Particularly the combination [name_f]Marilyn[/name_f] [name_u]Jo[/name_u]? The most common response I get is either that it’s classy and beautiful or that it’s nice, but boring. If you met a little girl named [name_f]Marilyn[/name_f], or if you saw a birth announcement on Facebook of a baby named [name_f]Marilyn[/name_f], what would your reaction be?
My first thought is [name_u]Monroe[/name_u]. Not a bad association but definitely a strong one. I like it fine, it’s pretty and charmingly retro, but I’d pair it with a stronger, more classic middle name…[name_u]Jo[/name_u] is cute but seems incomplete. What about [name_f]Marilyn[/name_f] [name_f]Johanna[/name_f] or [name_f]Marilyn[/name_f] [name_f]Josephine[/name_f]? If you want short, what about [name_f]Marilyn[/name_f] [name_f]Joan[/name_f] or [name_f]Marilyn[/name_f] [name_f]Jane[/name_f]?
I have a [name_f]Marilynn[/name_f]. I love the fact that we don’t have any other little girls in our area that have her name. I think [name_f]Marilyn[/name_f] [name_u]Jo[/name_u] is super cute.
but I think of a frumpy bag lady. Sorry!
I think of [name_f]Marilyn[/name_f] [name_u]Monroe[/name_u], not my style or taste for a sweet little girl.
It’s a family name for me, and I personally love it! (I guess that’s a tad bit of bias though…)
I like the above suggestions of [name_f]Marilyn[/name_f] [name_f]Josephine[/name_f]!
I never gave the name much thought, until recently a friend of mine announced her soon to be daughter’s name of choice was [name_f]Marilyn[/name_f] Lafey and I found it absolutely charming! [name_m]Even[/name_m] with Lafey.
These are basically my thoughts to a tee. My mother’s middle name is [name_u]Jo[/name_u], and she’s never liked it. She thinks it makes her sound like a country bumpkin - which she isn’t! She’d rather have had her middle name be [name_f]Josephine[/name_f] - or [name_f]Joanne[/name_f], [name_f]Josette[/name_f], or even [name_f]Joy[/name_f], which are some other options not mentioned.
Edited to add: I just realized that given [name_f]Marilyn[/name_f] [name_u]Monroe[/name_u]'s marriage to [name_m]Joe[/name_m] DiMaggio, you may actually not want to use [name_u]Jo[/name_u] or any other [name_u]Jo[/name_u]- beginning name at all. It could make people think of [name_u]Monroe[/name_u] even more, which would make it tough for your daughter to create her own image!
[name_f]Marilyn[/name_f] feels super dated. What about [name_f]Marla[/name_f]?
My mom’s name is [name_f]Marilyn[/name_f] (for [name_u]Monroe[/name_u]!) - her parents needed an M name in memory of a relative. Her friends call her [name_f]Mar[/name_f]. (like the mar sound in [name_f]Marilyn[/name_f])