Thoughts in Gretchen

Girl Names
1

I am always looking for names that feel strong & down-to-earth (which for me means familiar or accessible) but not overly popular.

What are your thoughts on [name_f]Gretchen[/name_f]. Can you imagine it on a baby or child? For me I do picture an older woman, not an old lady, but someone maybe in her 40s. Is it dated?

[name_f]Do[/name_f] you have any associations with this name. Is there something in pop-culture that I’m missing.

I really like [name_f]Greta[/name_f], but maybe [name_f]Gretchen[/name_f] could be a good way to get to [name_f]Greta[/name_f] as a nickname.

What do you think?

2

To me, [name_f]Gretchen[/name_f] isn’t all that tied to any particular era. I only know two in real life - one in her 50s and one in her 20s - and I wouldn’t be surprised at all to hear it on a baby the way I’d be surprised at, say, a baby [name_f]Donna[/name_f], [name_f]Sharon[/name_f] or [name_f]Karen[/name_f].

As far as pop culture, there’s [name_f]Gretchen[/name_f] Wieners from Mean Girls, but other than that I can’t think of any. I think it’s a nice name. Not anything I’d personally ever use, but nice.

3

Hahaa I forgot about [name_f]Gretchen[/name_f] Weiners. I wish my husband was the inventor of toaster struedel.

4

I find it ugly the retch sound ruins it for me. I know a teenaged [name_f]Greta[/name_f] so I think of it as a bit of a younger name she pulls it of. I would use just [name_f]Greta[/name_f].

5

There’s [name_m]David[/name_m] Sedaris’ sister [name_f]Gretchen[/name_f] - she features in a lot of his work.

6

Ok Mean Girls & [name_m]David[/name_m] Sedaris I can get behind!

7

I think of [name_f]Gretchen[/name_f] from Recess - the smart, honest, loyal, child prodigy of the group. I actually love the name, and love the meaning. I see why people think it sounds too harsh, but I honestly love the way it sounds. I’m kind of into Germanic, rough-sounding names that are still feminine.

8

I knew a [name_f]Gretchen[/name_f] when I was younger (she would be in her 30s now). People would often call her Gretch which sounded like retch (throwing up) to me. It always sounded so unpleasant to me. I do know a 4 year old [name_f]Greta[/name_f]. That name sounds sweet and smart to me.

9

[name_f]Gretchen[/name_f] [name_m]Ross[/name_m] is titular character’s girlfriend in [name_m]Donnie[/name_m] [name_m]Darko[/name_m].

I wouldn’t use the name, but I do like it. [name_f]Greta[/name_f] would be cute as a nn.

10

[name_f]Gretchen[/name_f] is pretty, although when it comes to ‘chen’ names I prefer Dortchen. =]

11

I like [name_f]Greta[/name_f] as a first name and nickname. [name_f]Gretchen[/name_f] is alright but [name_f]Greta[/name_f] is lovelier to say.

12

[name_f]Gretchen[/name_f] is an interesting name. It’s basically never used in Germany, I’ve only every heard it in American movies. In Germany it’s way too nicknamey and childish. We would go for [name_f]Greta[/name_f] and maybe use it as a nickname.

13

I like [name_f]Gretchen[/name_f]. I think it’s funky.