Ok so i apologise for posting so much. [name_f]My[/name_f] problem:
[name_f]Ophelia[/name_f]. I love it. The only issue is the fact that [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] in hamlet goes insane and dies tragically because of it. Is this name too tragic? I’ve asked family members and they think it is, I quote, “cursed”. So berries, is this name too tragic? Is it cursed? I’m at a loss. (Hypothetical)
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I don’t think it’s too tragic.
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I mean, it is a tragic story, but it’s also quickly becoming a more widely used name! It’s at #387 in the US right now so I feel like maybe that association may dissipate a bit as it becomes more well known!
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Is it a bad sign that I guessed it was [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] from the title? 
Honestly, I don’t think so. I think more about the sound of it and the song by The Lumineers!
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I agree with this. That’s my first thought
I didn’t even think about the literary aspect
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I don’t think that association makes the name unusable. However, [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] is just a few letters off from a really vile word/concept that I can’t help but think others may cringe when they hear it. I used to love the name but gave it up years ago because of that. It may be one of the only, very few names I would recommend against using.
No, I don’t. I didn’t know anything about it until I joined NB.
I don’t think it’s too tragic. It’s becoming more familiar so I don’t think the association is too overwhelming
For me, personally, as an [name_f]English[/name_f] major, yes it’s too tragic. But I think it’s cute for others to use!
There is a character is the [name_f]Flavia[/name_f] De [name_u]Luca[/name_u] series named [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f], plus the lumineers song…
Unless you are part of a shakespearean acting group I think it’s fine.
A lot, and I repeat, a LOT of common names have, um, interesting connotations that we’ve all apparently taken an unspoken oath to ignore.
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I love [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f], and love the [name_f]Natalie[/name_f] Merchant song (which is probably actually about the [name_m]Shakespeare[/name_m] [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] to an extent?), and love [name_f]Ofelia[/name_f] from “[name_m]Pan[/name_m]’s Labyrinth”…
though (spoiler) she also dies young.
I don’t know. On the one hand I love it and probably due to [name_f]Natalie[/name_f] Merchant’s song and [name_m]Pan[/name_m]’s Labyrinth see the name more as representing the strength of womankind… but perhaps it is too tragic? The thing that put me off more is my Mum saying it sounds like “I’ll feel ya”, but Mum loves to ruin gorgeous names like that.
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I don’t think Ophelia is too tragic. Yes the story is tragic but there is the more modern association with the song by The Lumineers which is definitely a more positive association. Also even though the story is tragic I still think the Shakespearean connection is cool. I do think as the name increases in popularity which I do see happening that association won’t be as strong.
I would say go with Ophelia!
It’s rapidly growing in popularity in the US, so I think the general consensus is that it’s fine to use. But for me personally, [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] is way too tied to the character.
I did too. It is too tragic for me personally but honestly [name_f]Juliet[/name_f] is just as bad and it is widely used
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I love [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] for others, but not for myself for this reason. I do think of [name_m]Hamlet[/name_m] as a first association, BUT I don’t think that makes it unusable. I love to see other people with the name, but I am cautious using it myself.
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I like [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f], but I get what you mean about the cursed part. Same reason I could never use [name_u]Kennedy[/name_u]!
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Okay despite all the love for [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] in this forum … I’m gonna say, as a [name_m]Shakespeare[/name_m] nerd, that that’s part of the reason I dislike it, other than it just not being my style/sounding ugly to me. Not because it’s cursed (I don’t believe in that!) but because [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] just bored and then annoyed me followed by her “tragic” (pointless) death.
But … my opinion doesn’t have to be yours! I’m a downer, lol. If you really love it, then use it!
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I think [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] is a beautiful name. I’ve never read or watched Hamlet, and I don’t think everyone knows about the tragic association (I only know about it through NB). Unless people where you live are very into [name_m]Shakespeare[/name_m], I can’t see it being an issue. People use [name_u]Regan[/name_u] despite that being the name of a villainous character in King [name_m]Lear[/name_m], etc.
The story is very tragic, but not the name imo.
Unrelated (somewhat), but I have to say the [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] sounds like pedopilia to me. 