I’m currently reading the young adult novel Dumplin’ by [name_u]Julie[/name_u] [name_u]Murphy[/name_u]. The main protagonist is called Willowdean [name_m]Dickson[/name_m]. What do you think of Willowdean? I think it’s cute and very unexpected.
I’ve usually seen it spelt [name_f]Willodean[/name_f]. It’s a great name!
There’s a really interesting write-up on the name here.
I think I prefer the [name_f]Willodean[/name_f] spelling [name_f]Katinka[/name_f] suggested but it is such a great sounding name with a kind of outdoorsy, adventurous earthy feel to it
[name_u]Love[/name_u] Willowdean!
My first thought was that Willowdean sounds and looks like the name of a country estate in a novel, the kind that’s been passed down through generations of a family for hundreds of years. It has an appealing sound but feels a bit clunky as one name to me, it kind of seems like a really awkward smoosh of [name_f]Willow[/name_f] and [name_u]Dean[/name_u]. I’d rather see just [name_f]Willow[/name_f], or [name_f]Willow[/name_f] and [name_u]Dean[/name_u] used as separate names.
@katinka, that’s a really interesting write-up! It’s so surprising which names sound like they could’ve been made up for a book but have actually been around for awhile.
I love it! Feels whisimical without being cheesy and is made up of two familiar names so it sounds nostalgic and forgotten in a good way. I also had only seen it spelled [name_f]Willodean[/name_f] which I prefer (and I’d only even seen the name being a name nerd no one in real life will comment on the spelling like us haha). One of my gp because of [name_f]Willodean[/name_f] is Willabean haha it’s not a real name as far as I know. But It would be awesome to meet a little [name_f]Willo[/name_f]/[name_f]Willow[/name_f] and come to hear her full name called as Willowdean!!