Okay, so we named our little sweetie [name]Wilhelmina[/name], aware that many ([name]Linda[/name] and [name]Pamela[/name] included) don’t exactly share in our adoration for the name. We love it’s old-fashioned, quirky, melodious qualities, and the fact that it has so many nicknames. The myriad of nicknames was essential, given that [name]Wilhelmina[/name] is just too long for everyday use. For our first two we chose nicknames that they use almost exclusively in place of thier longer given names. We narrowed the list of possible nicknames down while we were pregnant, and assumed that one of our choices would just settle on her once we met her, becoming her primary name. Not so.
We just can’t settle on one and now we have a nick name mess! Everyone calls her something different (seldom [name]Wilhelmina[/name]) and even I shift around between choices depending on my mood. Family and friends are understandably frustrated by our fickleness, and just want to know what to call her. I want to settle on a name before something less desireable sticks…
Here are the variations we like (well, actualy, my husband likes them equally, and would just like me to hurry up and choose…)
*[name]Mina[/name]- Sweet and simple, works well, but a bit lacking in character for me.
*[name]Minka[/name]- The Polish variation, and probably my favorite, but receiving the most resistance from family and friends. Many ask where the “K” came from. I also tend to call her “Minkie” (I know, it’s fabric) sometimes along with this. I sometimes wonder if I wouldn’t have went with [name]Minka[/name] in the first place, if my mom and sister hadn’t run it into the ground…
*[name]Mimi[/name]- I love to call her this, but fear it doesn’t hold up as a primary name. I actualy think it will always be my little pet name for her, reguardless of what she goes by!
*[name]Winnie[/name]- This is what my dad calls her, and It’s really grown on me, but since we’ve been using the “M” variations for this long, I don’t know if we could make the switch (a side note, my dad has his own name for every one of his grandkids-it’s his thing)
*Many of you will be tempted to suggest [name]Willa[/name], but for personal reasons, that one is not an option.
Sorry this is long, but I would really appreciate some oustide advice.
Thanks!
I love [name]Wilhelmina[/name] - very individual, classic yet quirky
[name]Mina[/name] - a very good name all round. Suits most people (i.e. when she’s a child, teenager, if she becomes a lawyer or an actress). My favourite.
[name]Minka[/name] - personally, I don’t like this, but I can see it’s appeal. [name]Just[/name] prepare yourself for more of the “where did the k come from?” questions.
[name]Mimi[/name] - just too fussy. [name]Even[/name] for a child it is ridiculously cutesy, in my opinion, and so imagine it on an adult …
[name]Winnie[/name] - just adorable too, and very unusual; for me, this is joint with [name]Mina[/name]. Why not let your dad have this as his nn for her, and everyone else can call her [name]Mina[/name]? The best of both worlds!
I hope this helped!
I think [name]Mina[/name] is the best NN for her. Its a well rounded name that she can use through out her life.
[name]Minka[/name] is a tad unusual.
[name]Mimi[/name] & and [name]Winnie[/name] are a little on the cutesy side and she my have a hard time in her teen and adult years be taken seriously.
Best of luck to you … please let us know what you decide!
definitely [name]Winnie[/name]…if it’s not too much trouble, maybe your father can adopt a different nickname (so his is still unique)…and then you get both!!
Thank you everyone for all the suggestions, you are all very wonderful! It seems there is quite a bit of new mommy after-naming angst on the boards the last few days!! I really appreciate your input, and I also took to heart some advice given to the other new mommies who are still deliberating their newborn’s names.
I don’t remember who, but someone suggested that one of the moms give each name she was cosidering a two-day test drive. I tried it myself, and guess what? One stuck- and big time!! It wasn’t the one that got the most endorsement, but it is the one that has been in my heart all along… we are calling her [name]Minka[/name]!
I mourned this name everytime I thought I had decided on one of the other names. The other options are all so precious, but my heart jumped the time I found the name [name]Minka[/name] in a name book when I was pregnant. I was reminded of a story that my son and I heard at our library’s story time with a character named [name]Minka[/name], and how that named warmed my heart (but at the time, we didn’t plan to have any more children, so I didn’t consider it as a name I might use until I read it again in the name book) I like unusual names, and thought it so fortunate that such a distinct and unique name was on the list of nicknames for our [name]Wilhelmina[/name]! I was then swayed by a couple of people who felt otherwise. Why did I do that? It’s so unlike me! Maybe because I was going against the grain already with [name]Wilhelmina[/name]. I have since decided that I would likely regret not going with my first instinct. I’ve called her [name]Mina[/name] for the most part (since it was simple and obvious) since she was born, but it just never stuck. I called her [name]Winnie[/name] for the last two days, and while it’s charm continued to grow on me, I was still undecided. Plus, my dad seemed a tad disapointed when I told him I was thinking about using it (since it is his special name for her). I called her [name]Minka[/name] all day today, and a funny thing happened… she became [name]Minka[/name]! The moment I realized it I was so happy I cried!
Thanks again for taking the time to give advice to a crazy homonal lady like myself!! You guys are all so sweet and helpful! I’m so glad there is a place for us name enthusiasts!! Kindred spirits…
[name]Mina[/name] definately. not to add another choice in but did you ever consider billy/billie. I know a wilhelmina and everyone called her billie and it was a great name.
Whatever you choose just make sure its a name that goes beyond infancy cute names are great but not so much when your thirty or forty something.
