Recently I came across some new names but found that there’s very little discussion regarding them on the web. So obviously I turned to Nameberry
[name_u]Hero[/name_u]: I love this one, but in English this has a very masculine connotation. What do you guys think of it? Is it cute enough to overcome the word? Or is it pretentious? Also, if you know the two famous stories with [name_u]Hero[/name_u]'s in them (Much [name_f]Ado[/name_f] About Nothing and the story of [name_u]Hero[/name_u] and [name_m]Leander[/name_m]) what do you think of that connotation?
Leto: I love the sound and how easy it is to pronounce. I don’t like that in some versions of the mythological story, Leto was raped by [name_m]Zeus[/name_m] before having the twins [name_u]Artemis[/name_u] and [name_m]Apollo[/name_m]. I feel like that definitely rules it out as an actual name, but what do you guys think of the name aside from that fatal flaw?
[name_f]Cypress[/name_f]: This is probably my favorite. I was already a fan of the male [name_m]Cyrus[/name_m], [name_m]Cyprian[/name_m], and [name_m]Cyprus[/name_m], and coming across this version really sealed the deal. It’s a nature name, so I consider it quite unisex, but I like it for a girl. What do you guys think of this one? [name_m]How[/name_m] do you see it? [name_f]Do[/name_f] you like it at all?
I asked my boyfriend about [name_f]Cypress[/name_f] the other day and he loved it. [name_f]My[/name_f] grandmother was a florist, and I find myself quite partial to botanical names because they make me think of her. I don’t know that I’d want to use [name_f]Cypress[/name_f] as a first name, and even though I like it (and it’s nice to get support from my SO about it), it’s hard for me to take seriously. I don’t think I could keep a straight face while trying to discipline a child named [name_f]Cypress[/name_f]
[name_u]Hero[/name_u] and Leto both get a big “no” from me, sorry. Leto seems like a cult culture pick ([name_m]Jared[/name_m] Leto), and [name_u]Hero[/name_u] just doesn’t do anything for me. It may be a name from [name_m]Shakespeare[/name_m], but it’s also very much a word, and I think it’s next to impossible to overlook that.
[name_u]Hero[/name_u] I find very hard to live up to (like most virtue name, too).
Leto reminds me of [name_m]Jared[/name_m] Leto making it a very masculine sounding name for me.
[name_f]Cypress[/name_f] reminds me a bit too much of [name_m]Cyprus[/name_m]. I like certain place names like [name_m]Caspian[/name_m] but I’m not sold on country names.
[name_u]Hero[/name_u] is too much of a word and with the male connotation I’d say it’s not usable, at least as a first.
Leto makes me think of [name_m]Jared[/name_m] as well. And I don’t even know anything about sports.
[name_m]Cyprus[/name_m] I like a lot and has been on my male GP list for a long time. I don’t know that I like it on a girl, even with the [name_f]Cypress[/name_f] spelling.
I quite like [name_u]Hero[/name_u] and [name_f]Cypress[/name_f]. I always associate [name_u]Hero[/name_u] to the Much [name_f]Ado[/name_f] About a Nothing character, so it feels somewhat feminine. I prefer [name_f]Hera[/name_f] a lot more, although I suppose you could argue it’s like naming your son [name_m]Zeus[/name_m]. But the name itself is more usable than [name_f]Aphrodite[/name_f], and at least as usable as [name_u]Artemis[/name_u]. I love [name_f]Cypress[/name_f], but Leto seems a bit masculine, probably because of [name_m]Jared[/name_m] Leto, and the -o ending. But it is a shame when a name and the myth don’t work; I love [name_f]Medea[/name_f] and Arachne, but the myths, not so much.
Honestly, they are dreadful. [name_f]Cypress[/name_f] is the least bad. Can you imagine going through life as [name_u]Hero[/name_u]? I knew a little boy named this and everyone was horrified for the child. So much so that the grandmother used a pet name. Sorry for this coming out rather harshly.
Well that was a bit rough. Thanks for the honesty though. I agree that [name_u]Hero[/name_u] is a name some kids might adore and others might hate, which is why I’m probably going to stay away from it. Thanks anyhow
Sorry, that was rougher than intended. I guess I typed my first reaction. I apologize. I can see [name_f]Cypress[/name_f] working as a hippie nature name like [name_f]Meadow[/name_f] or [name_f]Valley[/name_f](which I really appreciate). I still stand by opinion on [name_u]Hero[/name_u] and Leto
I love [name_u]Hero[/name_u] as a middle name and would probably use it for a girl though I can see it on a boy too.
Leto I think first of [name_m]Jared[/name_m] Leto and then of the Greek myth, which, yeah, is probably the deal breaker for me. And while [name_m]Jared[/name_m] Leto is great, I probably wouldn’t name a child after him, especially while he’s still alive.
I also like [name_f]Cypress[/name_f], but it wouldn’t be my first choice for a name.
[name_u]Hero[/name_u]! It’s ravishing and, as you mentioned, there are great mythological/literate associations. I’m totally biased though because it’s pretty far up on my own list. She’s so effortlessly beautiful.
[name_f]Cypress[/name_f] is beautiful as well but it doesn’t give me the same /wow/ feel as [name_u]Hero[/name_u] does. I think it’s because I prefer the male [name_m]Cyprus[/name_m] to the female [name_f]Cypress[/name_f]. Leto makes me think of [name_m]Jared[/name_m] Leto, so that’s the one I like the least.
[name_u]Hero[/name_u] is an Ancient Greek name ([name_u]Hero[/name_u] and [name_m]Leander[/name_m]!!!) as well as a well-known Shakespearean character name. Now, obviously I am biased because I severely like [name_u]Hero[/name_u], but I would say it’s marginally less horrible to be named [name_u]Hero[/name_u] than it would be to be named something yooneek like Payghslee or Jaxxxon
I used to have a cat named [name_u]Hero[/name_u]. It was boy. It makes me think too much of that tv show Heroes. Or a super hero. And to me, most names that end with o sound too masculine to me.
I’m sorry, and I might be in the wrong here, but I see absolutely no controversy surrounding [name_u]Hero[/name_u] in those linked threads. Surely [name_u]Hero[/name_u] isn’t anymore controversial than, say, [name_f]Isolde[/name_f]?
As a name [name_u]Hero[/name_u] does seem feminine because of the Much [name_f]Ado[/name_f] connection, but unfortunately many people won’t know of her and only know it as a (masculine) word, which makes it unusable to me. Also, I didn’t like the character much. Not that she did anything wrong- she had bad things done to her. But she was rather boring to me, not particularly spunky or clever or anything. I’d prefer [name_f]Hera[/name_f]- it sounds prettier and the goddess is more interesting.
[name_f]Cypress[/name_f] is workable, if rather out there. It has a nice sound and the tree is a good reference. I wouldn’t use it but if I met a [name_f]Cypress[/name_f] I wouldn’t think “oh no, that’s terrible!”
Leto I wouldn’t use because of [name_m]Jared[/name_m] Leto. I can see the appeal though.
I have a friend named [name_f]Meadow[/name_f] and her parents are in fact (and were) hippies. Like commune living true blue hippies. So that is why I view it that way.
Controversial simply means strongly differing opinions. Have you ever studied developmental psychology? A controversial child is one who is both liked by many and disliked by many.
Some Berries love [name_u]Hero[/name_u] and some hate it but there’s no general agreement. And yes, it is more controversial than [name_f]Isolde[/name_f] which is generally liked; it fits “Nameberry style”. Surely there are Berries who hate [name_f]Isolde[/name_f] but the majority like or are indifferent to it
I know what a controversy is (we do, in fact, learn English up here in the [name_u]North[/name_u]), but thank you very much for explaining it to me. I merely didn’t see that strong dispute in any of the threads you linked to. And I can’t say that I agree with you that [name_u]Hero[/name_u] is all that controversial – not compared to so many other names discussed on here. But I guess we’ll just agree to disagree then
