[name_m]Hi[/name_m] there! So, after two heartbreaking miscarriages, I am in the (very, very) early stages of pregnancy again, and I thought I’d take my mind off of the anxiety and waiting by thinking about possible names, and I keep coming back to [name_f]Wilhelmina[/name_f]. I would love to honor my father [name_m]William[/name_m] (who passed when I was 18) and I plan to use his name as a middle if I have a boy, but if I have a girl I was thinking…why not [name_f]Wilhelmina[/name_f]?
To add to the sentimentality, [name_m]Bram[/name_m] Stoker’s Dracula was one of my dad’s favorite books and [name_f]Wilhelmina[/name_f] ([name_f]Mina[/name_f]) Harker was a main character. Also, we would probably call her [name_u]Billie[/name_u] when she’s little, and that’s what my dad went by (with the [name_u]Billy[/name_u] spelling) when he was small.
We have a two year old named [name_f]Rose[/name_f] and I think [name_f]Rose[/name_f] and [name_f]Wilhelmina[/name_f] go well together. She goes by [name_f]Rosie[/name_f] a lot, so I’m not sure about [name_f]Rosie[/name_f] and [name_u]Billie[/name_u], but if it gets too much we could always call this little one [name_f]Mina[/name_f] or [name_f]Willa[/name_f].
I love the abundance of nicknames she’d be able to choose from when she’s older, especially [name_f]Mina[/name_f], [name_f]Willa[/name_f] or even [name_u]Billie[/name_u], if it suits her, as an adult. The only downside I see is the spelling and that it looks a bit clunky written down (though I think it sounds beautiful when spoken.) Also, it is kind of a lot of name for a little baby, haha. Is it too much? I do love the ease of spelling and the simplicity of [name_f]Rose[/name_f], so maybe I should think more along those lines? I don’t know!
Thoughts? [name_f]Do[/name_f] you like the name with [name_f]Rose[/name_f]? [name_f]Do[/name_f] you like it at all? Which nickname would you choose? (Our last name is short and similar to McKeely, if that gives more information.)
I [name_u]LOVE[/name_u] it. I had a student years ago who was named [name_f]Wilhelmina[/name_f], and she was called [name_f]Mina[/name_f]. Her parents were both highly successful artists and professors in [name_m]Boston[/name_m], very down to earth, and [name_f]Mina[/name_f] was just one of those in my career I adored. She was named after a grandmother, and her sister was [name_f]Vivi[/name_f] (short for [name_f]Viviana[/name_f]).
[name_f]Mina[/name_f] fit her well - she was beautiful - and went well with her peer group of Charlottes, Olivias, Alexas, etc and I could see her growing up to be a creative in some way - using her full name or simply [name_f]Mina[/name_f].
It’s also a classic name like [name_f]Rose[/name_f] and goes well for a sibset! Good luck with your pregnancy!
I love [name_f]Wilhelmina[/name_f] because of Dracula. My favorite nicknames are [name_f]Willa[/name_f] and [name_f]Mina[/name_f] and I think either would be gorgeous with [name_f]Rosie[/name_f].
I think [name_f]Wilhelmina[/name_f] is wonderfully elegant, gorgeous and feisty! I don’t think it’s too much at all, and as you mentioned there are plenty of nns to choose from. She won’t be a baby forever, and I think [name_f]Wilhelmina[/name_f] ages well. [name_f]Rose[/name_f] & [name_f]Wilhelmina[/name_f] make a lovely sibset.
I absolutely love [name_f]Wilhelmina[/name_f]. Is classic, and in this case woukd be such a wonderful way to honor you father. And it’s nice beside [name_f]Rose[/name_f]. I think you have a winner here.
I love [name_f]Willa[/name_f], [name_f]Wilma[/name_f], [name_f]Helma[/name_f], [name_u]Billie[/name_u], [name_u]Min[/name_u], [name_f]Mina[/name_f], [name_f]Minna[/name_f], [name_f]Minnie[/name_f]…
Go for it! If [name_f]Rose[/name_f] feels she got shorted, you can encourage her to go by [name_f]Rosamund[/name_f] or [name_f]Rosalie[/name_f] or [name_f]Rosalind[/name_f] or [name_f]Rosemary[/name_f].
I love, love, love [name_f]Wilhelmina[/name_f]! It’s on my list too. The story behind it and the abundance of nicknames would make it a gorgeous name for you
I think because your daughter has such a short name, that using [name_f]Willa[/name_f] alone would fit much better than the full name. [name_f]Rosie[/name_f] and [name_f]Willa[/name_f] seem like sisters to me!
I second this. [name_f]Rose[/name_f] & [name_f]Willa[/name_f] are so lovely together and [name_f]Willa[/name_f] still pays homage to [name_m]William[/name_m] in honor of your dad. The longer version is nice too, especially to get to nn [name_f]Mina[/name_f], but I personally prefer [name_f]Willa[/name_f] more. I’m not a fan of [name_u]Billie[/name_u] sorry.
I love the idea behind [name_f]Wilhelmina[/name_f], but I don’t really love the name itself. Sorry. I do think the spelling is cumbersome, esp with a sister called [name_f]Rose[/name_f].
I agree with PPs that you could use [name_f]Willa[/name_f] to honor your Dad (in the first or middle spot) or just go with [name_f]Mina[/name_f]. Connections to family members don’t have to be obvious.
Actually [name_f]Willa[/name_f] [name_f]Mina[/name_f] [surname] gives the same sounds as [name_f]Wilhelmina[/name_f], without the spelling issues. She could then go by [name_f]Willa[/name_f] or [name_f]Mina[/name_f]… and [name_f]Willa[/name_f] could still produce [name_u]Billie[/name_u], just like [name_m]William[/name_m] produces [name_u]Billy[/name_u].
My SO and I chose [name_f]Willa[/name_f] for our daughter to honour a [name_m]William[/name_m] but didn’t go the full [name_f]Wilhelmina[/name_f] mostly because with her very twee last name, it sounded like a [name_m]Harry[/name_m] [name_m]Potter[/name_m] / [name_m]Ronald[/name_m] Dahl character. [name_f]Willa[/name_f] also felt fresher. But I still occasionally think I’d have liked the [name_f]Mina[/name_f] option that opens up with [name_f]Wilhelmina[/name_f] - my SO doesn’t at all as he hears it as Mean-er. I saw someone use the apparently Scottish [name_f]Willamina[/name_f] which I’d have possibly used to avoid the spelling hassle and because of its simple step to [name_f]Willa[/name_f]. Good luck with the pregnancy and enjoy the naming decision!
