[name_f]Margot[/name_f] is the go-to (got-to ha!) [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] derived name around where I live. I love it, but have two close friends with baby Margots. Plus we have no [name_m]French[/name_m] background, making it a somewhat odd choice. We do both have a lot of [name_m]German[/name_m] heritage.
I’m wondering what you all think of [name_f]Gretchen[/name_f].
There are things I love about it. I remember it being a favorite of mine in the 90s (I’m older than most Berries, I imagine), when I was enchanted by names like Madchen (the a has an umlaut over it) and [name_f]Annick[/name_f], both actresses whose names I encountered via Twin Peaks and Slacker, respectively. These seem like similar names to me.
To me, [name_f]Gretchen[/name_f] kind of sounds like Bitchin’, which is an attribute I’d like to convey to my daughter. (Bitchin’ as in bad@ass, not complaining).
But I know it’s quite a clunky name, with the heavy dose of consonants and the Gretch-rhymes-with-wretch thing going on.
What are your thoughts. So clunky it’s cool, a la my 1990’s perspective? Or too much? Can you recommend other names like this that we might like?
I’m a true [name_f]Gretchen[/name_f] lover. Growing up, my cousin had a friend named [name_f]Gretchen[/name_f] and she was beautiful. It hits that sweet spot of being recognizable but not popular. I do slightly prefer [name_f]Greta[/name_f], but I would use [name_f]Gretchen[/name_f] in a heartbeat.
I love [name_f]Gretchen[/name_f], and I’d like to see it get some attention. We had a dog named [name_f]Gretchen[/name_f] when I was a kid. (Not to imply that it’s a “dog name”; just to say that I’ve loved it for a long time.) I’ve even thought of using [name_f]Gretchen[/name_f] as a pen name.
One of the things I like most about [name_f]Gretchen[/name_f] is its consonant-heavy harshness. Not every name needs to be frilly, light, and sweet. [name_f]Gretchen[/name_f] has backbone. I’m all for it.
Is it that you are looking for a [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] alternative?
If so we have a family friend whose gorgeous little girl is Miraid (variation of [name_f]Mairead[/name_f]). As far as I know it’s an Irish form of [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] pronounced like parade with an M.
[name_f]May[/name_f] not be your style at all but I think it’s a lovely alternative to [name_f]Margaret[/name_f]/[name_f]Margot[/name_f].
I find [name_f]Gretchen[/name_f] quite cute, though I’ve read that in Germany it’s considered old-fashioned (and not in a good way). [name_f]Do[/name_f] you like [name_f]Greta[/name_f]? It’s also a [name_m]German[/name_m] name. Are you looking specifically for [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] derivatives?
I don’t really care for the sound of [name_f]Gretchen[/name_f], myself–it’s just quite different from most of the names I’m drawn too (which generally have lots of open vowel sounds, now that I think of it). I prefer [name_f]Gretel[/name_f] to [name_f]Gretchen[/name_f], but I think the “[name_m]Hansel[/name_m] and…” connection might be too powerful? Also [name_f]Ingrid[/name_f] has a “clunky-but-nice” Germanic vibe to me. I also like [name_f]Greta[/name_f] (which I guess is out for you) and [name_f]Inga[/name_f].
Other names that seem to me in the same vein as [name_f]Gretchen[/name_f] are [name_f]Birgit[/name_f] (again, probably wouldn’t be my choice, but maybe is in line with what you’re looking for?), [name_f]Adelheid[/name_f] (the full name of the classic [name_f]Heidi[/name_f] character) and [name_f]Liesel[/name_f].
I think [name_f]Gretchen[/name_f] is a really nice name. It’s not one of those frilly girly names that sound cute on a baby but don’t age well whatsoever. I do prefer [name_f]Greta[/name_f] but both are nice x
I love annick as well! Never heard that one before. [name_f]Gretchen[/name_f] is so pretty as well. I imagine a curly haired spunky little girl with freckles.
[name_f]Gwenna[/name_f] is similar and a little more feminine, just a suggestion.
I hear you on all of this. I love [name_f]Gretchen[/name_f]. It does not feel clunky to me, I don’t automatically think of “wretch”, it does sound [name_m]German[/name_m]. I also love [name_f]Greta[/name_f], but if it’s out, it’s out. For the record, I love [name_f]Marguerite[/name_f] as well, but I’d use the nn [name_f]Margot[/name_f] and that puts us back where we started. Unless… [name_f]Marguerite[/name_f], nn [name_f]Daisy[/name_f]?
I much prefer [name_f]Margot[/name_f], but I guess [name_f]Gretchen[/name_f] isn’t bad. I just don’t think [name_f]Gretchen[/name_f] sounds very feminine. That’s probably since I prefer frilly names. I think [name_f]Gretchen[/name_f] fits in well with the trends. I know a [name_f]Gretchen[/name_f], and she wears it well. So, as much as I love [name_f]Margo/name_f, [name_f]Gretchen[/name_f] is a good choice if you want to stay away from popular choices.
I really love [name_f]Ingrid[/name_f]. My husband is [name_m]German[/name_m] and he is quite fond of [name_f]Annalise[/name_f], it’s not exactly ‘clunky’ like [name_f]Ingrid[/name_f]/[name_f]Greta[/name_f]/[name_f]Gretchen[/name_f], but beautiful nonetheless.
[name_f]Gretchen[/name_f] is a bit too clunky and too nickname-y to me. I think it might have been used as a full name for a bit but usually -chen is a very cutesy ending that we put at the end of names to make them pet names (as in what the family calls them when they’re small) rather than nicknames. It’s a bit like putting Jakey on the birth certificate even though [name_m]Jake[/name_m] is already a nickname of [name_m]Jacob[/name_m] ([name_f]Gretchen[/name_f] -> [name_f]Greta[/name_f] -> [name_f]Margarete[/name_f]). You could go the Brothers Grimm road with [name_f]Gretel[/name_f] if [name_f]Greta[/name_f] is already in use.
I love the name [name_f]Gretchen[/name_f] as well as [name_f]Greta[/name_f]( that was my step-dad’s Mom’s name) and as a kid, [name_f]Gretel[/name_f] was near the top of my favorite names.
