[name_f]My[/name_f] [name_f]MIL[/name_f]'s name is [name_f]Barbara[/name_f] and my husband would love to honor her by naming our 3rd after her…It’s hard for me to commit to it as it’s not my favorite. Our son is [name_m]Leo[/name_m] and our daughter is [name_u]Jackie[/name_u]–does [name_f]Barbara[/name_f] fit? The only nickname I think I like is [name_f]Bea[/name_f]…
Thanks for your input!!!
I think Barbara fits fine in the sibset. My aunt shares the same first name as my grandmother but she always is known by her middle name to avoid confusion. Alternatively, you could just make Barbara the middle name.
Personally, Barbara is one of my least favorite names but I think it is sweet to honor family names.
I think [name_f]Barbara[/name_f] has seemed dated for quite awhile but maybe it’s ready for a revival! I agree that the nn [name_f]Bea[/name_f] is cute and very usable! I also think it works well with your sibset.
[name_f]Barbara[/name_f] sounds very dated to me. I love names that honor family, and I think [name_f]Bea[/name_f] is a very cute nickname, but I totally understand your hesitation. I personally don’t think it’s quite ready for a comeback. Having said that, there’s nothing necessarily wrong with having a dated name either.
If you’re in the U.S, looking at this graph might be helpful if you haven’t already in order to illustrate [name_f]Barbara[/name_f]‘s datedness. It was one of the top 10 most popular girls’ names from 1927 all the way until 1958. Now it’s all the way down at #838 for popularity.
What about [name_f]Basia[/name_f]? It’s used in Poland as a diminutive of [name_f]Barbara[/name_f], but I think it could work as nickname for [name_f]Barbara[/name_f] or a full name in its own right in an English-speaking context.
If your husband is set on using [name_f]Barbara[/name_f] to honor his mom, I would use it in the middle spot. I work with a 60-something [name_f]Barbara[/name_f] who goes by [name_f]Barb[/name_f] and it’s one of my least favorite names. The sound is very dated, and i especially dislike [name_f]Barb[/name_f], the natural nickname, because it reminds me of thorns. [name_f]Barbara[/name_f] is definitely not ready for a comeback in my opinion. On top of all that, I don’t think the name fits in with your other children.
[name_f]My[/name_f] deceased grandmother on my maternal side is [name_f]Barbara[/name_f] she was Polish Jew and moved to [name_m]Israel[/name_m] after the war where my mother was raised before coming to the UK at 15/16 years old. She was an amazing woman incredibly strong who survived (as a young child) Auschwitz and was brave, strong, kind, lively person. [name_m]Even[/name_m] though I loved my grandmother I dislike her name and too honour her amongst other family relatives I’ll use the name [name_f]Jane[/name_f] which was her favourite girl’s name and my mother’s middle name as well as mine. I think using names similar to [name_f]Barbara[/name_f] like [name_f]Bea[/name_f], [name_f]Basia[/name_f], [name_f]Bara[/name_f], Barica, [name_u]Bobbie[/name_u] would be more appealing than [name_f]Barbara[/name_f] itself. From the list I think [name_f]Bea[/name_f] works the best with [name_m]Leo[/name_m] & [name_u]Jackie[/name_u], using [name_f]Bea[/name_f] as a name in its own right. [name_f]Bea[/name_f] is a nickname however eats into the trend of nicknames as full names like for example [name_f]Evie[/name_f] and [name_f]Ellie[/name_f]. [name_f]Bea[/name_f] also fits nicely with [name_u]Jackie[/name_u] & [name_m]Leo[/name_m] because [name_m]Leo[/name_m] and [name_u]Jackie[/name_u] both have a nickname vibe to them. [name_f]Bea[/name_f] would be a great way to honour [name_f]Barbara[/name_f]. Or alternatively you could use [name_f]Barbara[/name_f] as a middle name. Teamed with something soft like [name_f]Effie[/name_f] would be sweet. I like [name_f]Effie[/name_f] [name_f]Barbara[/name_f]! Also [name_m]Leo[/name_m], [name_u]Jackie[/name_u] & [name_f]Effie[/name_f] sound great together. [name_f]Barbara[/name_f] would work with soft girly choices. So too conclude if I was you I’d use either a variant of [name_f]Barbara[/name_f] ([name_f]Bea[/name_f] please…) or [name_f]Barbara[/name_f] as a middle name teamed with something soft and pretty like [name_f]Elsie[/name_f]; I’m personally loving [name_f]Effie[/name_f] [name_f]Barbara[/name_f].
[name_f]Hope[/name_f] this helped.
Does [name_f]Barbara[/name_f] have a great middle name? That might work better. If not, I would use it in the middle.
I [name_u]LOVE[/name_u] [name_f]Barbara[/name_f] on little girls. I have a coworker who named his daughter [name_f]Barbara[/name_f] to honour his mother and it has a similar vibe to me as [name_f]Hazel[/name_f] or [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f], kind of old fashioned and sweet.
They call her [name_f]Babs[/name_f] for short, but [name_f]Bea[/name_f] could equally work.
I wouldn’t be surprised to meet a [name_f]Barbara[/name_f] in diapers, although I’d expect a geriatric nurse to be the one changing them. I just can’t see it on a young person at all.
I think [name_f]Barbara[/name_f] is retro cool (as is [name_u]Jackie[/name_u]) and should return to us. just don’t call her [name_f]Barbie[/name_f].
I honestly think [name_f]Barbara[/name_f] would be terrible to saddle a little girl with. It’s not ready for a comeback, and it sounds incredibly dated. [name_m]Even[/name_m] the nick names are horrible ([name_f]Barbie[/name_f], [name_f]Babs[/name_f]). If you must, put it in the middle. I think [name_f]Varina[/name_f] is a variant- maybe you can use that as a first or middle?
I went to school with a [name_f]Barbara[/name_f] and have an aunt by that name. I feel like I’ve probably experienced in RL more than most and I still find it a little clunky and it’s nn’s unfortunate…as pp mentioned…[name_f]Barbie[/name_f], [name_f]Babs[/name_f], [name_f]Barb[/name_f], [name_u]Bar[/name_u] or [name_f]Baba[/name_f]?
You’ve prob’ly heard enough by now, but I agree that [name_f]Barbara[/name_f] has few redemptive qualities. I just think of ‘barbaric’ or ‘barbarism’ when I hear it.
Well, to me [name_f]Barbara[/name_f] is a super elegant, regal, strong name that will stand the test of time. Family names are always a plus. It fits with [name_f]Hazel[/name_f], [name_f]Mabel[/name_f], [name_f]Stella[/name_f]. Of course, where I’m from [name_f]Barbara[/name_f] is an old royal name that’s very common on young women, so my opinion is a little biased.
I think using [name_f]Barbara[/name_f] on the birth certificate and calling her by a more youthful nickname 99% of the time ([name_f]Bea[/name_f] is gorgeous!) is a great compromise.