Renaming Irene

Writers' Corner
1

So, I have a character born circa 1922, a [name]New[/name] [name]York[/name] college co-ed in my novel set in 1941. She is ash blonde and pleasantly plump. She’s the main costume person for the school’s drama club and the quieter, more level-headed “best friend” of the club’s biggest drama queen. Her name was supposed to be [name]Irene[/name] [name]Simpson[/name], but her friend’s name is [name]Maxine[/name], and I’ve decided that maybe the rhyming of their names is too much. She is in love with another character named [name]Felix[/name].

Other options for [name]Irene[/name]:

[name]Verna[/name]
[name]Bernice[/name] (nn [name]Binnie[/name]?)
[name]Ida[/name]

I am looking for a definite “old lady” name. Any other suggestions?

2

I like [name]Ida[/name] [name]Simpson[/name].

Others…

Ermengarde (Ermie)
[name]Nancy[/name]
[name]Eugenia[/name] ([name]Genie[/name])
[name]Gertrude[/name] ([name]Gertie[/name])
[name]Hortensia[/name]

3

I think [name]Ida[/name] [name]Simpson[/name] would work, though if you like the name [name]Irene[/name], you might have to change [name]Maxine[/name] to something else like [name]Charlotte[/name].

4

[name]Ida[/name] is good, could also be [name]Ada[/name] if you don’t like that.

5

Other ideas:

[name]Doris[/name]
[name]Shirley[/name]
[name]Lois[/name]
[name]Gladys[/name]
[name]Dolores[/name]
[name]Edna[/name]
[name]Ethel[/name]
[name]Agnes[/name]
[name]Bertha[/name]
[name]Opal[/name]

Source: Behindthename.com Popularity List from 1920s

6

I like [name]Opal[/name], myself. Still an old-lady name, but not one of the uglier old-lady names, like [name]Agnes[/name].

7

Loving [name]Bernice[/name]. A few more ideas:
[name]Dorothy[/name]
[name]Lois[/name]
[name]Gladys[/name]
[name]Pauline[/name]
[name]Donna[/name]
[name]Dora[/name]
[name]Hilda[/name]
[name]Miriam[/name]
[name]Marcella[/name]
[name]Laverne[/name]
[name]Olga[/name]
[name]Eula[/name]

This is a great list for this time period: Top names of the 1920s

8

I’ve never heard the name [name]Marcella[/name] before! It’s really cool, though.

9

[name]Hildegarde[/name] is my favorite old lady name. NN [name]Hildy[/name]?

10

[name]Beatrix[/name]! (or possibly [name]Beatriz[/name])

11

Is she ever going to come back and let us know what she named her??

12

[name]Hilda[/name] is more common than [name]Hildegarde[/name], but I like [name]Hildegarde[/name], too. very unusual…but definitely a mouthful (love the name, sooo wouldn’t want to be named it!)

13

I think something short and sweet will work [name]Ida[/name] or [name]Ivy[/name] or [name]Ella[/name] maybe

14

@renrose…got no clue!

15

[name]Beatrice[/name], perhaps.

16

I’m not sure about [name]Beatrice[/name]…though it is a good old lady name! I don’t know, I just have a grudge against the name [name]Beatrice[/name]. And [name]Gertrude[/name]. (Tat’s mostly because, in my opinion, [name]Gertrude[/name] is one of the ugliest names ever!)

17

Sorry for never coming back! If anyone still cares, I went with [name_f]Verna[/name_f] nn [name_f]Vernie[/name_f]. But, now that I am reading his thread and all your great suggestions (which I truly do appreciate!), you’re making me wonder if [name_f]Ida[/name_f] would better…

18

[name_f]Irena[/name_f]
[name_f]Renee[/name_f]
[name_f]Rachelle[/name_f]
[name_f]Marie[/name_f]
[name_f]Laura[/name_f]
[name_f]Grace[/name_f]

19

Actually, people w/similar names are often attracted to one another as friends, or romantic partners…it’s why so many couples have the same first initials.

20

rkrd, that’s a fascinating fact! I had noticed a lot of couples like that, even with the same sort of name, like [name_m]Robert[/name_m] and [name_f]Roberta[/name_f] and [name_m]Stephen[/name_m] and [name_f]Stephanie[/name_f]. And, I think that very well could be the case for [name_f]Maxine[/name_f] and [name_f]Irene[/name_f]… it’s just that when you’re writing a book, you don’t want readers to get confused. They always tell you not to make too many characters with the same initial (thought it worked for the Brontës!) Maybe I should just go with [name_f]Irene[/name_f] as I planned… Book is still in revision stage.