[name]Just[/name] joined the site today and need some advice! My grandmothers name is [name]Theophila[/name] and goes by [name]Theo[/name]. I am in love with the name [name]Theo[/name], and love my grandma and would love to honour her by naming a future baby girl [name]Theo[/name].
With the name [name]Theo[/name] and [name]Theodore[/name] for boys gaining popularity, do you think it would be odd? I can totally picture a little girl named [name]Theo[/name], and having my Grandma, I can also picture a woman with the name.
What do you all think? The name would just be [name]Theo[/name], not [name]Theophila[/name]. A sibling name for our boy will be [name]Arie[/name] after my hudbands grandfather.
Hmmm. [name]Theo[/name] is all boy to me, but that could be because I know several little boy Theos and an adult one as well. I think it’s wonderful to honor your grandma, but like her name, I would probably choose a more traditional route and use [name]Theo[/name] as a nickname. If Theophilia doesn’t suit you, perhaps [name]Theodora[/name]? Or maybe just [name]Thea[/name]? It’s definitely female and just one vowel away…
No, it’s all boy to me too. [name]Theodora[/name] I would choose and call her [name]Theo[/name] or [name]Thea[/name]. Atleast give her the option to go by a more feminine name.
I agree- give her the option to go by a feminine name if she wants. You don’t have to call her [name]Theodora[/name], but she might want to have that option. Plus, she’ll get other nickname options if she prefers- [name]Theodora[/name] lends itself to [name]Dora[/name] or [name]Thea[/name], and [name]Theophila[/name] can be [name]Phila[/name], [name]Thea[/name], [name]Fee[/name], and maybe even [name]Lia[/name] or [name]Lila[/name] (lee-la). [name]Just[/name] because you like [name]Theo[/name] for a girl doesn’t mean your daughter will, and she’s the one that has to live with it.
I don’t mind [name]Theo[/name] for a girl, but I don’t like it. I get that it’s a nickname, so it technically isn’t really masculine or feminine, but I don’t see the appeal. I understand why people like [name]Rowan[/name] and [name]Aubrey[/name] for girls, even though I wouldn’t choose them, but [name]Theo[/name] I just don’t get. But I suppose I don’t have to. And I do love [name]Clio[/name] and [name]Cleo[/name], so same difference, I guess.
I like it. It’s one of those male names that could definitely switch to a girl’s name. I can just imagine a cool, collected Theo introducing herself to people. It will make her interesting. It’s a real name, pronounceable, and not shocking. The soft “th” sound is a bit feminine anyway. There are more and more names for girls that end in “o” these days anyway: Marlowe, Harlow. However, you should fully expect your 5 year old to hate it. I have a perfectly feminine first name and I still changed my name at age 5 for something “flouncier.” I changed it back later though.
I agree with the majority of previous posters. For me [name]Theo[/name] is all male. I think [name]Theophila[/name] is quite charming but if it’s not your style, I suggest considering [name]Theodora[/name] or [name]Thea[/name]. [name]Thea[/name] might be a great choice considering that you are considering [name]Arie[/name] for a boy. They are both equal in length and [name]Thea[/name] is still derived from your grandmothers name THEophilA.
Also as a thought to consider if you told me you had a boy and a girl named [name]Arie[/name] and [name]Theo[/name] I would assume [name]Theo[/name] was a boy and [name]Arie[/name] was a girl. I know [name]Arie[/name] is traditionally a boys name but in conjunction with [name]Theo[/name] is strikes me as the more feminine.
I love just [name]Theo[/name] all by its self ! I love [name]Theo[/name] for girls and boys, but if you were looking for a longer form for [name]Theo[/name] you could use [name]Theodosia[/name] or [name]Theodora[/name] :). Oh and [name]Theo[/name] for sure could stand on its own as a name for a spunky little girl.
While I can appreciate your desire to honour your grandmother, even she had a fuller name [name]Theophila[/name] to fall back on. The previous posters have given great feminine alternatives. [name]Theodosia[/name] is one of my favourite “[name]Theo[/name]” names. [name]Theo[/name] is a spunky BOY in my mind.
A girl at my university was called [name]Theo[/name], but I do believe it was short for [name]Theodora[/name]. I like it regardless. It’s spunky, artsy, and cute. I have a very traditional boy name, and I really adore it, and if your daughter doesn’t like [name]Theo[/name], she can change it to something she prefers. Half of my friends go by something other than their given name, or hate their names. So, do what you like best, and hope that it suits her.
I could see [name]Theo[/name] for a girl. If [name]Maxwell[/name] ([name]Max[/name]) is a unisex name now. And [name]Sam[/name] has been a standing one. i think it would be fine and hey, it has meaning :).
As lexiem mentioned, with names like [name]Theo[/name] & [name]Arie[/name] your children will constantly be called by the others name. Although [name]Arie[/name] is unisex, [name]Theo[/name] is totally masculine so of course people will assume [name]Theo[/name] is your son. Plus since [name]Ari[/name] is the usual male spelling, that will lead people even more to think [name]Arie[/name] is the girl
Look at it this way: you’re gram chose to be [name]Theo[/name]. She could’ve been [name]Thea[/name], [name]Phil[/name], Filly, Phi/Fi, [name]Fifi[/name], and so on. She had lots of options. By naming your daughter just [name]Theo[/name] you are taking away her choices; she can only be [name]Theo[/name].
Is your gram still alive? If so, I suggest you ask her if she would have wanted to be just [name]Theo[/name] or does she like that she has a full name.
I love [name]Theo[/name] on a girl, and I love that it’s a family name for you! If I were ever to use [name]Theo[/name] I would use it as a nickname for [name]Theodora[/name] personally, but I don’t think that [name]Theo[/name] as a full name on a girl is too out there. I also think that [name]Theophila[/name] is very cool. Since you’re honoring your grandmother and since she’s already lived with the name, perhaps the best thing to do if it’s possible would be to approach her and ask her which option she thinks would be better - [name]Theo[/name] or [name]Theophila[/name] nicknamed [name]Theo[/name].
I think [name]Theophila[/name]'s awesome, but if you’re really opposed to it then I think just [name]Theo[/name] is completely workable.
I actually love [name]Theo[/name] for a girl! With girls being called [name]Jo[/name] and [name]Max[/name] these days, I don’t see why you shouldn’t use it. Especially if you already have a strong female figure in your life with that name. If you’re worried about it being too masculine, the suggestion of [name]Theodora[/name] or another variation is also a good idea.
I very much agree with giving her a choice with a longer first, like [name]Theodora[/name] and let her pick when she’s older what she wants to go by. Boxing her in with [name]Theo[/name] seems unnecessary with such a prett option as [name]Theodora[/name].
On its own, it’s too much of a boy name to me. I like the [name]Theodora[/name], [name]Theophila[/name], [name]Theone[/name] or [name]Theona[/name] with [name]Theo[/name] as a nickname though. It would give your daughter some options.
[name]Thea[/name] would honor your grandmother just the same. [name]Even[/name] [name]Thora[/name] might work. If you’re set on [name]Theo[/name], at least give her a feminine full name.
I love [name]Theo[/name] on a girl! I think your fine using it as a first name. But a longer name is always a good option for the child to fall back on. It’s up to you. But I wouldn’t mind meeting a girl [name]Theo[/name]. it’s lovely.
I don’t care for it, to be honest. (To be fair, I don’t like it on a boy either.) But if it has meaning to you and you like it, I would give her a longer name (such as [name]Theodora[/name] or [name]Theophila[/name]), so that she could have options down the road if she feels like having a well-known boy’s name doesn’t suit her.
