See the results of this poll: Brilliant or Not?
Respondents: 65 (This poll is closed)
- That’s a great idea : 4 (6%)
- Well you would have to be joking! No! : 60 (92%)
- Seriously, it would be a contender for me: 1 (2%)
I think there might be problems with name teasing, especially for a girl, with the Hor beginning… Maybe as a middle, but I wouldn’t use it as a first, this is just my opinion though
I personally wouldn’t want to be [name]Hortense[/name]. There’s a rather unsavory old joke about [name]Hortense[/name].
Between the Hor and Tense, I could also see children her own age associating it with [name]Horton[/name] Hears a Who. The French pronunciation is lovely (or-TAWNS). [name]Do[/name] you live in an area where that pronunciation would be feasible?
However, there is something really pretty about [name]Hortensia[/name] (or-TEN-sya). I could even support [name]Ortensia[/name] in this case. (I have seen variations of Ortencia / Ortenzia that are very alluring too).
That one ranks up with [name]Gertrude[/name] for me lol 
The Hor- beginning is too much baggage for any little girl!
However there is a [name]Hortensia[/name] on the movie [name]Matilda[/name], and I never batted an eye at it as a child, I actually only recently noticed while watching it to point out the little [name]Lavender[/name] to my Fiance.
I’m sorry, but that is an absolutely terrible name to give to a girl. The first syllable alone is going to cause teasing to no end. Not to mention that I just really don’t think it sounds nice.
I love musty old lady names, [name]Edith[/name], [name]Maude[/name], [name]Albertine[/name], [name]Alma[/name], [name]Florence[/name], [name]Maxine[/name], [name]Agnes[/name], [name]Agatha[/name], Etc.
[name]Even[/name] I can not get behind [name]Hortense[/name]. The French pronunciation is lovely, but not exactly doable. There is just too much baggage in this name.
I think [name]Ortensia[/name] is a better pick
I think I would stay away from [name]Hortense[/name]. I second purplekitty’s suggestion: [name]Ortensia[/name] is much prettier.
Like @mei_mei, I am a lover of old and musty names; [name]Dorothea[/name] is my favorite and I advocate for it constantly. But it’s a bit difficult to get behind [name]Hortense[/name]. It seems like it would be so very difficult to pull off, and there’s bound to be teasing.
I’m sorry, but unless you’re willing to deal with the difficulties of such a musty and difficult name, I think you should find something else. A few suggestions: [name]Clementine[/name]/[name]Clementina[/name], [name]Alberta[/name], [name]Wilda[/name], [name]Corliss[/name], [name]Constance[/name], [name]Florence[/name], [name]Drusilla[/name]
I hope this wasn’t too harsh and that you find something you like!
aj thank you and all the others for your sensible advice. I am sorry but today my dry sense of humour got the better of me - thus the thread. I would feel very sorry for a child if she was named [name]Hortense[/name]!