I’m due in [name]March[/name], and if my baby is a girl I very much want to name her after my beloved Greek grandmother, but her name was kind of a mouthful. It’s Paraskeve, which is the name of an Orthodox [name]Christian[/name] saint, but also translates to Friday in Greek. Fridays and Sundays are considered holy days in Greece and there are lots of women named Friday (Paraskeve) and [name]Sunday[/name] (Kyriaki). We were thinking about using the name [name]Vivian[/name], which is what a lot of Paraskeves in [name]America[/name] go by, but we were also considering naming her Friday. Is that too out there? Would the His Girl Friday jokes never end? I’m really stumped on ideas.
I actually think Friday is kind of cute. [name]Frida[/name] would also be nice as an option if you wanted less of a ‘word name’… I happen to like that name a lot, and also think you could get away with some cute nicknames like [name]Edie[/name] or [name]Ida[/name].
For some reason, I see Friday more as a boy’s name. But I still think it could work. But here are some other ways I thought of that you could honor your grandmother with.
Other options:
(Friday inspired)
Freyja/[name]Freya[/name]-Norse [name]Goddess[/name] who was later incarnated at Frigg the namesake of Friday
[name]Venus[/name]-[name]Roman[/name] equivalent to Friday was named after [name]Venus[/name]
[name]Gwen[/name]-Welsh name of Friday is Dwdd Gwener
In the movie His Girl Friday, the character is named [name]Hildegarde[/name] which is a little out there but [name]Hilde[/name] is super cute. Also the actress is [name]Rosalind[/name]-a lovely name.
[name]Frida[/name]- looks a little like Friday
Similar meaning
[name]Pana[/name]-it is supposed to be Greek and mean “prepared” like your grandmother’s name
Or any number of P names?
[name]Paige[/name]
[name]Pallas[/name] (greek!)
[name]Pandora[/name]
[name]Penelope[/name]
[name]Persephone[/name]
[name]Poppy[/name]
[name]Pearl[/name]
[name]Pilar[/name]
[name]Phillipa[/name]
Presence
I should probably mention that my very favourite names tend to be extremely unusual, and are often word (or at least virtue) names - so my opinion will likely not be that of the masses.
But, I think Friday would make a wonderful name! It’s pretty and spunky, completely unusual and attention-grabbing but of course simultaneously totally familiar. No-one will have a problem spelling or pronouncing it, of course. Besides, word names seem to be rising in popularity, with [name]Story[/name] in particular being used more and more. Friday is no more ‘out-there’ than [name]Story[/name], and technically not much stranger as a name than months like [name]June[/name] and [name]April[/name], which are often used.
As for His Girl Friday, I wouldn’t have made the connection, at least not at first.
And don’t forget, Friday’s child is loving and giving
I don’t see a whole lot of His Girl Friday (good movie) jokes, but I do see a lot of, oh wow you’re mom must really have been looking forward to the weekend jokes. I would probably go with something that has a similar meaning or sound.
[name]Hi[/name], it’s wonderful that you want to honor your Greek grandmother. [name]Vivian[/name] is a nice name but I prefer the French version, [name]Vivienne[/name]. I’m not too crazy about naming children after weekdays, in this case, Friday. When I heard that name the first thing that came to mind was a dog named Friday that was once owned by the late [name]John[/name] F. [name]Kennedy[/name] [name]Jr[/name]. You can always use your grandmother’s proper name as a middle and instead honor her just by naming your daughter any Greek name. Greece has a wonderul mythological history and many names can found in this heritage. [name]Hope[/name] you like some in my list. Good [name]Luck[/name]!
Agalia
[name]Agathi[/name]
[name]Alethea[/name]
[name]Alexandra[/name]
[name]Alexia[/name]
[name]Anastasia[/name]
[name]Anatola[/name]
[name]Anemone[/name]
[name]Angeliki[/name]
[name]Anthea[/name]
[name]Ariadne[/name]
[name]Artemisia[/name]
Aspasia
Astero
[name]Atalanta[/name]
Athanasia
[name]Athena[/name]
[name]Calida[/name]
[name]Calista[/name]
[name]Calliope[/name]
[name]Calypso[/name]
[name]Cassandra[/name]
[name]Cassia[/name]
Castalia
[name]Charis[/name]
[name]Charmian[/name]
[name]Chloe[/name]
[name]Christabel[/name]
[name]Circe[/name]
[name]Cliantha[/name]
[name]Clio[/name]
[name]Cosima[/name]
[name]Cressida[/name]
[name]Cynthia[/name]
[name]Damiana[/name]
[name]Danae[/name]
[name]Daphne[/name]
Deianira
[name]Delia[/name]
[name]Delphi[/name]
[name]Demetria[/name]
[name]Desdemona[/name]
[name]Dione[/name]
[name]Dorothea[/name]
[name]Drucilla[/name]
Dysis
[name]Echo[/name]
[name]Effemy[/name]
[name]Electra[/name]
[name]Eleni[/name]
Elpida
Euclea
Eudocia
[name]Eugenia[/name]
[name]Eulalia[/name]
[name]Euphemia[/name]
[name]Eurydice[/name]
[name]Eustacia[/name]
[name]Evadne[/name]
[name]Evangeline[/name]
[name]Galatea[/name]
[name]Haidee[/name]
[name]Hebe[/name]
[name]Helena[/name]
[name]Hera[/name]
[name]Hermione[/name]
[name]Hypatia[/name]
Ilithya
[name]Io[/name]
[name]Ione[/name]
[name]Iphigenia[/name]
[name]Irene[/name]
[name]Isadora[/name]
Ismini
[name]Jocasta[/name]
Kairos
Kalyca
Kalonice
[name]Lalage[/name]
[name]Larissa[/name]
[name]Leandra[/name]
[name]Leda[/name]
[name]Leonora[/name]
[name]Lydia[/name]
Lyris/[name]Lyra[/name]
[name]Macaria[/name]
[name]Maia[/name]
Marmara
[name]Melania[/name]
[name]Melantha[/name]
[name]Minerva[/name]
[name]Neoma[/name]
[name]Nerissa[/name]
[name]Niobe[/name]
[name]Nyx[/name]
[name]Odessa[/name]
[name]Olympia[/name]
[name]Ophelia[/name]
[name]Pamela[/name]
[name]Pandora[/name]
[name]Parthenia[/name]
[name]Pelagia[/name]
[name]Penelope[/name]
Penthea
[name]Persephone[/name]
[name]Phaedra[/name]/[name]Phaidra[/name]
[name]Philippa[/name]
[name]Phoebe[/name]
Polyxena
[name]Psyche[/name]
Pyrena
Pythia
[name]Rue[/name]
Scylla
[name]Selene[/name]
Semele
Serilda
Sidero
Siren
Solaris
[name]Sophronia[/name]
[name]Sophia[/name]
[name]Stephanie[/name]
Syrinx
[name]Tabitha[/name]
Tethys
[name]Thaddea[/name]
[name]Thalassa[/name]
[name]Thalia[/name]
[name]Thecla[/name]
[name]Theia[/name]
Themis
[name]Theodora[/name]
[name]Theodosia[/name]
[name]Theophania[/name]
Theophilia
[name]Thera[/name]
[name]Theresa[/name]
[name]Thetis[/name]
[name]Thisbe[/name]
[name]Thyra[/name]
Tryne
Tryphena
Tyro
[name]Ursula[/name]
[name]Vanessa[/name]
Vasiliki
[name]Xanthe[/name]
[name]Xenia[/name]
Xylia
[name]Zenaida[/name]
[name]Zenobia[/name]
[name]Zephyr[/name]
[name]Zoe[/name]
These are all amazing ideas! Thank you for taking the time to think about this and respond. I really like the Friday-inspired names and the idea of maybe selecting a Greek name that shares the initial “P” but is a little more familiar to English-speakers. I’m also feeling a little more comfortable with the name Friday too if we decide to go with it. Again, thanks!
I think your grandmother’s original name works fine as a middle, or even Friday as a middle. You can really stick anything in the middle. If you’re set on honoring her with the first name I would go with another P name, or another Greek name since both would honor her. Or you could even do both with something like [name]Phoebe[/name], [name]Philippa[/name], or [name]Penelope[/name] which are both accessible for Americans. Or you could even double do it, and do something like [name]Penelope[/name] Friday. That would be cute. (: [name]Philippa[/name] Friday or [name]Phoebe[/name] Friday might be a little too F heavy though. Maybe [name]Philippa[/name] or [name]Phoebe[/name] with the original name as the middle.
I think Friday is definately the way to go. No one else in class is going to have it but it’s not totally out there so people don’t cross their eyes when they hear her name. The only thing about naming her Friday is everyone might think that she was born on that day of the week, and you might have to always keep explaining to people the history behind her name. But other than that, I think Friday is an awesome name.
[name]Happy[/name] naming!
Friday is unusual and quirky but I think it would be odd if bubs is born on any other day of the week! I know [name]April[/name] and [name]August[/name] have made the transition, but I can just see conversations going:
“[name]Hi[/name], I’m Friday!”
“Oh! Were you born on Friday?”
“No, [name]Monday[/name].” crickets
But maybe that wouldn’t be an issue for you… I’d keep some names up my sleeve just in case! I kind of secretly love Paraskeve, but then I’m Greek…
