What are your thoughts on this?

Hello everyone!

We are trying for our fourth and final baby and have been having lots and lots of name discussions (which I love) but my husband is stuck on a name (which I like well enough, it has a cool sound) but I’m worried is a bit… taboo? He LOVES Hades. Like loves it loves it, would totally name a child it, but will settle for it being a middle name. I want to give him this because he’s agreeing to my favourite girl’s name (and as a first too!) so I feel like there needs to be a compromise. But I’m nervous that people will think I’m insane.

The name we’re thinking is [name_u]Mason[/name_u] [name_m]Bartholomew[/name_m] Hades (if not, it would be [name_u]Declan[/name_u] [name_m]Bartholomew[/name_m] Hades–we go back and forth sometimes). So it would be the second middle. And I do like it as a name, I’m just worried it won’t be well received and I’ve tried already many many times to talk him out of it but he just loves it so much. So what do you think? Other mythological names are becoming more mainstream ([name_f]Freya[/name_f], [name_f]Persephone[/name_f]) and others I’ve seen used at least (like [name_m]Apollo[/name_m]) and middle names you can usually take more of a chance with, right? I just don’t know. Thoughts?

I love hades

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On the one hand, if it’s in the second middle spot, I don’t think it matters.

On the other hand, the way I pronounce it, it sounds very similar to ‘hate us’ which I’m not a fan of.

What about [name_u]Hayes[/name_u]? I feel like it’s similar enough that your husband will agree to it.

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While Hades was not a villain in the original myths, he was the villain in the Disney movie [name_m]Hercules[/name_m] and is what I think most people would think of when they hear the name. [name_m]Even[/name_m] if they haven’t seen the movie, Disney and other pop culture has created the idea that Hades was a villain.

Personally, I’m not a fan. I don’t like using names that only have one strong popular association (that also goes for [name_f]Persephone[/name_f] and [name_f]Freya[/name_f]), and if I were a kid I would not want to be named Hades. However, since it’s a second middle, I’m torn because it wouldn’t be used that often in real life.

Some names with similar sounds:
[name_u]Hayden[/name_u]
[name_u]Wade[/name_u]
[name_u]Haven[/name_u]

Some more common Greek mythology names:
[name_m]Jason[/name_m]
[name_m]Alexander[/name_m]
[name_m]Damon[/name_m]
[name_m]Linus[/name_m]
[name_m]Myles[/name_m]
[name_m]Nicholas[/name_m] (from [name_u]Nike[/name_u])
[name_m]Phineas[/name_m]
[name_m]Simon[/name_m]

I do connect it immediately to the God, which in mind is negative due to films like Hercules. If it is in the second middle than it doesn’t really matter. It is still a cool name.

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Our daughter already has the middle name [name_f]Freya[/name_f] (and our son has [name_m]Nicholas[/name_m] and is named [name_u]Finn[/name_u]–from Irish mythology). So it’s become harder to dispute the name. I’m torn because Hades is often the villain but then he points out the original myths and round and round we go. So I see what you’re saying.

Freya and [name_m]Nicholas[/name_m] feel one step removed because most people don’t know Norse mythology/don’t know about [name_u]Nike[/name_u] being a goddess (most people just think about the shoe brand!). Hades is very well known and most introductions to Greek mythology have him as a villain. I get it though, this is a tough situation!

Can I ask what your girls name option is? Or any other names that your husband likes?

Our girl’s name is [name_f]Mila[/name_f]. We’re leaning toward [name_f]Mila[/name_f] [name_f]Elizaveta[/name_f] [name_f]Morgana[/name_f] from our last conversation about it. [name_f]Mila[/name_f] and [name_f]Morgana[/name_f] are huge favourites of mine and [name_f]Elizaveta[/name_f] is a favourite of his, so compromise. I know it doesn’t have the greatest flow, but I just love it, so for now that’s what we’re going with. [name_f]Mila[/name_f] is set though, that I know for sure.

Other names he likes: [name_u]Mason[/name_u], [name_u]Declan[/name_u], [name_u]Calder[/name_u], [name_m]Bartholomew[/name_m], [name_m]Balthazar[/name_m] have all been discussed. He talks more openly about girls names than boys. He loves [name_f]Elizaveta[/name_f], [name_f]Clara[/name_f], [name_u]Ara[/name_u], [name_f]Belle[/name_f], [name_f]Elena[/name_f], and [name_f]Fia[/name_f]. So he’s a bit all over the place! @MagnoliaE

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Use it.

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You know, after considering, I’m going to say it’s perfectly fine. Hades may sometimes referred to as another word for hell, but technically that’s not the case. In Greek myth, Hades is simply the god of the underworld. He may have been a villain in the Disney version, but I’ve never really seen him as evil. He’s just doing his job, and because of it, I think of him almost as a sympathetic figure more than anything else. Anyway, I could go on, but I’ll spare you.

Because of how it might be perceived by others, I wouldn’t recommend it as a first name. But as a second middle? Totally fine. :slight_smile:

Fwiw, I find [name_u]Mason[/name_u] to be a bit overused, but [name_u]Declan[/name_u] [name_m]Bartholomew[/name_m] Hades is a fantastic name!

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As a Greek person, I think Hades is perfectly acceptable as a middle name! The god himself is pretty misunderstood, but even then I think a little kid might find the name cool and fun, and as he grows up he probably won’t care. [name_u]Love[/name_u] [name_u]Declan[/name_u] btw!

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@elanorelle I’ve been leaning toward [name_u]Declan[/name_u] lately over [name_u]Mason[/name_u]! We’ll see how I’ll feel when the time comes!

@tallemaja Thanks for weighing in, I appreciate having a Greek point of view as well!

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First of all, [name_f]Mila[/name_f] [name_f]Elizaveta[/name_f] [name_f]Morgana[/name_f] is absolutely gorgeous!

Hades is a bit out there, but not unusable especially as a second middle. Honestly my first association is the portrayal of Hades in [name_m]Rick[/name_m] [name_m]Riordan[/name_m]’s books, in which Hades isn’t the greatest guy but he’s not totally awful either if I remember correctly (and most of the other gods are the same way.) [name_f]My[/name_f] second association is Hades in the actual myths.

I wouldn’t worry! In my experience people who judge unusual names judge ANY remotely unusual name, so I’d say go ahead and use it!

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@midwinter Thank you for saying that about [name_f]Mila[/name_f]! I was worried it was too much with all the -a endings but I keep coming back to it and last baby = leave no loved name behind to settle for a “filler name” so it “flows” imo. So I’m happy with it and am relieved someone else likes it too!

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Hmm… maybe a more out there mythology name but someone who is generally regarded as a hero? [name_m]Theseus[/name_m], [name_u]Orion[/name_u], [name_u]Paris[/name_u] (for a boy, although he’s maybe not a hero depending on your perspective), and even [name_m]Pegasus[/name_m] could be alternatives that your husband may like?

I just feel like it might get old to have to tell people “oh, Hades wasn’t actually a bad guy!” when you say his full name, but this might not be a common problem.

Do you talk about your other kids mythological namesakes? Hades is again a lot more out there than [name_f]Freya[/name_f] and [name_u]Nike[/name_u], so it might be harder to explain the stories to him before society does.

Yeah, I agree with you. That’s why I’d like to use it as a second middle name and not a first name, because rarely would it even come up, you know? I don’t think the mythological connection has anything to do with it, we never talk about it, he just loves the name (same with [name_u]Finn[/name_u] and [name_f]Freya[/name_f], the history was a bonus for me anyway, but not a reason we used it). So that’s why I’m thinking [name_u]Mason[/name_u] (or [name_u]Declan[/name_u]) [name_m]Bartholomew[/name_m] Hades–often it wouldn’t even be seen on paperwork that only asks for first and last (or in some cases, one middle name, so it would be left out anyway). I feel like that makes it more socially acceptable. I wouldn’t use it as a first. As you said, that would get old quickly. We had a lot of weird comments about [name_u]Finn[/name_u] already. @MagnoliaE

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Honestly I think it flows pretty well! The only potential tough spot is the end of [name_f]Mila[/name_f] and beginning of [name_f]Elizaveta[/name_f], and that’s such a small thing - of course not worth leaving behind a name you love! And stylistically the names are perfect together.

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First name was a typo :sweat_smile:. I’m still torn, but ultimately you should pick a name you both love and if that happens to be Hades, :woman_shrugging:, what can you do?

I prefer [name_u]Declan[/name_u] over [name_u]Mason[/name_u]. Also, sidenote, comments on [name_u]Finn[/name_u]? Thats a super common name where I live! (Also great name!)

@MagnoliaE Where I am ([name_f]Canada[/name_f]) it’s not very well used. I got a lot of comments “where’d you find THAT?” and “like a fish?” and from relatives “but it’s not a Greek or [name_u]Christian[/name_u] (saint) name, how about…” or “he’s going to be so made fun of, you’re naming a person you know!” and “like from [name_f]Star[/name_f] Wars?” I was read dozens and dozens of names in an effort to change my mind. I guess it just depends on where you are and who you’re dealing with. And thanks!

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It’s definitely bold! I think as a second middle, it’s not a name that would be used or known unless he wanted it to be. Some kids might embrace the crazy (I knew someone who went by his second middle name, Hawkeye), while others might want to hide it, but I think as a second middle name, you’re giving the opportunity for both.

I love both [name_f]Mila[/name_f] [name_f]Elizaveta[/name_f] [name_f]Morgana[/name_f] and [name_u]Declan[/name_u] [name_m]Bartholomew[/name_m] Hades!

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