My grandmother’s name is Ludivine. ([name_f]Lu[/name_f]-dee-vee-ne )However, she changed it quite a while ago for [name_f]Lucie[/name_f]. What do you guys think of Ludivine? [name_m]How[/name_m] would you pronouce it in English? (Its french) What would be some nickname options? And finally, what would work as a middle?
Not a huge fan of Lud- names (particularly for girls), but I understand the appeal of family names! As an English speaker in the U.S. with no [name_m]French[/name_m] background whatsoever, I’d pronounce it [name_f]Lu[/name_f]-div-een or [name_f]Lu[/name_f]-divine.
[name_f]Lucy[/name_f]/[name_f]Lucie[/name_f] is one nickname choice, especially to further honor your grandmother, but I could also see [name_u]Lou[/name_u]/[name_f]Lu[/name_f], [name_f]Lulu[/name_f], [name_f]Evie[/name_f], [name_f]DeeDee[/name_f] and [name_u]Vinnie[/name_u].
I would pronounce it [name_f]Lu[/name_f]-di-veen as well.
If you use it as a first name, be prepared to correct people’s spelling and pronunciation for a very long time. There are several cute nicknames, though, as @ceryle pointed out. My favorites are [name_f]Lucie[/name_f], [name_f]Lu[/name_f], and [name_f]Evie[/name_f], but you could also do [name_f]Vi[/name_f], [name_f]Viv[/name_f], [name_f]Vivi[/name_f], or [name_m]Louie[/name_m].
For a middle name I would do something simple and easy to pronounce.
Ludivine [name_f]Grace[/name_f]
Ludivine [name_f]Belle[/name_f]
Ludivine [name_f]Michelle[/name_f]
Ludivine [name_f]Elise[/name_f]
Ludivine [name_f]Jolie[/name_f]
Ludivine [name_f]Anna[/name_f]
Ludivine [name_f]Isabelle[/name_f]
Ludivine [name_f]Gabrielle[/name_f]
Personally I would use Ludivine as your daughter’s middle name, and that opens your first name options to longer names:
[name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] Ludivine
[name_f]Emma[/name_f] Ludivine
[name_f]Abigail[/name_f] Ludivine
[name_f]Miranda[/name_f] Ludivine
[name_f]Victoria[/name_f] Ludivine
[name_f]Sophia[/name_f] Ludivine
[name_f]Rowena[/name_f] Ludivine
[name_f]Penelope[/name_f] Ludivine
[name_f]Olivia[/name_f] Ludivine
[name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] Ludivine
[name_f]Natalia[/name_f] Ludivine
[name_f]Margaret[/name_f] Ludivine
[name_f]Minerva[/name_f] Ludivine
[name_f]Lavender[/name_f] Ludivine
[name_f]Isabella[/name_f] Ludivine
[name_f]Gabrielle[/name_f] Ludivine
And, of course, [name_f]Lucie[/name_f] is also a lovely first name option and still a wonderful tribute to your grandmother.