My husband and I both have/had grandmothers named [name]Margaret[/name]. Neither of them is someone we would want to name a baby after.
We would like to name a baby after my other grandmother, [name]Evelyn[/name]. This raises two problems. 1) My grandmother hates her name. 2) [name]Evelyn[/name] has become to common for my comfort.
My grandmother’s late sister, [name]Margy[/name] ([name]Marjorie[/name]) was absolutely beloved by everyone. She is exactly the sort of person you name a baby after.
So, I’m looking for an update or spin off of [name]Marjorie[/name] that isn’t [name]Margaret[/name]. Or [name]Meg/namean. We already have a niece named [name]Megan[/name]. Is that even possible?
When I think of the name [name]Marjorie[/name], it reminds me of marjoram, the herb. [name]Marjorie[/name] was my grandmother’s name, and she cooked a lot and was always feeding people, maybe that reinforces the association in my mind?? Anyways, I would choose another herb name to honour [name]Marjorie[/name]… for example:
[name]Saige[/name]
[name]Laurel[/name]
[name]Rosemary[/name]
[name]Tansy[/name]
[name]Camelia[/name]
[name]Angelica[/name]
…
I could only think of [name]Marjorie[/name] and [name]Margery[/name] (pronounced like [name]Marjorie[/name]), but I assume [name]Margery[/name] is not a option.
I love [name]Rosemary[/name] (or [name]Rosemarie[/name]) but my husband is adamant that he doesn’t like flower names. My aunt was also always cooking and feeding people (her recipes that are still in use are part of why she’s so fondly remembered) but I don’t associate the name with the herb.
[name]Margery[/name] is all I could come up with, too. Usually I prefer the most traditional spelling possible but [name]Margery[/name] looks so much like margarine to me.
There are some lovely diminutives of [name]Marjorie[/name] - what about [name]Mollie[/name]/[name]Molly[/name], [name]Millie[/name], [name]Mae[/name] or [name]Maisie[/name]? I’ve also always loved [name]Marguerite[/name] - is that too close to [name]Margaret[/name]? I think [name]Marieke[/name] (mah-ree-eh-ka) is very pretty as well! Another thought - perhaps to out of left field, but when I look at [name]Marjorie[/name] the name [name]Joy[/name] leaps out at me -from the ‘jorie’ I suppose! I think [name]Joy[/name] is a lovely name, and quite on-trend (but not too trendy!) at the moment.
[name]Hope[/name] you find something that works for you!
I think you should focus on the -jorie part of [name]Marjorie[/name] to stay away from the association of [name]Margaret[/name]. Names that include a jor sound or an ori sound:
[name]Jorie[/name]
[name]Jory[/name]
[name]Jordan[/name]
[name]George[/name]
[name]Georgia[/name][name]Jorja[/name]
[name]Georgiana[/name]
[name]Oriana[/name]
Maybe something along those lines? I love the pp suggestion of [name]Pearl[/name] as well.
I think [name]Marjorie[/name] is an awesome name. It’s kind of a hipstery choice I guess…I think of it like [name]Maude[/name] or [name]Faye[/name].
Marjoram in the middle would be kind of cool. Why not, people use [name]Saffron[/name] & [name]Sage[/name]!
[name]Margot[/name] evokes a connection to [name]Margaret[/name] for me. [name]Magnolia[/name] might work? Mazzarine?
Or you could sit with your husband and make a list of works & things that remind you of these women. Hobbies, jobs, places they lived, dresses they always wore, things they always baked. A word might pop out at you that would work as a name.
I think whatever name you pick, as long as you and your husband know who you are honoring, most people won’t know the difference… Ie I like [name]Margot[/name] a lot. Your daughter hypothetical [name]Margot[/name] will know she is named to honor [name]Marjorie[/name], you will know she is named after [name]Marjorie[/name], end of story. People most likely won’t meet her and wonder if there is also a [name]Margaret[/name] in the family tree somewhere. So pick a name you love, that flows well with your last name, and be proud of honoring [name]Marjorie[/name]! Good luck!
