What did/would you do if you love a really outrageous but beautiful name? Would you use it regardless of what others may think or say behind your back? Would you use it even if there’s a chance your baby will hate their name or have a hard time carrying it?
I’m struggling with the name [name]Calypso[/name]. I obviously adore it. It is full of deep significance to me personally, but as much as I love it, I am afraid of it.
[name]Do[/name] I go against my artistic/exotic Bohemian style and use a more common/acceptable first name (like [name]Sophia[/name]), and save [name]Calypso[/name] for the middle? I must say that I love [name]Sophia[/name] [name]Calypso[/name], but she will be known as [name]Sophia[/name], not [name]Sophia[/name] [name]Calypso[/name] very sad face
Or do I say so what if my family and friends hate [name]Calypso[/name]? But what the baby grows to resent me for it?
We also like but don’t love:
[name]Sasha[/name] - I’m concerned [name]Sasha[/name] is a bit mediocre
[name]Chiara[/name] - DH will only spell [name]Chiara[/name] with a K, and that makes it lose it’s cool charm imo.
[name]Sophia[/name] - beautiful, but too expected and ordinary.
[name]Lilou[/name] - DH thinks it sounds too “ditsy”.
[name]Willa[/name] - I love this so much but it reminds DH of [name]Wilma[/name] Flinstone
Her big sister’s name is Éva [name]Natalia[/name] (EY-va). While I love her name, I despise meeting other little [name]Ava[/name]'s all the time. I really would like to avoid a common name this time around.
Yes, yes & yes I did. [name]Arrow[/name] for my girl.
[name]Calypso[/name] could work with nickname [name]Caly[/name].
My new neighbor does in home massages & calls her business [name]Calypso[/name]. The only reason I had already heard of that before was from nameberry.
[name]Do[/name] what you love. [name]IMO[/name]. I like to think I take risks when naming and have had complete strangers go out of their way to walk over and compliment my sons’ names. A lot of my friends and family gave me the crazy eye when I told them [name]Pilot[/name]'s name but they would all agree that it fits him perfectly. I regret not giving [name]Dexter[/name] an equally unusual name but my husband chose it.
I think if you love [name]Calypso[/name], than you should name her [name]Calypso[/name].
[name]Calypso[/name] is daring, but has [name]Caly[/name] or [name]Calla[/name] in there which I think she could go by if she dislikes having such a stand-out name when she’s older.
[name]Calypso[/name] is not my style, yet I wouldn’t dislike being named [name]Calypso[/name]. I think you should absolutely put the name that you love in the first name spot as long as it isn’t one that sets her up for ridicule & confusion. [name]Calypso[/name] is easily pronounced, familiar, pleasant sounding, ect…
I know what you mean about preparing yourself for the comments or the ones you know are happening behind your back. When I was pregnant and brought up the name [name]Leonie[/name] my family HATED it, now they deny that I ever mentioned it and they absolutely adore it. I think critics will always find something to criticize, so use what you & you partner love!
I know a baby [name]Calypso[/name]! My first association was with [name]Calypso[/name] music and dolphins and turquoise blue… and I thought it was a bit much. Then I listened to Sir [name]Ian[/name] McKellan read the Odyssey on tape, and realized it’s the name of the temptress nymph who keeps [name]Odysseus[/name] spellbound on her island… and I thought, “what a cool, literary name!” Seriously, every name sounds good when Sir [name]Ian[/name] says it.
Only other name that really grabs me from your list is [name]Lilou[/name]. So French and sexy. She could always go by Li in situations where she felt [name]Lilou[/name] was too playful. [name]Do[/name] you like [name]Callie[/name]? Because that’s the inevitable nickname with [name]Calypso[/name]. Personally I like [name]Lilou[/name] more than [name]Callie[/name]. I guess you could do [name]Sosie[/name]. [name]Chiara[/name] spelled Khiara gives me the heebie-jeebies. [name]Sophia[/name] is the most popular name for a girl, but if you love it…
Give her a normal middle name she can use in case she hates her first name. [name]Calypso[/name] [name]Sophia[/name] sounds beautiful. I actually know a little [name]Calypso[/name], and that’s what her parents did. She suits her name perfectly, and everyone who meets her compliments her parents on her name.
My boyfriend and I have a list of some quite unusual names we want to use on [name]Baby[/name], but we’ll combine it with something more normal for her/his sake.
I think a nick-name goes a long way in softening the initial impressions. I know what you mean about being concerned about how the name you love will go over and my husband and I are almost positive now that if baby is a girl, she will be [name]November[/name]. Like [name]Calypso[/name] ([name]Caly[/name], [name]Calla[/name]), she has usable nickname possibilities (Novi, [name]Nova[/name]), so if we have any concern about certain people being less receptive we will say “This is [name]November[/name], we call her Novi” or we will just introduce her as [name]Nova[/name] or Novi to those people. It is nice when your ‘out there’ name has some versatility for your daughter, whatever she ends up liking.
Honestly, I would put it in the middle spot. It’s just such a strong - and, for lack of a better word, out there - name that I feel could be difficult to pull off. At least if it’s her middle name she could have the option of using it later if she wishes, whereas if it was her first name and she h-a-t-e-d it she would have to go to court to get it legally changed. She would probably go by [name]Caly[/name] most of the time anyway, which might defeat the purpose if you really only love the name in full. Something like [name]Calla[/name] or [name]Calista[/name] would probably be easier to live with. My friend has this trick: go out to your backyard (or park, wherever), and yell the name like you would if you were calling your child. If it doesn’t feel natural, don’t use it.
I really like [name]Calypso[/name] and the nn of [name]Callie[/name] or [name]Calla[/name]. I may feel a little intimidated using it but if it fits your family then go for it. I think it is a great beachy name for a girl as well as having literary roots.
I think since [name]Calypso[/name] has the more down to earth nickname [name]Callie[/name], that makes it much more usable. That being said, if you feel uneasy about it then I would suggest putting it in the middle. You don’t want to feel self-conscious every time you introduce your child.
I actually think it’s a cool literary name. Plus with any name you’ll never know if they will grow to love it. So pick the name that means the most to you.
To be honest, I love [name]Calypso[/name] waaaay more than I like [name]Sophia[/name], and I get two very different vibes from each name. I would definitely use [name]Calypso[/name] over [name]Sophia[/name]. I think it’s an acquired taste, and people will talk behind your back about the name you choose no matter what it is. And for the record, I would have loved to have this name myself.
Most definitely not, no matter how much I loved the name, I wouldn’t use a first name that was outrageous if there was a high chance that my child would hate it, have a hard time carrying it.
To me that would be me being selfish and not considering the fact that my child’s the one carrying the name, and the one that has to go through her whole life with it and likely her tastes will be very different from mine. If I loved the name that much then I’d save it for the middle spot, and call her by her middle from time to time. Putting such a statement name up front when I have worries of her disliking it would be a huge deterrence for me.
It’s her name, and I’d have to put myself in her shoes and think about if it’s worth risking her unhappiness and adding more challenges. I know that I would resent the name if my parents put their “love of a name” over the very real challenges and annoyances I’d have to go through, and if I ended up hating my name. It’s easier to accept a less outrageous name than it is to accept a more outrageous one. I speak from experiences. It’s important to consider what the child would have to go through with the name you intend to give them, how you feel saying it around others, how you’d explain choosing it etc.
Note, I don’t think she’ll resent YOU, more so the NAME if she grew up to not like it.
I view names as a gift, when you’re buying a gift for someone else you don’t by something that you like most, you buy something that you think they’d like most. And I use that line of thinking when picking out names for future kids, but since I’m not even married at this point, nor expecting for at least another 7 or so years, it’s mostly combos I like myself. Since you’re pregnant, (I’m assuming) you have more of an in-tune connection with your baby, and experience with a child. You’ll know you child better than we can, so go with your gut instinct. (pardon the pun), as well as your husband’s input. It’s his child too.
In your case, I think something like [name]Sasha[/name] [name]Calypso[/name] is a good compromise. You can call her [name]Calypso[/name] as much as you like as well. My brother who’s 13 goes almost exclusively by his middle name.
[name]Sasha[/name] is far from mediocre! And Éva and [name]Sasha[/name] is a great sibset!
I say go for it and name her [name]Calypso[/name]. She may eventually not like it but I don’t think she’d resent you for giving her a name that is “full of deep significance” to you. If you’re really worried though I second the ideas of giving her a nn like [name]Callie[/name], or a “normal” middle name she could go by if she wants. However, I think she’ll appreciate your bohemian style and boldness.
I think you should use what you love and don’t worry about what anyone else might think. I’d rather my child have a cool and beautiful name like [name]Calypso[/name] than something “safe” like [name]Charlotte[/name], [name]Emma[/name], etc.
[name]Just[/name] to respond to the pp about a name being a gift so pick one your baby will love over what you love…
It’s pretty impossible to predict your childs taste, what the trends will be in 16 years, where she will live as an adult/what profession she will pick, I think when my daughter was a newborn it was even difficult to determine what she would end up looking like in the future!
I think that names shouldn’t be chosen just with your heart. No matter how pretty they sound to someone names with built in insults should be considered, names like [name]Adolf[/name] should be avoided, names that are confusing &unfamiliar seem especially cruel…
[name]Calypso[/name] is none of these things imo. [name]Calypso[/name] is a bold choice, but it’s fine! Not offensive or confusing or unwearable at all! And to top it off you want to give her a ‘normal’ nickname just in case she dislikes [name]Calypso[/name]. AND [name]Calypso[/name] has a few easy/simple nn options!
I am struggling with [name]Ariadne[/name]. Mr. J and I both love it, but it’s very different from the other names we agreed on ([name]Hazel[/name], [name]Ruby[/name], [name]Rose[/name], etc.). We don’t know how others would take it or if our future daughter would struggle with anything because of her name…
I like [name]Calypso[/name]! We can definitely relate on our taste in mythology-related names If you love it, use it. I need to follow my own advice here, too, but I can understand the hesitation about using a unique name. I think it’s a tiny bit more known to the general public because of Pirates of the Caribbean. It’s a very strong name with sweet nicknames
[name]Calypso[/name] would be a hard name to carry imo
a close sounding name for me would be [name]Calista[/name] it’s a beautiful Greek name meaning “most beautiful”
If you love it, use it. I need to follow my own advice here, too, but I can understand the hesitation about using a unique name. I think it’s a tiny bit more known to the general public because of Pirates of the Caribbean. It’s a very strong name with sweet nicknames