I happen to be a big [name_m]Ben[/name_m] Affleck fan and try to watch every movie he’s in…
With that said, [name_u]Jersey[/name_u] Girl is one of my favorite movies.
In that movie he names his daughter after her mom [name_f]Gertrude[/name_f], but he refers to her as [name_f]Gertie[/name_f] throughout the film.
[name_m]Just[/name_m] curious if this name would be too odd to ever use. I definitely like the idea of [name_f]Gertie[/name_f] as her nickname (I realize [name_f]Trudy[/name_f] also works but it doesn’t appeal to me) and would probably use [name_f]Gertie[/name_f] as the nickname.
I feel like [name_f]Gertrude[/name_f] with “[name_f]Gertie[/name_f]” is a lot like [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] and “[name_f]Maggie[/name_f]” yet [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] and [name_f]Maggie[/name_f] are way more popular!
Anyway, just curious to others thoughts on this name.
I know some may say “If you like the name, use it!” but I already get faces over [name_m]Caden[/name_m], I’d rather not pick another name that people are gonna make a face over.
I haven’t heard the name [name_f]Gertie[/name_f] in a long while. The only place I heard [name_f]Gertie[/name_f] was the little girl in ET. [name_f]Gertie[/name_f] is an adorable nickname. Personally for me [name_f]Gertrude[/name_f] sounds a bit harsh and not very pleasant sounding. [name_f]Do[/name_f] you like [name_f]Gabrielle[/name_f] or [name_f]Gabriella[/name_f]? It might be a stretch but I think [name_f]Gertie[/name_f] works as a nickname for either.
Well, [name_f]Gertrude[/name_f] & [name_f]Gertie[/name_f] will likely get you a few looks. I think you can’t name your kids to please everyone else, but this name is generally unfashionable. That said, so was [name_f]Mabel[/name_f] & [name_f]Hazel[/name_f] just a few years ago. Some would probably still grimace at them. But we’re in the age of unique classics so in that way you might be onto something with [name_f]Gertrude[/name_f].
I think of [name_u]Drew[/name_u] Barrymore in ET before I think of [name_u]Jersey[/name_u] Girl, though I do remember that rather off-beat movie.
I see it as an off-beat name choice too. But classic & legit and quirky. Why not?
[name_f]Gabrielle[/name_f] and [name_f]Gabriella[/name_f] are on my list of…non-favorites…let’s just put it that way. Bad association with the name unfortunately.
I don’t care for [name_f]Mabel[/name_f] or [name_f]Hazel[/name_f] haha.
I just feel like if [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] can make a comeback, why not [name_f]Gertrude[/name_f], or at least a variation of it?
Hahaha, that made me smile! Thanks for the support.
@roxanne33 I actually like the nickname [name_f]Gertie[/name_f] more than I like the name [name_f]Gertrude[/name_f] itself. [name_f]Trudy[/name_f] just doesn’t appeal to me, which is odd cause I’m a big fan of Monk. Or maybe that is the reason why haha! I guess I just associate [name_f]Gertie[/name_f] with the actress in the movie and how adorable her character was and how well the name suited her.
You should watch the old [name_f]Gertie[/name_f] the Dinosaur. It’s an old Vaudeville classic and many people will think of this when they hear [name_f]Gertie[/name_f].
[name_f]Gertrude[/name_f] is the name of a great aunt of mine and everyone I know thinks it’s awkward and rather unpleasant. While her sisters names have come back in vogue her’s hasn’t.
I’d probably choose something like [name_f]Geraldine[/name_f] [name_f]Tabea[/name_f] or [name_f]Geranium[/name_f] [name_f]Tessa[/name_f] (or something) with nn [name_f]Gertie[/name_f] instead. It would still give you the link to the movie you love without being so literal.
I had thought of [name_f]Greta[/name_f], too. I think of the character played by ([name_u]Malin[/name_u] Akerman?) whose name is [name_f]Gertrude[/name_f] nn [name_f]Gertie[/name_f]. I like [name_f]Gertie[/name_f] more than [name_f]Gertrude[/name_f] OR [name_f]Trudy[/name_f], but it’s not something that really appeals to me, personally. I think [name_f]Greta[/name_f] nn [name_f]Gertie[/name_f], or even [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] nn [name_f]Gertie[/name_f], would work a bit better. Either way, I feel like [name_f]Gertrude[/name_f]/[name_f]Gertie[/name_f]/[name_f]Greta[/name_f]/etc. are the total opposite in style to [name_m]Caden[/name_m]… I’m finding it hard to imagine them next to each other! Not that sibsets are everything (they definitely aren’t!), but it’s just a bit jarring for me. Unfortunately, I agree with some of the others that [name_f]Gertrude[/name_f] would be a bit face-inducing.
On a lighter note, my second association to it is [name_f]Gertrude[/name_f] (pronounced the [name_m]German[/name_m] way, gehr-trooh-deh), the sister of Burkhalter. haha. I always loved the episodes with Klink and [name_f]Gertrude[/name_f]! My mom used to watch the show when she was little, and sort of infected the rest of my family. It’s hilarious and great fun, and I think the tie to [name_f]Gertrude[/name_f] in it is pretty amazing, actually.
If you’re trying to avoid a name that causes grimaces and frowns and annoying looks, I would probably keep looking, though–I feel like you would get that reaction quite a lot. [name_f]Gertrude[/name_f] is quite a bit of an acquired taste.
I think it’s usable. I don’t like it and wouldn’t use it, but it’s very usable. You may not be able to keep her from using [name_f]Trudy[/name_f] if she really wants to.
That being said my experience is when kids have very mismatched sibsets, they usually are jealous of the kids with the alternative style of naming. [name_f]Gertrude[/name_f] nicknamed [name_f]Gertie[/name_f] is an old-fashioned style. Nothing wrong with that, but it goes best with names like [name_f]Agnes[/name_f], [name_f]Agatha[/name_f], [name_f]Irma[/name_f], [name_f]Henrietta[/name_f] nn [name_f]Hetty[/name_f], [name_f]Millicent[/name_f], [name_f]Esther[/name_f], etc. Or timeless names maybe like [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f], and [name_f]Rose[/name_f]. I think it would be annoying to have a brother named [name_m]Caden[/name_m], which is so modern. I picture her thinking “why does he get a modern name, and I get an old name?”
Good [name_m]Luck[/name_m]!
I think with all the ‘old lady’ names coming back (which I [name_f]LOVE[/name_f]), [name_f]Gertrude[/name_f] will definitely find herself a place in the world. However I agree with emilyva - a [name_f]Gertrude[/name_f] who has siblings named [name_u]Jaycee[/name_u] and [name_m]Caden[/name_m] would likely grow up despising how different her name is from that of her siblings, and I don’t think [name_f]Gertie[/name_f] is strong enough to stand on it’s own. I have to admit, my name ([name_u]Haley[/name_u]) is unisex, and my sister’s ([name_f]Mikayla[/name_f]) is very feminine, and when someone brings up [name_u]Haley[/name_u] [name_m]Joel[/name_m] [name_m]Osment[/name_m], I grit my teeth and curse my mother for using the spelling that she did, while my sister as the sweet, girly name.
[name_f]Emma[/name_f], [name_m]Caden[/name_m], [name_u]Jaycee[/name_u], and [name_f]Gertrude[/name_f]? To be honest, this sounds like exactly the kind of ludicrously mismatched sibset used as an example on naming sites of what not to do. [name_f]Emma[/name_f] is an overused classic, [name_m]Caden[/name_m] and [name_u]Jaycee[/name_u] are tendy invented names, and [name_f]Gertrude[/name_f] is a clunky antique. They’re from totally different universes stylistically. Still, I have to admit I have a soft spot for [name_f]Gertrude[/name_f], since she’s shared by two of my feminist heroes. With your children’s names, [name_f]Gloria[/name_f] or [name_f]Greta[/name_f] would work far better.
[name_f]Gertrude[/name_f] is cute, nerdy chic to me, but my personal association with [name_f]Gertie[/name_f] (Galloping [name_f]Gertie[/name_f] - Google it) kind of ruins the nickname.
I actually like [name_f]Maisie[/name_f], [name_f]Daisy[/name_f], [name_f]Lucy[/name_f], [name_f]Georgia[/name_f], and [name_u]Vivian[/name_u]. [name_u]June[/name_u] as a middle name.
Although out of those I only see myself using [name_f]Daisy[/name_f] or [name_f]Lucy[/name_f].
My SO and I plan to use [name_u]Monroe[/name_u] if/when we have another child and if it’s a girl. Assuming we still like the name then.
As for [name_f]Gertrude[/name_f] matching my other children, I feel like it kind of works with [name_f]Emma[/name_f] because [name_f]Emma[/name_f] is technically an “old lady” name too, it’s just popular again.
But I’m not sure my children’s names really go together now, maybe they do.
There’s also the factor of the twins…[name_f]Gertrude[/name_f] would add to [name_f]Emma[/name_f], [name_m]Caden[/name_m], [name_u]Jaycee[/name_u] and two other boys names ([name_m]Wyatt[/name_m] and possibly [name_m]Levi[/name_m])
What are the thoughts on using [name_f]Gertrude[/name_f] as a middle name (if it flowed)?
I think the middle is the place to do whatever the $&@# you want! Seriously, [name_f]Gertrude[/name_f] would make a totally clunk-punk middle, especially paired with a more sprightly, modern first. That said, the flow of [name_u]Monroe[/name_u] [name_f]Gertrude[/name_f] is awkward – they’re both two-syllable, r-heavy names with the emphasis on the first syllable.
I think it’s a good thing, since it describes my two favorite middles: [name_f]Cordelia[/name_f] and [name_m]Balthazar[/name_m].
[name_m]How[/name_m] about [name_f]Adelaide[/name_f]? [name_f]Adelaide[/name_f] [name_f]Gertrude[/name_f] is quite distinguished, and [name_f]Addie[/name_f] goes perfectly with [name_f]Emma[/name_f].
I’ve never been a fan of [name_f]Adelaide[/name_f].
The only name I’d use that’s a longer version of [name_f]Addie[/name_f] is [name_u]Addison[/name_u], but I certainly don’t like it enough to use.
[name_u]Addison[/name_u] [name_f]Gertrude[/name_f] doesn’t flow enough for me.
Sigh. I think I’ll just add [name_f]Gertrude[/name_f] to my gp list, figured that’s where it’d end up anyway.
