Make me love this name! 🌸

[lilyofthevale]

[name_m]Hi[/name_m] everyone!
Let me preface by saying that this is a name I’ve always hated.
But I really do want to like it, and since you Berries are always so good at making certain names a bit romanticised and super aesthetic feeling, I was wondering if you guys could make me love (or at least like?) the nickname [name_u]Jess[/name_u] a bit more on a girl.
No negative comments about the name please - I know this forum has a collective dislike of “dated” names but that’s really not what I’m looking for.

It’s always felt pretty masculine to me despite more usage on females.

I do love [name_u]Jessie[/name_u] as an alternative but I’m a bit worried that’s a bit immature and wouldn’t be taken seriously as a person ages.

Anyway, you guys have been tasked with the impossible: please, please make me like [name_u]Jess[/name_u]!

TIA!

[EloiseT]

First, I just like all the Jess’s I know - there’s three of them (and I mean Jess’s who are always [name_u]Jess[/name_u] not [name_u]Jess[/name_u] sometimes [name_u]Jessie[/name_u], [name_u]Jay[/name_u] etc). The name comes across as immediately friendly, spirited, practical, and even rather outdoorsy and bucolic, like [name_f]Tess[/name_f].

[lilyofthevale]

Interesting…
Does it come across as a particularly masculine / tomboyish sounding name to you? I just wish it was lighter or prettier sounding. Also did they choose their nicknames?

Also sorry for the questions but do you think going by [name_u]Jessie[/name_u] most of the time and mostly avoiding [name_u]Jess[/name_u] is attainable?

[EloiseT]

Honestly, it does feel a little tomboyish and outdoorsy to me - but it shouldn’t. In other words, when I say the word, it has a lot of happy lightness and femininity, like [name_f]Tess[/name_f] or [name_f]Jane[/name_f] - but all the Jess’s I know are sporty, tactile types so it now has that vibe for me. I can’t see why [name_u]Jessie[/name_u] would have to get [name_u]Jess[/name_u] from anyone, just as my [name_u]Jess[/name_u] friends never get [name_u]Jessie[/name_u]. I’m assuming they chose them as have met them all as adults so they had the chance to tell me another nickname.

[Greyblue]

[name_u]Jess[/name_u] (just Jess) was one of my favourite names for a girl when I was growing up and I still enjoy it now.

I like the warm, soft sounds - it’s cosy and cuddly - but it’s also got an edge to it, something rugged, free-spirited and sparky. I can see it as both very feminine and also leaning more unisex, more sporty, more energetic.

I enjoy the no-frills-no-fuss vibes of [name_u]Jess[/name_u] too - it gives me a similar feel to [name_f]Tess[/name_f], but it rolls off the tongue more easily for me personally (as much as I love Tess).

It’s fun but solid, glittery but tough, versatile in nature.

I think [name_u]Jessie[/name_u] ages fine, but I can easily imagine [name_u]Jess[/name_u] on any age too!

[name_u]Jess[/name_u] was the name I chose for my MC in my first ‘full-length’ piece of writing, back when I was a teen, so it does feel special to me

It reminds me of the names [name_f]Tess[/name_f], [name_f]Kate[/name_f], [name_f]Bex[/name_f], [name_f]Flick[/name_f], Fliss, [name_f]Floss[/name_f], [name_u]Lou[/name_u], [name_f]Tilly[/name_f], [name_f]Lori[/name_f], [name_f]Ree[/name_f], [name_u]Morgan[/name_u], [name_f]Betsy[/name_f], [name_u]Wynne[/name_u], [name_f]Bea[/name_f], [name_f]Trudy[/name_f] - it gives me a similar feel - not sure if that helps, but if you like any of them, it might be reassuring in terms of vibes?

[OctaviaMay]

As I love “dated” names, I have a secret love of [name_u]Jess[/name_u] on a girl! [name_u]Jess[/name_u] feels rugged, outdoorsy, yet still girly and playful. [name_u]Jess[/name_u] loves to run around, barefoot, and has a spirited, slightly dramatic temper and a head full of daydreams. I think even though it does sound a bit “tomboy” as you put it, to me, it just has a wild, windy, natural feel, still perfectly feminine and fun!
[name_u]Jessie[/name_u] is a little more girly, I think of [name_u]Jessie[/name_u] from the Babysitter’s Club! She feels bouncy, frilly, and cute!
Honestly, I like [name_u]Jess[/name_u] more. It’s more sparkly! Reminds me of [name_f]Jill[/name_f] and [name_u]Scout[/name_u], which I also love.
Great, under-rated name!
(I like it on a boy too, but I would spell it [name_u]Jesse[/name_u]. [name_u]Jess[/name_u] feels like a totally different name.)

[namer_gamer]

IMO, [name_u]Jess[/name_u] is…

steady, dependable, smart, strong, minimalist, witty, outdoorsy, and naturally beautiful.

I like that this name is short and not frilly. It does have tomboy undertones, but I don’t see that as a bad thing. I actually like that I could imagine a variety of women with the name [name_u]Jess[/name_u]- from hyperfeminine to tomboy.

What is funnt is that I have always considered [name_u]Jess[/name_u] 100% a girls name. Jessie/Jesse, however, I have considered unisex.

[coolauntieviolet]

I think [name_u]Jess[/name_u] is awesome, and [name_u]Jessie[/name_u] is equally as awesome, I don’t think [name_u]Jessie[/name_u] won’t be taken less seriously, it was quite popular for both men and woman a long time ago, actually [name_m]Elvis[/name_m] Presley’s still born twin was [name_u]Jesse[/name_u].

[lilyofthevale]

Oh my gosh… I love love love this!
I am literally in love with the vibes you have written.

@OctaviaMay

Jess feels rugged, outdoorsy, yet still girly and playful. Jess loves to run around, barefoot, and has a spirited, slightly dramatic temper and a head full of daydreams.

I love this - totally reminds me of Anne from Anne of Green Gables !

@OctaviaMay

a wild, windy, natural feel, still perfectly feminine and fun!

And this

@OctaviaMay

Honestly, I like Jess more. It’s more sparkly! Reminds me of Jill and Scout, which I also love.
Great, under-rated name!

That literally makes me so happy that it reminds you of Jill! Jill’s one of my all time favourite girls names, so that connection is amazing.

Somehow, you’ve been able to do the undoable - make me romanticise a name I previously hated.
Thank you so much!

[lilyofthevale]

That’s interesting you consider it as solely feminine! And [name_u]Jessie[/name_u] as neutral.
Also interesting that you can see it on someone hyperfemnine. Thank you!

[lilyofthevale]

That’s interesting that you find [name_f]Tess[/name_f] more hard to say than [name_u]Jess[/name_u] - and also that [name_u]Jess[/name_u] can be feminine!
Maybe my impression is just because of the [name_f]Jessica[/name_f] “Jess” I knew wasn’t the most pleasant person…
Also that’s cool that you chose it for your MC in your first full length piece of writing!!

Also, great to know you think it shares vibes of [name_f]Tess[/name_f], [name_f]Kate[/name_f], [name_f]Bex[/name_f], [name_f]Lori[/name_f] and [name_f]Betsy[/name_f]! I love those names!!! Thank you!

[lilyofthevale]

Interesting!! Thank you! I love the associations with [name_f]Tess[/name_f] and [name_f]Jane[/name_f]!

[OctaviaMay]

Aww, thank you so much! I honestly love [name_u]Jess[/name_u]! [name_f]Glad[/name_f] you appreciate her more now too! Sometimes shorter names can tend to seem less feminine (I guess because we tend to associate feminine names with longer, frillier names like [name_f]Evelina[/name_f] and [name_f]Aurora[/name_f] etc…and shorter names with a sterner, serious vibe (Anne, Jane…etc) But I think they are just as girly, in a different way, and still gorgeous names!

[lilyofthevale]

I agree!
Thank you for the newfound appreciation of [name_u]Jess[/name_u]
I’m also loving [name_f]Jessa[/name_f] and [name_u]Jessie[/name_u] at the moment too!