The clunkiest clunkies!

[Demoiselle]

Hi all! Ever since I joined Nameberry, I’ve come to embrace my love for all those rare, dignified, often heavy-sounding names that, for the most part, haven’t been bestowed on any babies for a long, long time.

Victorian Gothic revivals ([name_f]Griselda[/name_f], [name_m]Ethelred[/name_m], [name_m]Ulric[/name_m]), obvious feminizations ([name_f]Antoinette[/name_f], [name_f]Albertine[/name_f], [name_f]Ernestine[/name_f]) and stereotypically “ugly” old-timey names ([name_f]Mildred[/name_f] / [name_f]Hildred[/name_f], [name_f]Doris[/name_f], [name_f]Norma[/name_f], [name_f]Ethel[/name_f], [name_m]Vernon[/name_m]) are all right up my alley and I’d love to hear a few suggestions if any of you are feeling inspired.

[tori101]

Hmmm

I hope these are clunky enough for you

Hilda
Gertrude
Edna
Virginia
Thelma
Elma
Marjorie
Myrtle
Blanche
Gilda
Pauline
Verna
Rhona
Dolores
Eunice
Gladys
Barbara

Fergus
Angus
Maurice
Morris
Murray
Herschel
Eugene
Gordon
Basil
Alan
Gregory
Clive
Clyde
Thaddeus

Hope this helps

[LibelluleClaire]

Ermengarde
[name_f]Eglantine[/name_f]
[name_f]Deidre[/name_f]
[name_f]Brenda[/name_f]
[name_m]Milton[/name_m]
[name_m]Marvin[/name_m]
[name_m]Horace[/name_m]
[name_m]Humphrey[/name_m]

[daisydarcy]

[name_f]Hortense[/name_f]
[name_f]Clothilde[/name_f]
[name_f]Helga[/name_f]
[name_f]Myrna[/name_f]
[name_f]Norma[/name_f]
[name_f]Phyllis[/name_f]
[name_f]Euphemia[/name_f]
[name_f]Bertha[/name_f]
[name_f]Gretchen[/name_f]
[name_f]Gretel[/name_f]
[name_f]Beulah[/name_f]
[name_f]Trudy[/name_f]
[name_f]Prudence[/name_f]
[name_f]Millicent[/name_f]
[name_f]Muriel[/name_f]
[name_f]Shirley[/name_f]
[name_f]Henriette[/name_f]

[name_m]Verne[/name_m]
[name_m]Ernest[/name_m]
[name_m]Elmer[/name_m]
[name_m]Edgar[/name_m]
[name_m]Stanley[/name_m]
[name_m]Herbert[/name_m]
[name_m]Homer[/name_m]
[name_m]Donald[/name_m]
[name_m]Eugene[/name_m]
[name_m]Sherman[/name_m]
[name_m]Clarence[/name_m]
[name_m]Hershel[/name_m]
[name_m]Alvin[/name_m]
[name_m]Roger[/name_m]
[name_m]Ralph[/name_m]

[EloiseT]

Not sure they reach the clunkiest of clunk but I have always had something for uneasy names, such as:

[name_f]Morgana[/name_f]
[name_f]Faline[/name_f]
[name_f]Ursula[/name_f]
[name_f]Madrigal[/name_f]
[name_f]Judith[/name_f]
[name_f]Helen[/name_f]
[name_f]Ingrid[/name_f]
[name_f]Cerise[/name_f]
[name_f]Ferelith[/name_f]
[name_f]Celestine[/name_f]
[name_f]Rosamund[/name_f]

[blueylit]

My personal favourite is Etheldreda

Others that may be up your street:
Morag
Ursuline
Hortense
Jamesina
Ermintrude
Ingeborg
Hereswith
Pegeen
Frigg

Ones I am told are clunky (I refuse to believe it but am sharing in case they’re to your tastes):
Annunziata
Endelienta

don’t ask me why I can only think of girls! will come back if I suddenly remember some boy ones beyond Egbert

[EagleEyes]

[name_f]Geraldine[/name_f]
[name_f]Ronaldine[/name_f]
[name_f]Demelza[/name_f]
[name_f]Edwina[/name_f]
[name_f]Eustacia[/name_f]
[name_f]Beverly[/name_f]
[name_f]Alfonsine[/name_f]
[name_f]Bernadette[/name_f]
[name_f]Bertha[/name_f]
[name_f]Bernice[/name_f]
[name_f]Leopoldine[/name_f]
[name_f]Thelma[/name_f]
[name_f]Gladys[/name_f]
[name_f]Benedicta[/name_f]
[name_f]Benjamina[/name_f]
[name_f]Agatha[/name_f]
[name_f]Thomasina[/name_f]
[name_f]Adamina[/name_f]
[name_f]Beulah[/name_f]
[name_f]Wilma[/name_f]

[name_m]Virgil[/name_m]
[name_m]Cornelius[/name_m]
[name_m]Eustace[/name_m]
[name_m]Theomund[/name_m]
[name_m]Herbert[/name_m]
[name_m]Eugene[/name_m]
[name_m]Milton[/name_m]
[name_m]Melvin[/name_m]
[name_m]Orville[/name_m]
[name_m]Wilbur[/name_m]
[name_m]Horace[/name_m]
[name_m]Hubert[/name_m]

[marysia]

[name_f]Aphra[/name_f]
[name_f]Bethel[/name_f]
[name_f]Dagmar[/name_f]
[name_f]Edna[/name_f]
[name_f]Gretchen[/name_f]
[name_f]Hortense[/name_f]
[name_f]Lois[/name_f]
[name_f]Melba[/name_f]
[name_f]Olga[/name_f]
[name_f]Prudence[/name_f]
[name_f]Thekla[/name_f]

[somemelodioussonnet]

[name_m]Daryl[/name_m]
[name_m]Earl[/name_m]
[name_m]Ernest[/name_m]
[name_m]Ernie[/name_m]
[name_m]Eugene[/name_m]
[name_m]Herbert[/name_m]
[name_m]Herman[/name_m]
[name_m]Lavern[/name_m]
[name_m]Marvin[/name_m]
[name_m]Milton[/name_m]
[name_m]Norman[/name_m]
[name_m]Vern[/name_m]

[name_f]Emelda[/name_f]
[name_f]Eugenia[/name_f]
[name_f]Irma[/name_f]
[name_f]Madge[/name_f]
[name_f]Mayola[/name_f]
[name_f]Verna[/name_f]
[name_f]Vernie[/name_f]

[Greyblue]

Ethelberta
[name_m]Algernon[/name_m]
[name_m]Cuthbert[/name_m]
[name_f]Gladys[/name_f]
Wilberforce
[name_f]Petronella[/name_f]
[name_m]Horatio[/name_m]
[name_f]Honoria[/name_f]
[name_m]Everard[/name_m]
[name_f]Ermentrude[/name_f]
[name_f]Dagny[/name_f]
[name_f]Angharad[/name_f]
[name_f]Mehetabel[/name_f]
Zerubbabel
[name_f]Ronalda[/name_f]
[name_f]Raymonde[/name_f]
Amaud
[name_m]Hallam[/name_m]
[name_m]Clarence[/name_m]
[name_m]Digby[/name_m]
[name_m]Herbert[/name_m]
[name_m]Aristotle[/name_m]
Plantagenet
[name_f]Victorine[/name_f]
[name_f]Wilda[/name_f]
Hendrina
Berendina
[name_m]Melvin[/name_m]

[tallemaja]

I’ve always loved [name_f]Mildred[/name_f] so much, doesn’t she have the loveliest meaning?

Maybe…

[name_f]Hilda[/name_f] / [name_f]Hildie[/name_f]
[name_f]Maudie[/name_f]
[name_f]Brigitte[/name_f]
[name_f]Betsy[/name_f]
[name_f]Blanchefleur[/name_f]
[name_f]Constance[/name_f]
[name_f]Cherith[/name_f]
[name_f]Calpurnia[/name_f]
[name_f]Drucilla[/name_f]
[name_f]Eudora[/name_f]
[name_f]Eulalia[/name_f]
[name_f]Euphrasie[/name_f]
[name_f]Elvira[/name_f]
[name_f]Elva[/name_f]
[name_f]Francine[/name_f]
[name_f]Fortunata[/name_f]
[name_f]Frederica[/name_f] / [name_f]Friederike[/name_f]
[name_f]Georgette[/name_f]
[name_f]Hedwig[/name_f] / Hedwiga / [name_f]Hedvika[/name_f] / Hedviga
[name_f]Hermia[/name_f]
Leopoldette
[name_f]Louisetta[/name_f]
[name_f]Lorraine[/name_f]
[name_f]Lorna[/name_f]
[name_f]Marjolaine[/name_f]
[name_f]Nanette[/name_f]
[name_f]Orinthia[/name_f]
[name_f]Philomena[/name_f]
[name_f]Phaedra[/name_f]
[name_f]Roxanne[/name_f]
[name_f]Sibylla[/name_f]
[name_f]Venetia[/name_f]
[name_f]Velma[/name_f]
[name_f]Winola[/name_f]
[name_f]Zelda[/name_f]

[name_m]Bernard[/name_m]
[name_m]Byron[/name_m]
[name_m]Barnaby[/name_m] / [name_m]Barnabas[/name_m]
[name_m]Clement[/name_m]
[name_m]Cecil[/name_m]
[name_m]Constantine[/name_m]
[name_m]Douglas[/name_m]
[name_m]Fritz[/name_m]
[name_m]Franz[/name_m]
[name_m]Francis[/name_m]
[name_m]Giles[/name_m]
[name_m]Harold[/name_m]
[name_m]Howard[/name_m]
[name_m]Hugh[/name_m]
[name_m]Ishmael[/name_m]
[name_m]Ignatius[/name_m]
[name_m]Irving[/name_m]
[name_m]Isidore[/name_m]
[name_m]Leopold[/name_m]
[name_m]Lazarus[/name_m]
[name_m]Lionel[/name_m]
[name_m]Leonard[/name_m]
[name_m]Laurent[/name_m]
[name_m]Ludwig[/name_m]
[name_m]Linus[/name_m]
[name_m]Lyle[/name_m]
[name_m]Lloyd[/name_m]
[name_m]Melchior[/name_m]
[name_m]Marius[/name_m]
[name_m]Maximus[/name_m]
[name_m]Montgomery[/name_m]
[name_m]Osmond[/name_m]
[name_m]Osbert[/name_m]
[name_m]Rufus[/name_m]
[name_m]Wendell[/name_m]
[name_m]Wilmot[/name_m]

[Jesuslovesyou316]

I think [name_f]Ottilie[/name_f] or [name_f]Ottilia[/name_f] (swedish version of [name_f]Odelia[/name_f] if it’s spelled with two t’s) are rly uncommon but i think they might start to get more popular!

[LostMargaret]

I woke up the other day thinking about [name_f]Gertrude[/name_f] and how ADORABLE both [name_f]Gertie[/name_f] and [name_f]Trudy[/name_f] are as nicknames, how much history it has as a name…I think I might be getting into [name_f]Gertrude[/name_f]. For boys I also love [name_m]Gerard[/name_m], [name_m]Gervaise[/name_m], [name_m]Jarvis[/name_m], even [name_m]Elvis[/name_m]. [name_m]Ignatius[/name_m], [name_m]Ernest[/name_m] (or Earnest?!), and [name_m]Clement[/name_m] are great. [name_f]Eglantine[/name_f] and Ermengarde remind me of two favorite movies (Bedknobs and Broomsticks and A [name_m]Little[/name_m] Princess). I’m trying to talk my husband into [name_f]Wilhelmina[/name_f]. There’s something so solid and no-nonsense yet so, so cool about feminizations like [name_f]Alberta[/name_f] and [name_f]Geraldine[/name_f]. I’m right there with you on the clunky name love!

[tori101]

I’ve seen Ottilie’s around she’s within the top 200 in the UK I think she’s lovely! I really like Odelia she’s outside the top 1000 in the UK. I love both names!

[Demoiselle]

Am I in heaven? Thank you so much guys!

This is going to be long so feel free to ignore:

@tori101 They absolutely are. I’m really liking [name_f]Elma[/name_f], [name_f]Marjorie[/name_f], [name_f]Myrtle[/name_f], [name_f]Blanche[/name_f], [name_f]Pauline[/name_f], [name_f]Eunice[/name_f], [name_f]Gladys[/name_f], [name_m]Gregory[/name_m] and [name_m]Thaddeus[/name_m].

@LibelluleClaire Ermengarde is peak clunkiness, I LOVE it. [name_f]Eglantine[/name_f] and [name_f]Brenda[/name_f] are super nice too.

@daisydarcy Thank you! I love [name_f]Gretchen[/name_f], [name_f]Norma[/name_f], [name_f]Trudy[/name_f], [name_f]Prudence[/name_f], [name_f]Muriel[/name_f], [name_f]Henriette[/name_f], [name_m]Ernest[/name_m] and [name_m]Ralph[/name_m]!

@EloiseT “Uneasy” would be a good way to describe most of my favourite names, to be honest. [name_f]Faline[/name_f], [name_f]Madrigal[/name_f], [name_f]Judith[/name_f], [name_f]Helen[/name_f] and [name_f]Celestine[/name_f] are so beautiful!

@blueylit Thank you! [name_f]Ursuline[/name_f] is such a great name. I’m also very intrigued by [name_f]Pegeen[/name_f]!

@EagleEyes [name_f]Leopoldine[/name_f] is a long-time love of mine. [name_f]Geraldine[/name_f], [name_f]Edwina[/name_f], [name_f]Alfonsine[/name_f], [name_f]Bernadette[/name_f], [name_f]Gladys[/name_f], [name_f]Agatha[/name_f], [name_m]Virgil[/name_m] and [name_m]Orville[/name_m] are amazing too!

@marysia Thank you! I like these a lot: [name_f]Bethel[/name_f], [name_f]Gretchen[/name_f], [name_f]Melba[/name_f], [name_f]Olga[/name_f] [name_f]Prudence[/name_f] and [name_f]Thekla[/name_f].

@somemelodioussonnet I had never heard of [name_m]Lavern[/name_m] as a masculine name until now but I’m obsessed!

@Greyblue [name_m]Algernon[/name_m] and [name_f]Gladys[/name_f] are awesome, but [name_f]Petronella[/name_f] is straight-up magical! I’m also very intrigued by Plantagenet as a first name.

[Demoiselle]

(Reached the mentions limit in previous post. )

@tallemaja She does! Thank you so much for these lovely suggestions, I’m really liking [name_f]Maudie[/name_f], [name_f]Brigitte[/name_f], [name_f]Constance[/name_f], [name_f]Drusilla[/name_f], [name_f]Euphrasie[/name_f], [name_f]Frederica[/name_f], [name_f]Hedwig[/name_f], [name_f]Louisetta[/name_f], [name_f]Marjolaine[/name_f], [name_f]Nanette[/name_f], [name_f]Roxanne[/name_f], [name_f]Zelda[/name_f], [name_m]Bernard[/name_m], [name_m]Byron[/name_m], [name_m]Cecil[/name_m], [name_m]Constantine[/name_m], [name_m]Ignatius[/name_m], [name_m]Isidore[/name_m], [name_m]Lionel[/name_m], [name_m]Laurent[/name_m] and [name_m]Wendell[/name_m]!

@LostMargaret While I’m not a fan of [name_f]Gertrude[/name_f], nickname [name_f]Trudy[/name_f] has always sounded sooo cute to me! I also love [name_m]Jarvis[/name_m], [name_m]Ignatius[/name_m], [name_m]Ernest[/name_m], [name_f]Eglantine[/name_f], Ermengarde, [name_f]Wilhelmina[/name_f] and [name_f]Geraldine[/name_f]. Yay for the clunky team!

[notcinnamon]

[name_f]Marjorie[/name_f], [name_f]Matilda[/name_f], [name_f]Hortense[/name_f], [name_f]Gertrude[/name_f], [name_f]Helen[/name_f], [name_f]Shirley[/name_f]
[name_m]Basil[/name_m], [name_m]Lucius[/name_m], [name_m]Clarence[/name_m], [name_m]Barney[/name_m], [name_m]Luther[/name_m], [name_m]Reginald[/name_m]

Straight out of the family tree:

[name_m]Newton[/name_m], [name_m]Francis[/name_m], Lazareth, [name_m]Hawthorne[/name_m], [name_m]Carroll[/name_m], Kilby, [name_m]Mirabeau[/name_m], [name_m]Augustus[/name_m], [name_m]Hamilton[/name_m], [name_m]Gerald[/name_m], [name_m]Duane[/name_m], [name_m]Alfred[/name_m], [name_m]Duncan[/name_m], Holbin

[name_m]Essa[/name_m], [name_f]Lavinia[/name_f], [name_f]Winifred[/name_f], Leutia, [name_f]Theresa[/name_f] (ter-rezza), [name_f]Philomene[/name_f], [name_f]Jewel[/name_f], [name_f]Arrie[/name_f], [name_f]Leona[/name_f], [name_f]Jettie[/name_f], [name_f]Lavera[/name_f], Anolia, [name_f]Nolie[/name_f], [name_f]Lavonia[/name_f], [name_f]Valonia[/name_f], [name_f]Mary[/name_f] [name_f]Alice[/name_f], [name_f]Desdemona[/name_f], Fayleen, Bryleen

[Greyblue]

@Demoiselle

very intrigued by Plantagenet as a first name.

It’s used as a first name in several of [name_m]Anthony[/name_m] Trollope’s novels (and I just remembered his wife is called Glencora)

[Posielee]

[name_f]Ludmila[/name_f]
[name_f]Davina[/name_f]
[name_f]Swanhilde[/name_f]
[name_m]Werner[/name_m]
[name_f]Brunhilda[/name_f]
[name_f]Hortense[/name_f]
[name_f]Irma[/name_f]
[name_m]Eustace[/name_m] (also [name_f]Eustacia[/name_f] )
[name_f]Edwina[/name_f]
[name_f]Myrtle[/name_f]
[name_f]Verda[/name_f]
[name_f]Frederica[/name_f]
[name_m]Morris[/name_m]
[name_f]Velma[/name_f]
[name_f]Eunice[/name_f]
[name_m]Bernard[/name_m]
[name_m]Aloysius[/name_m]
[name_f]Wilma[/name_f]
[name_m]Virgil[/name_m]
[name_f]Beulah[/name_f]
[name_m]Willard[/name_m]
[name_f]Gertrude[/name_f]
[name_f]Jacobine[/name_f]
[name_m]Egbert[/name_m]
[name_f]Bertha[/name_f]

[Jesuslovesyou316]

Aw, I’m gald to hear that! I think [name_f]Ottilie[/name_f] and [name_f]Ottilia[/name_f] have some cute nickname options too like [name_f]Tilly[/name_f] or [name_f]Lottie[/name_f]