Girl Names You Feel Sorry For?

Being a name fanatic, I began thinking of [name_f]Thelma[/name_f] in my shower. Not a real [name_f]Thelma[/name_f], because I doubt I’ll ever meet one, but just the name which I think maybe no one loves.

There are a small group of names that flicker into my consciousness at times and I feel sad for them.

I think of the little, old, crisp, red book my [name_u]Nana[/name_u] gave me: [name_f]Thelma[/name_f] by [name_u]Marie[/name_u] Corelli. I haven’t read it, but if I tried, the pages would break. Evidently Corelli invented the name just as [name_f]Araminta[/name_f] was invented, but while I find [name_f]Araminta[/name_f] drop dead gorgeous, well, no one is ever going to think that about [name_f]Thelma[/name_f].

And then there’s [name_f]Thelma[/name_f] [name_m]Ritter[/name_m], the great character actor, and [name_f]Thelma[/name_f] and [name_u]Louise[/name_u], but still I just feel bad for this name.

So I’m curious if others have names like that, names they wouldn’t even name an appliance, but they hope someone will use. And who knows, maybe [name_f]England[/name_f] or Europe is crazy for [name_f]Thelma[/name_f] and I don’t even know it?

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I don’t mind [name_f]Thelma[/name_f]. It’s kind of cute! Some names like that for me are:
[name_f]Hilda[/name_f]- I had a [name_f]Hilda[/name_f] phase for a while, but now I don’t really like it anymore
[name_f]Edwina[/name_f]- It’s SO cute! I want someone to use it! Because I don’t think I will
[name_f]Robina[/name_f]- Again I love it! Someone should use it

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I like [name_f]Thelma[/name_f]. [name_f]Thelma[/name_f] and [name_u]Louise[/name_u]! :heart_eyes: Plus, it feels like the right sort of era for revival — that point when the clunkiness starts to feel charming again.

In fact, I prefer [name_f]Thelma[/name_f] over [name_f]Araminta[/name_f], which (NB sacrilege warning!) I find a little too frilly and fanciful. It’s seen as a bit of a stereotypical “posh” name here too.

I also like [name_f]Hilda[/name_f], and quite like [name_f]Edwina[/name_f] and [name_f]Robina[/name_f].

Hedwig is my offering. It’s actually a really strong, interesting name with some wonderful historical namesakes, and in any other instance the Harry [name_m]Potter[/name_m] link would probably have given it a boost, even though it’s a pet name rather than a person name in the books. But its literal sound means that I don’t think this one will ever be revived in [name_f]English[/name_f].

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Is Thamlin a real name or did I just invent it?

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Nastia. I love it, but doubt it’ll ever catch on very well among [name_f]English[/name_f] speakers because it’s so similar to the word “nasty.”

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Milagros :frowning: In [name_f]English[/name_f] the last syllable just doesn’t seem doable.

I also used to quite love [name_f]Doris[/name_f] and [name_f]Edna[/name_f], and I do feel sorry for those two as I don’t think anyone is going to revive them anytime soon.

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Karen! Its such a sweet name but will forever have the “I want to talk to the manager” connotations.

Louise - its been used as a “standard” British Middle name for so long that I don’t think it’ll ever have popularity. Its such a lovely name.

Gladys - I think its such a beautiful name but its not amongst the “old lady” names that have had a resurgence lately

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Louis [name_m]Tomlinson[/name_m] has a sister called [name_f]Doris[/name_f]! I think she’s about 6, so maybe it’s going to have a bit of a revival.

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Lolita. A lovely name but completely tainted by the association with the book, almost to the point that it’s unusable. If only Nabokov had chosen to call his book something different.

Olga - I really like this name in Russian (it’s a classic name over there), but in [name_f]English[/name_f] it seems to be tainted by negative associations.

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I like [name_f]Thelma[/name_f], it’s a vibrant name to me.

[name_f]Edwina[/name_f] - I really like this name but there are two options: edwin with an uh sound or ed wee nuh. I prefer the second but the wee sound is a bit off putting. I have the same issue with [name_f]Rowena[/name_f].

[name_f]Gladys[/name_f] - I think it could be energetic and sunny, but right now other people just don’t see it that way.

[name_f]Ceres[/name_f]- such a beautiful name with history that gets overshadowed by [name_f]Siri[/name_f]/series.

[name_f]Lucretia[/name_f] - seems like the current black sheep of the [name_f]Lu[/name_f] family.

[name_f]Beulah[/name_f] - just feel bad for this one. [name_f]Bertha[/name_f] as well.

[name_f]Pansy[/name_f] - could be a gorgeous flower name if it weren’t for the insult.

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@lucyxo and @leafsgirl44

David Tennant has a little [name_f]Doris[/name_f] too, who must be 5 or 6 now!

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Oh goodness, there are so many :rofl:
Keep in mind these are just personal opinions. These are just names that I hear and try not to grimace because I can’t see the appeal.

Maeve
[name_f]Maude[/name_f]
[name_f]Blythe[/name_f]
[name_f]Blanche[/name_f]
[name_f]Olga[/name_f]
[name_f]Helga[/name_f]
[name_f]Prudence[/name_f]
[name_f]Georgia[/name_f] (I just really think I don’t like soft “g” sounds)
[name_f]Magnolia[/name_f] (or hard g’s for the record…)
[name_f]Phyllis[/name_f]
[name_f]Deborah[/name_f]

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I am with you on every single one of these, well except Georgia which I personally love. I started to love it because of Georgia Hardstark, though, I think, and totally understand the lack of appeal. I don’t care for most “hard g” names either and am mystified by Agnes, Agatha, etc. Glad to see I’m not the only one who just doesn’t “get” Maeve, I do love Niamh though.

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I know a [name_f]Thelma[/name_f], short for [name_f]Bethlehem[/name_f]. She is in her early twenties, a very beautiful and modern girl who loves makeup and a total sweetheart and nobody has any issues with her name at all.
Any name is beautiful on the right person.

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This fascinates me! [name_f]Bethlehem[/name_f] is kind of a GP name of mine, but I’ve only ever thought of [name_f]Beth[/name_f] (which I do love) as a nickname for it.

And yes, any name can be beautiful on the right person!

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That’s why I liked it actually!! :joy:

@katinka - maybe [name_f]Doris[/name_f] will return after all!

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Ah, [name_f]Hedwig[/name_f]… I put this in the category of [name_f]Winifred[/name_f], [name_f]Friedegard[/name_f], [name_f]Ermengard[/name_f], [name_f]Hildegard[/name_f], all of which I love but don’t actually feel sorry for. They are so sturdy and strong, seeming not to need our love. Well, maybe as you say, for [name_f]Hedwig[/name_f]!

I love the phrase “NB sacrilege warning”! So apt.

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Oh, wow. I love or like most of these names. I didn’t enter nameberry loving all these names, but I think hearing 58 years of boring names has really opened me up to even the most [name_f]Helga[/name_f]-esque of names!

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I actually don’t really understand why this name hasn’t made a comeback because similar names like [name_f]Thea[/name_f] and [name_f]Elma[/name_f] are thriving in the UK now. I only know one [name_f]Thelma[/name_f], my great Aunt who passed away last year. I think she always quite liked her name though but definitely of that generation!

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I hope I live long enough to see a resurgence of [name_f]Thelma[/name_f]-[name_f]Edna[/name_f]-[name_f]Helma[/name_f]- [name_f]Helga[/name_f]-[name_f]Olga[/name_f] names!

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