See the results of this poll: Which name?
Respondents: 62 (This poll is closed)
- Minerva : 27 (44%)
- Theodora: 35 (56%)
I chose [name_f]Theodora[/name_f] because of your nn. Concerns. I think you would be more likely to have a [name_f]Theodora[/name_f] be called [name_f]Theodora[/name_f] because is my mind the nn. are a little less automatic…you could call her [name_f]Thea[/name_f], [name_u]Theo[/name_u], [name_f]Dora[/name_f], or even [name_f]Edie[/name_f]…but no one would know that until you told them. with [name_f]Minerva[/name_f] my first thought was “[name_f]Minnie[/name_f]” of course…well and the books about the adorable chicken [name_f]Minerva[/name_f] [name_f]Louise[/name_f]. Chicken aside I do think [name_f]Minerva[/name_f] [name_f]Louise[/name_f] is an adorable combo. I also think people would be less likely to assign her a nn. If you introduced her by a double barrel sort of name like [name_f]Minerva[/name_f] [name_f]Louise[/name_f], [name_f]Minerva[/name_f] [name_f]Jane[/name_f], [name_f]Minerva[/name_f] [name_f]Mae[/name_f], [name_f]Minerva[/name_f] [name_f]Adele[/name_f]…you get the idea. Then they would likely shorten her name to [name_f]Minerva[/name_f] rather than [name_f]Minnie[/name_f]. This was just my impression. I love the vintage feel of both names.
I love [name_f]Theodora[/name_f] with or without a nickname. [name_f]Minerva[/name_f] is ok but I would only call her [name_f]Minnie[/name_f] (I prefer having a formal name even if you always use the nn).
[name_m]Both[/name_m] would end up being nicknamed a lot, but if you refer to your child fairly consistently as either [name_f]Minerva[/name_f] or [name_f]Theodora[/name_f], she’ll get called both by others as well. If you ALWAYS introduce her as [name_f]Minerva[/name_f] or [name_f]Theodora[/name_f], she won’t be relegated to being just a nickname. Likely she’ll go by a nickname with her friends/family, but introduce herself as her full name if she so chooses.
I always call people by their full name unless they ask me to do otherwise ([name_f]Brittany[/name_f] is not automatically [name_u]Brit[/name_u], [name_m]Jacob[/name_m] not [name_m]Jake[/name_m], [name_u]Madison[/name_u] not [name_f]Maddie[/name_f]…) and I tend to expect the same courtesy with my own name ([name_f]Cecilia[/name_f]) which people have a tendency to shorten. I immediately correct anyone who calls me [name_f]Cece[/name_f].
The best way is to call her by her full name basically all the time. It’s her name, she’ll know it as such, be comfortable with it, and be a bit resistant to nicknames.
I’d actually say go with [name_f]Minerva[/name_f] for this. [name_f]Minerva[/name_f] really only has one nickname, [name_f]Minnie[/name_f], and it won’t fit all little girls, and is cutesy enough to only be used by those close to her, if that makes sense. No one would assume they can call her [name_f]Minnie[/name_f], at least not once she hits thirteen or so.
Hmm…
I voted [name_f]Theodora[/name_f], I love this choice and even though the UK’s beloved [name_u]Robbie[/name_u] [name_m]Williams[/name_m] named his daughter [name_f]Theodora[/name_f] I really don’t think this name will rise in popularity. I think [name_f]Theodora[/name_f] will remain unpopular and quirky. I just don’t think the average [name_u]Brit[/name_u] will move away from [name_f]Maisie[/name_f], [name_f]Amelia[/name_f], and [name_f]Imogen[/name_f] onto [name_f]Theodora[/name_f]. It’s just too out there. I honestly adore [name_f]Theodora[/name_f] she’s so majestic and elegant. In all honesty I prefer the [name_f]Thea[/name_f] nickname, [name_f]Dora[/name_f] isn’t my thing but still out of the two I prefer [name_f]Theodora[/name_f], despite the nickname not being my thing. Yes [name_f]Minerva[/name_f] is sweet, elegant, and pretty but she just doesn’t have the same quality or passion as [name_f]Theodora[/name_f]. If you have another daughter you could save [name_f]Minerva[/name_f] for her. [name_f]Theodora[/name_f] & [name_f]Minerva[/name_f] sound like a lovely sibling pair.
[name_f]One[/name_f] of my favorite books has a protagonist called [name_f]Minerva[/name_f] nn [name_u]Min[/name_u], which warms me up greatly to the name and nickname. I love the goddess, the history, the nicknames, but for some reason [name_f]Minerva[/name_f] has never been one of my favorites. I think it might be its proximity to the word “unnerve.”
[name_f]Theodora[/name_f] is pretty, a little stuffy, but pretty. [name_f]Theodora[/name_f] [name_f]Mairi[/name_f] is lovely.
Honestly, both are fairly equal to me. Their styles are very similar, and I feel the same about both names. I just came to support your middle name choice (I never was a fan of [name_f]Minnie[/name_f]).
I like both but have to go with [name_f]Theodora[/name_f]. I find it dark, beautiful, romantic… I would use the nn [name_f]Thea[/name_f] over [name_f]Dora[/name_f] though.
I love [name_f]Minerva[/name_f]. I think it’s a strong and beautiful name. [name_f]Theodora[/name_f] is nice, but I’m not a fan of feminizations. I have [name_f]Minerva[/name_f] on my list and was thinking that [name_f]Mae[/name_f] would be a great nickname.
[name_f]Minerva[/name_f] [name_f]Minerva[/name_f] [name_f]Minerva[/name_f] x1000. I agree with Celianne that they’d both be shortened a lot, and while I like [name_f]Dora[/name_f] well enough, [name_f]Minnie[/name_f] is just perfect and overflowing with spunk. [name_f]Minerva[/name_f] is such a gorgeous, intelligent, unusual-but-accessible kind of name. The world needs more Minervas.