I swore I would never discuss specific names with my mom. But I broke my own rule and mentioned [name]Emerald[/name], since I knew she would love it. (She did.) I told her I planned to use it as a middle if we ever had a girl. She asked what the first name might be and I said, “That’s classified.” I told her it’d be a secret until the hypothetical baby was born someday.
She replied - I s**t you not - “Well. Okay. As long as it’s not [name]Elizabeth[/name].”
[name]Silence[/name].
[name]Long[/name] story short, there is one name my mother hates, and it’s the one we picked out. “It doesn’t matter. It’s your imaginary baby,” she said. But man… It just casts a negative pall over the name. She also is made very uncomfortable by the nn [name]Betty[/name] since its her birth mother’s name and there’s bad mojo there.
I just feel all bad about [name]Elizabeth[/name] now. I don’t want to.
I need opinions. Is [name]Emerald[/name] too insane for a first name? I think I might be able to get DH on board. He likes it.
Would you use [name]Elizabeth[/name] anyway? I love [name]Elizabeth[/name] but not madly insane for it. I’m not gonna die if I can’t use it.
I’m gonna post some of my other name likes in a separate thread.
Well I love [name]Emerald[/name]. Its uncommon but not hard to explain, [name]IMO[/name], and very pretty, and [name]Emmy[/name] is an accessible nickname if she ever wants to fly under the radar.
Is [name]Esmeralda[/name]/[name]Esmerelda[/name] used as a saint’s name at all? (sorry for the ignorant question) It means “emerald.” It was just a thought in passing.
If you don’t love [name]Elizabeth[/name] I don’t think I’d use it with all that baggage in your family. If you LOVED it I’d say ride it out but if its only a pretty name you like, I personally would look for another.
I think [name]Emerald[/name] is cute and, if you, your husband, your mum, etc love it, then go for it!
I personally adore [name]Elizabeth[/name] and will definitely use as a middle name for my future daughter (husband doesn’t like it so it’s been ruled out as a first name, unfortunately). If your mum hates it, and her reasons seem legit given it was her mum’s name, then I’d avoid, especially as you said it wouldn’t kill you to not use the name.
[name]Do[/name] you have any ideas for middles for [name]Emerald[/name]?
I’d say with [name]Emerald[/name] I would want to do something churchy or Catholic or Biblical in some way. Probably. Unless I’m just blown away by something else.
As for [name]Emerald[/name] as a first name, I’m fine with people saying “ooh how unusual and pretty!” But I’d like to avoid “Eww WTF?” Uncommon yet elegant and pretty = good. Weird and trashy = not good.
I posted another thread with names I like right now. The main two I’m thinking of are [name]Eve[/name] and [name]Claire[/name]. [name]Claire[/name] is a new like for me. Is it overused?
I’d use [name]Emerald[/name]! It’s so pretty! I know sisters named [name]Emerald[/name] and [name]Magenta[/name], [name]Emmy[/name] and [name]Maggie[/name], I think they are cute, matchy but cute!
I think [name]Elizabeth[/name] is overdone, classic and pretty, but boring. And if your mum has real reasons why she doesn’t like [name]Elizabeth[/name] then I would listen to her. If it was just that she didn’t like it, it would be a different story, but that’s just my opinion.
This is what happens when you break your own rules!
I don’t really know what to tell you. It’s hard when someone you care about brings the hammer down on a name you love. I wouldn’t give up on [name]Elizabeth[/name] just yet. You have time. Your mom might come around to it or feel differently when she meets her little grand-baby [name]Betty[/name].
I dislike [name]Emerald[/name], so take my opinion with a grain of salt, but I don’t think it’s a usable first name. I like [name]Ruby[/name], [name]Opal[/name] and [name]Garnet[/name] (sort-of), but any other jewel name seems garish to me (and don’t get me started on [name]Jewel[/name]!). Sorry! I’m sure I’m in the minority, especially on NB.
Anyway. [name]Don[/name]'t freak out! There’s many a slip twixt cup and lip. Which is probably the wrong way to say, you never know how things will change between now and when your “imaginary baby” is actually born!
[name]EDIT[/name]: [name]Just[/name] saw the suggestion of [name]Esmerelda[/name]. I think that’s nice!
I understand you wanting to avoid choosing a trashy name since gemstone names can be perceived that way ([name]Diamond[/name], [name]Sapphire[/name]…). However, I think [name]Emerald[/name] is charming and cute. It’s actually made it onto my long list and, even though I’ll probably never use it, I’d love to see someone else name their little one [name]Emerald[/name]! The name actually makes me think of The [name]Wizard[/name] of [name]Oz[/name]!
I just wanted to clarify that although [name]Emerald[/name] isn’t my cup of tea, I wouldn’t put it in the “Ewww, WTF?!” camp. [name]Sapphire[/name], on the other hand…
It’s beautiful, I’d be thrilled to meet a little [name]Emerald[/name]. And you were obviously not that attached to [name]Elizabeth[/name], so I think it’s a good idea to find something else for a middle for the little lady!
That’s too bad about [name]Elizabeth[/name], and I can see why you don’t want to use it. I know of an [name]Emerald[/name], nn [name]Emma[/name], which is cute.
As others have said, I would steer clear of [name]Elizabeth[/name]. If it was just that your mom didn’t care for it, I’d say use it anyway, but since [name]Betty[/name] is her birth mother’s name and there are issues there, it seems insensitive to use it. It’s a shame because [name]Elizabeth[/name] is a wonderful name.
Have you thought about a variation of [name]Elizabeth[/name]? [name]Eliska[/name] is one I just heard for the first time a few weeks ago and I love it.
I’m not a fan of [name]Emerald[/name] as a first name. I don’t think it’s trashy or on the same level as a name like [name]Diamond[/name] though. I would totally use it as a middle name. I’m just not a fan of it as a first name.
I love [name]Emerald[/name] [name]Eve[/name]! So pretty, and you still have the EE initials that you would have had with [name]Elizabeth[/name]!
In my opinion [name]Elizabeth[/name] is very overused and outdated. Emeralds are my favourite gemstone and are very special to me and my family so I would love to use it as a first name. As others have said, the nicknames [name]Emmy[/name] and [name]Emma[/name] are lovely. Also, [name]Eve[/name] is very biblical, as you wanted, so I think that it’s the perfect combination!
Was [name]Elizabeth[/name] her birth mother’s name, or just [name]Betty[/name]? If it was just [name]Betty[/name] and she just doesn’t like [name]Elizabeth[/name], [name]Elizabeth[/name] could still be usable if you went a different nn route, like [name]Libby[/name] or [name]Eliza[/name].
I think [name]Emerald[/name] could be used as a first name just fine. It is NMS, but I also wouldn’t have the WTF reaction either. Plus it does have cute nn potential as mentioned. You could even nn [name]Emery[/name].
[name]Emerald[/name] is awesome (it’s one of those ones that grows on you). However, I do love a previous suggestion of [name]Esmeralda[/name] - it makes me think of ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’ and beautiful Parisian cobbled streets (although I know most of them aren’t…), as well as the ballet and the opera ‘La [name]Esmeralda[/name]’. Other saints’ name options (mostly probably for middle name!) could be Emmelia/[name]Emiliana[/name], [name]Edana[/name], Elfleda, [name]Ermelinda[/name], [name]Elined[/name], Eurosia, [name]Eulalia[/name] and Everild, if you wanted to stick with the ‘E’ theme. Good luck!
I think [name]Emerald[/name] nickname [name]Emmy[/name] would be adorable. Especially if you had a one syllable middle ([name]Jane[/name], [name]May[/name], [name]Grace[/name], etc.) so she could be [name]Emmy[/name]-[name]Jane[/name], [name]Emmy[/name]-[name]May[/name], [name]Emmy[/name]-[name]Grace[/name]. I think those nicknames are so cute! I think it would be weird for your mom and I think the reason she is giving is more than a simple “i don’t like it” - there’s a history there. I would avoid it…
I have an irrational hatred towards the name [name]Elizabeth[/name]. It just makes me think “overly religious, frilly, Puritanical, boring” And I equally hate all it’s variations and nicknames ([name]Betsy[/name], [name]Lizzy[/name], [name]Liz[/name], [name]Beth[/name], [name]Eliza[/name], [name]Betty[/name]) I don’t know why, maybe because of all the hateful, bratty girls I’ve known in my life named [name]Elizabeth[/name].
But, I [name]LOVE[/name] [name]Emerald[/name]! I’ve considered it myself and it always seems to sneak back on my list somehow. It’s unusual and evocative, but people recognize it. Definitely consider [name]Emerald[/name] as a first name!
I would love to meet a little [name]Emerald[/name], possible nn [name]Emmy[/name]!! I honestly think with todays naming climate, an [name]Emerald[/name] would fit in better with her peers than an [name]Elizabeth[/name] would! I would consider [name]Emerald[/name] one of the least trashy gemstoney type names too, (compared to [name]Sapphire[/name]/[name]Sapphira[/name], [name]Diamond[/name], [name]Crystal[/name], etc) so if you are going to use a gem, that’s the one to use!