nurse (in WWII) she was called [name]Davey[/name]. [name]Davey[/name] has stuck ever since. We have found the name [name]Davina[/name], and we think that [name]Davey[/name] would be cute nickname for this. Besides honoring my grandmother, I think boys’ names on girls are cute–but I would be reluctant to use any boys’ name as a given name. This way, she would still have a feminine name and a cute nickname. What are your opinions on [name]Davina[/name]? Middle name is decided–[name]Faye[/name]. Thanks!
I love the sentiment behind the name, but I don’t like the name itself. There’s nothing wrong with it, and if you love it you should go for it. I just think there’s a lot of other pretty names out there, and you shouldn’t tie yourself to this one just to get the nickname [name]Davey[/name]. I also think you have plenty of other options for names that could still get you the nickname [name]Davey[/name], if you’re creative about it.
My vote would be [name]Daphne[/name]!
([name]Daphne[/name] [name]Faye[/name] is just adorable, and I think [name]Davey[/name] is a very natural nickname for [name]Daphne[/name]).
There’s also [name]Davida[/name], which I like better than [name]Davina[/name], but it’s not my favorite.
I think you could probably get away with any Da name, if you were willing to make the nickname a bit more of a stretch - [name]Daisy[/name], [name]Dahlia[/name], [name]Dana[/name] (though [name]Daphne[/name] is still my favorite) or the initials DV (though that would mean changing the middle name) - e.g. [name]Diana[/name] [name]Violet[/name], [name]Delilah[/name] [name]Vivienne[/name], or [name]Dorothy[/name] [name]Virginia[/name] (these names are obviously not as readily connected to the [name]Davey[/name] nickname, but it gives you more options to find a name that best matches your style).
I went to high school with a girl named [name]Davina[/name] - and b/c I had never heard the name before, I thought it was strange at the time. But now I think it’s a pretty name. [name]Davey[/name] would be a cute nn for it, too. Most people called the girl I knew just by [name]Davina[/name], but some others called her [name]Nina[/name].
Thanks for all of the suggestions! I wish I could like [name]Daphne[/name], but it’s all Scooby-Doo to me. 
Might you ever have more children, possibly a boy? If so, I would keep [name]Davis[/name] for his first name and call him [name]Davey[/name] - I think it is really cute! I want to like [name]Davina[/name], but there is something about the name, perhaps the Dav sound or the fact that it starts with a D - I generally don’t care for D names - that turns me off. [name]Davis[/name] would also be a cute middle name to still honor [name]Bertha[/name]…
Or, [name]Bertha[/name] means “bright,” and there are plenty of names that also mean bright that you could honor her with. [name]Phoebe[/name] is one of my favorites, and if you wanted to use [name]Davina[/name] as a middle name, [name]Phoebe[/name] [name]Davina[/name] is cute and interesting! [name]Meriel[/name] and [name]Sorcha[/name] also mean “bright,” and I thought you might like them…
i love it in your context!
i know a girl named divalyn(or something) and a girl with the middle name divalina, so i think it’s good.
Living in the UK, the only thing it makes me think of is the present [name]Davina[/name] McCall. I personally don’t like it, but it would be a good way to honour your grandmother.
Well, it’s better than [name]Bertha[/name].
No, I actually think the nickname [name]Davey[/name] is really cute–it reminds me of the [name]Judy[/name] [name]Blume[/name] book [name]Tiger[/name] Eyes, although I don’t remember whether “[name]Davey[/name]” was short for anything in that book. I’m not usually a fan of the tactic of choosing a full name you’re indifferent about to get the desired nickname, but I think the fact that you’re doing it to honor a family member more than justifies it.
I can appreciate your reasons, very much. But I do not think it is a name your daughter would appreciate having. It sounds very made up, with know “ooomph” or what have you… have you considered just naming her [name]Davi[/name]…or [name]Davy[/name] if you are set on this?
Or like someone mentioned, perhaps you’ll have a boy, [name]Davis[/name] is a wonderful name for a boy!
Well, I worked with a girl named [name]Davina[/name] and I thought her name was beautiful. It is actually on my long list. I think it is a great way to honour your grandmother! We called her [name]Davy[/name] (Dav rhyming w/Gav) and [name]Vina[/name]. But she actually went by [name]Davina[/name]. I can see the [name]Davey[/name] connection. Great pick!