I’ve recently taken to the names [name]Hermione[/name] and [name]Esme[/name] but I am worried about their associations with ‘[name]Harry[/name] [name]Potter[/name]’ and ‘Twighlight’. I would say I am neutral about these books/films, I have read/seen some of them and enojoyed them but would not call myself a big fan.
I am aware that the names will be associated with the characters and do not mind this, but I feel uncomfortable about using the names given that I’m not a ‘big fan’.
I like [name]Esme[/name] mostly because I just like the sound of it and the way it looks on paper. I also love that it has such a sweet meaning.
I really love [name]Hermione[/name], again because of its sound, but also for its connection with [name]Hermes[/name] from Greek mythology, whom I am quite fond of.
So- sorry about the long ramble, hopefully I have made sense! - do you think that these names are usable for someone without a connection to the characters they are associated with by the majority?
Also… do you like the names?!!
I prefer [name]Hermione[/name] personally. I think it’s kind of geeky-cool, and at least thanks to [name]Harry[/name] [name]Potter[/name] people know how to pronounce it properly when they see it written
Unfortunately [name]Esme[/name] simply reminds me of an old busybody character from a hugely popular 80’s TV show here in Australia, so I can’t see it without thinking of a little of lady with a blue rinse and horn rimmed glasses!
[name]Hermione[/name] is a lovely name, that (unluckily) is connected to [name]Harry[/name] [name]Potter[/name], and since [name]Potter[/name] is very popular, it’s most likely [name]Hermione[/name] will be most associated with it. [name]Harry[/name] [name]Potter[/name] isn’t bad, but it’s very broad and very favored and popular, and [name]Hermione[/name] will only connotate to [name]Hermione[/name] [name]Granger[/name] to a lot of people, although [name]Hermione[/name] started life years before.
[name]Esme[/name], I like a lot. It’s cutesy and very bonny. I think a small number of people shall connect [name]Esme[/name] and [name]Esme[/name] [name]Cullen[/name], it’s a much more smaller reference.
Well, I’m torn too, actually. I pick [name]Esme[/name].
If you aren’t comfortable with the connection, I wouldn’t use [name]Hermione[/name], being a harry potter geek myself. I would instantly assume you loved [name]Harry[/name] [name]Potter[/name]. So would a lot of my friends, one who wants to name her child some day [name]Hermione[/name]. You’ll get lots of comments on “oh you must like harry potter” so if you aren’t comfortable with that, I would avoid the name.
Same with [name]Esme[/name]’. I actually hate twilight so I wouldn’t do it, but it’s a matter of how comfortable you are with the connection.
I like [name]Hermione[/name] but not [name]Esme[/name].
FWIW – In Greek mythology, [name]Hermione[/name] (Greek: Ἑ”μιόνη[1]) was the eldest child and only daughter of Menelaus and [name]Helen[/name].[name]Hermione[/name] was nine when her mother left with [name]Paris[/name]. While her father was fighting the war at [name]Troy[/name], [name]Hermione[/name] lived with her Aunt Clytemnestra in Mycenae. [name]Prior[/name] to the Trojan War, [name]Hermione[/name] was betrothed by Tyndareus, her grandfather,[2] to [name]Orestes[/name]. However, during the Trojan War, Menelaus promised her to Neoptolemus, also known as Pyrrhus, son of [name]Achilles[/name]. Shortly after settling into the domestic life, however, conflict arose between [name]Hermione[/name] and Andromache (widow of [name]Hector[/name], prince of [name]Troy[/name] and elder brother of [name]Paris[/name]), the concubine Neoptolemus had obtained as a prize after the sack of [name]Troy[/name]. [name]Hermione[/name] blamed Andromache for her inability to become pregnant, claiming that she was casting spells on her to keep her barren. She asked her father to kill Andromache while Neoptolemus was away at war, but when he chose not to go through with the murder, [name]Hermione[/name] fled from Epirus with her cousin [name]Orestes[/name]. [name]Hermione[/name] and [name]Orestes[/name] were married, and she gave birth to his heir Tisamenus.
So, that was all said to say that there’s a lot more to [name]Hermione[/name] besides being the feminine form of [name]Hermes[/name]. I also like it pronounced the Greek way which is sort of like hair-mee-OH-nee but I realize that the English pronunciation is the one everyone with use, I jsut think the Greek way is much prettier
I love the name [name]Esme[/name], not really fond of [name]Hermione[/name] though. In general I think [name]Esme[/name] is going to be less associated with Twilight then [name]Hermione[/name] is with [name]Harry[/name] [name]Potter[/name]. [name]Hermione[/name] is such a large character in [name]Harry[/name] [name]Potter[/name]. Anyway, I really love the meaning and the sound of [name]Esme[/name], [name]Hermione[/name] I just don’t find very attractive.
I love [name]Hermione[/name]! Personally, I’d only use it in the middle name position because of the immediate association with [name]Harry[/name] [name]Potter[/name], but it is such a sweet-sounding name. [name]Esme[/name] isn’t my style, personally, but I think it’s pretty. I also don’t immediately associate it with Twilight. I met a baby in a cafe once named [name]Esme[/name].
[name]Hermione[/name] is beautiful. It’s my own personal favourite girls name,and as Dantea has explained really well,the name has a very long history.
[name]Esme[/name] is pretty but I’m not keen enough on it to use it myself.
The thing with [name]Harry[/name] [name]Potter[/name] and Twilight is that the authors both used old names,borrowing from arguably greater sources.
I’m sure people didn’t worry about naming their child [name]Alice[/name] after [name]Alice[/name] in Wonderland was published!
If you like these names,use them!
This. Hermoine was a more obscure name to begin with and most people only associate it with the [name]Harry[/name] [name]Potter[/name] character, more so than the name [name]Harry[/name] itself. Also Twilight is very trendy and will most likely be forgotten about in a few years, whereas [name]Harry[/name] [name]Potter[/name] is more on the level of The Chronicles of [name]Narnia[/name]. Literary associations aside, I just prefer [name]Esme[/name] to Hermoine. It has a prettier sound.
I love [name]Esme[/name]. It’s a substantial name so I don’t think it’s only going to be associated with Twilight. I like [name]Hermione[/name] okay but I don’t think you can avoid the [name]Harry[/name] [name]Potter[/name] association.
Whoa! I cannot believe somebody else loves [name]BOTH[/name] of those names. [name]Esme[/name] [name]Adora[/name] was a name I was considering a couple months ago, sort of in the event if I were to have twin girls scenario. Like you I love how it looks, I love the way it sounds, and I love it’s meaning!! However, oddly enough my number 1 is [name]Hermione[/name] [name]Giselle[/name]. Right behind it is [name]Gemma[/name] [name]Hermione[/name]. I am definitely using [name]Hermione[/name] somewhere if I have a girl!!
Like you I considered the movie references, but dismissed any concerns. If anything I think that will make the name both widely recognized in spelling and sound.
I really like [name]Hermione[/name] and love [name]Esme[/name], both are great names imo!
I think due to the obscurity of the name [name]Hermione[/name] and the enduring popularity of the [name]Harry[/name] [name]Potter[/name] franchise I think a child named [name]Hermione[/name] will get “your parents must be huge fans…” for most of their lives. I would not hesitate to use as a mn though.
Where as [name]Esme[/name] is only a minor character in the Twilight series, which is just a fad and will be forgotten before the child even reaches school. I think it’s more usable in the first name spot for this reason.
Ultimately you (and your significant other) need to decide if the issue is big enough not to use them - which is totally a matter of personal opinion.
[name]Love[/name] [name]Esme[/name]! It’s my front runner if our bundle is on team pink!
I don’t associate either names with the movies. I’ve never seen either series!
I agree with most of the previous posters. I don’t think you’ll be able to get away with naming your daughter [name]Hermione[/name] without having people think you’re a big fan while [name]Esme[/name]/Twilight is much less prominent. That being said, I would say definitely, definitely don’t have siblings [name]Hermione[/name] and [name]Esme[/name]. At least for now, that might be a little strange to others…
I think of the two, you’ll have less association with [name]Esme[/name]. [name]Hermione[/name] was just such a rare appearance before HP that in most parts of the world it is connected with only the books.
As much as I love [name]Harry[/name] [name]Potter[/name] (I’m a seriously gigantic fan), I would never name my child [name]Hermione[/name]. It is a lovely name, but it’s still too soon in my opinion–the connection is too strong, especially for such a unique name. You could use [name]Molly[/name] or [name]Harry[/name] or even [name]Ginevra[/name], but not [name]Draco[/name] or [name]Hermione[/name] without being constantly reminded of the connection.
[name]Esme[/name]'s connection is a little less strong. People who haven’t read the book probably wouldn’t remember it. However, it will still be there, especially since the movies aren’t finished yet. It would be fine as a middle name.
[name]Esme[/name] is fairly common and I didn’t know it was anything to do with Twilight (I’ve never read it!)
[name]Hermione[/name] is very uncommon though, and is very tied to [name]Harry[/name] [name]Potter[/name], I absolutely love it though!! I think it adorable!!
They are both pretty names, I don’t think you need to worry about the tie with [name]Esme[/name], but [name]Hermione[/name]'s a bit different!
