DH and I are exploring the possibility of using one of my grandmother’s names as a first name, some of which I am hesitant to think are ready for revival. I’m curious what my fellow Berries would do… If you were me, would you use one of these names and call your daughter by a nickname? Would you teak/update the name and bequeath that as your child’s first name? Or do these names below strictly in middle name territory?
Note: I am leaving out any notes on my relationship (whom I was closest too, if they were a great or step grandmother, what side of the family, etc) to prevent my bias from influencing your opinions. [name_m]Just[/name_m] know that I am only listing grandmothers that I have actually met.
I am not one for Grandma type names. But of these I find something sweet about [name_f]Sally[/name_f]. If [name_f]Sally[/name_f] had significance to me… I would use it. despite their widespread appeal, I would not use the others.
I love [name_f]Bonnie[/name_f]! I also think [name_f]Edith[/name_f] would be just beautiful on a little girl, and I’ve met a teen named [name_f]Sally[/name_f] before. [name_f]Esther[/name_f] is not really my style, but I think its Biblical connections make it more timeless than [name_f]Phyllis[/name_f] or [name_f]Lois[/name_f].
I love them all to be honest, but my favourites are [name_f]Bonnie[/name_f] (my own grandmother’s name), [name_f]Esther[/name_f] and [name_f]Sally[/name_f]
[name_f]Esther[/name_f] is my favourite from you list.
I think if I liked any name well enough that I would actually choose it even if the honored person wasn’t dear to me (sometimes that’s the charm of a name though), I’d go ahead and put in the first name spot.
I think honoring names are great but I do want the child to have a name all for herself and not have a first name that I only like because someone I love has it, too.
I think [name_f]Lois[/name_f] could maybe become [name_f]Louise[/name_f]? [name_f]Bonnie[/name_f] and [name_f]Sally[/name_f] could be nicknames for longer names.
I actually associate all of these (except [name_f]Edith[/name_f]), with children, teenagers, or 30-40 year old adults. [name_f]Lois[/name_f] I associate with the mum in Family [name_m]Guy[/name_m], I have a teenage friend called [name_f]Esther[/name_f], [name_f]Bonnie[/name_f] was a little girl in [name_m]Toy[/name_m] [name_u]Story[/name_u] 3, [name_f]Phyllis[/name_f], one of the Railway Children, and [name_f]Sally[/name_f] reminds me of [name_u]Charlie[/name_u] [name_m]Brown[/name_m]'s little sister, and [name_f]Sally[/name_f] [name_m]Donavan[/name_m] from [name_m]Sherlock[/name_m]. But I’d most likely think differently if I had/knew grandmas with one of those names. Anyway, I’d probably choose [name_f]Edith[/name_f] or [name_f]Sally[/name_f]. I really like [name_f]Phyllis[/name_f], but ever since someone pointed out what you get if you put a ‘si’ sound in front, I haven’t been able to un-hear it.
