Xanthippe

Is this a usable name?
[name_f]Xanthe[/name_f] was on our list with our daughters but now I feel like it fits with our sons name (Casper) but not really with the girls (Seraph1na and P0meline).
Then I found [name_f]Xanthippe[/name_f]. I like it but is it completely unusable? Is it pronounceable?
How do you pronounce it?
What nicknames would you use?

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I really like [name_f]Xanthippe[/name_f]! I would say ZAN-tip-ee or ZAN-thi-pee. I think itā€™s easy enough for people to learn to pronounce it, and it sounds pretty with your other names.

[name_f]Xanthippe[/name_f] is bright and interesting. I do prefer [name_f]Xanthe[/name_f] (and I think it goes with P and S) but [name_f]Xanthippe[/name_f] could work.

Iā€™d pronounce it zan-thip-ee

[name_f]Xanthe[/name_f], [name_f]Zippy[/name_f], Xana, as nicknames maybe?

I actually like [name_f]Xanthe[/name_f] with your daughtersā€™ names! Itā€™s sweet and a bit offbeat like them, the only real difference is being shorter which doesnā€™t really seem like an issue to me.

That said, yes, I think [name_f]Xanthippe[/name_f] is usable! Iā€™d be quite surprised to hear it on a non-Greek baby considering that itā€™s extremely rare even in Greece, but I believe it does work! I canā€™t help you on the pronunciation (since Iā€™m Greek and Iā€™d just pronounce it the Greek way) but [name_u]Xan[/name_u], [name_u]Sunny[/name_u], Xaxa (like Zaza) and Tippy could be cute nicknames.

Zan-thip? I like it, but itā€™s kinda out there.

I think [name_f]Xanthe[/name_f] is fine with the others! I say Ks-an-thip-ee or Zan-thip-ee

Maybe Zani for a nickname?

Iā€™d instinctively say ZAN-thih-pay, but I think it fits well with your daughtersā€™ names!

That being said, I think [name_f]Xanthe[/name_f] goes just as well, and from what I know [name_f]Xanthippe[/name_f] has a bit of a negative connotation due to her connection as being Socratesā€™s wife. Hereā€™s an excerpt from wikipedia:

ā€œthe term ā€œXanthippeā€ has now come to mean any nagging scolding person, especially a shrewish wifeā€

I wouldnā€™t let that turn you off of the name, but just know that the most famous one does not have the best connotations :frowning:

Itā€™s worth remembering that [name_f]Xanthippe[/name_f] is used to refer to the archetypal shrewish woman. [name_f]My[/name_f] instinct would be to pronounce it ZAN-thi-pee, but I wouldnā€™t be surprised if it was zan-THIP-ee. The Unbreakable [name_f]Kimmy[/name_f] Schmidt had a bad-tempered teenager called [name_f]Xanthippe[/name_f] - she was nicknamed [name_u]Xan[/name_u] (Zan). I think [name_f]Xanthippe[/name_f] works with [name_f]Seraphina[/name_f] and [name_f]Pomeline[/name_f], but not with [name_m]Casper[/name_m].

Iā€™m not sure. Iā€™m usually the first one to say that almost any name is usable, but itā€™s heavily associated with the stereotype. Personally Iā€™d say no, thatā€™s too much as first name. It could make a nice middle name, maybe.

I pronounce it xan-TEE-peh, but I think in [name_f]English[/name_f] most people would probably go with zan-TIP-pee.

[name_u]Xan[/name_u] or [name_f]Xanthe[/name_f] would be my go-to nickname

Iā€™d assume Zan-thip-ee but without really knowing. I would use Xanthe, Zanna, Zippy, Tippy or Pop/Pippy/Pippa as nicknames. I like it and itā€™s usable in principle but itā€™s seems much heavier on a child given the stereotype above, but also just the difficulty with pronunciation, than Pomeline and Seraphina (so it may not be equitable within a family and a similar context). I wouldnā€™t use it, if it were me.

If it helps, I think a name like Araminta, Andromeda, Ambrosia, Theodosia, Amaryllis, Cornelia, Olympia or Hermione (and others Iā€™m sure) would work if you want something lengthier than Xanthe- with some of the same letters and sounds. :sparkles:

I think [name_f]Xanthe[/name_f] goes well with your childrenā€™s names. I wasnā€™t aware of the stereotype associated with [name_f]Xanthippe[/name_f], and I donā€™t know how known the association is so Iā€™d choose not to comment. On itā€™s own, though, [name_f]Xanthippe[/name_f] seems nice with S, P & C.

BTN tells me Xanthia/Xanthea is a possible variant, although I am not sure how legit it is, but you might want to look into/consider it? Other options include Ianthe/Iolanthe, [name_f]Evanthe[/name_f], Clianthe/tha, Myrianthe, Arianthe.

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I think [name_f]Xanthippe[/name_f] is very interesting, bold, magical choice that looks brave and full of drama. I think for I would pronounce her [name_u]Zan[/name_u] tip ee which is a very fun zingy name to say. I feel the name is useable and personally I havenā€™t heard of the stereotype. However I prefer [name_f]Xanthe[/name_f] I think sheā€™s sweet, feels more intuitive pronunciation wise and has a more ā€˜approachableā€™ magical feel. I actually think [name_f]Xanthe[/name_f] works wonders with your kiddos names.

Suggesting [name_f]Ambrosia[/name_f], [name_f]Melisandre[/name_f], [name_f]Delphinia[/name_f], [name_f]Iolanthe[/name_f], [name_f]Mariska[/name_f] or [name_f]Florentina[/name_f].

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When first reading the name I felt really overwhelmed and completely unsure how to pronounce it. Iā€™ve heard [name_f]Xanthe[/name_f] before, but even that took me a few times to try to pronounce it the right way. So I think you would definitely get some confusion on the spelling and pronunciation.

[name_f]My[/name_f] closest guess would be zan-thee-ee-pee-pee? I feel like thatā€™s not right, but thatā€™s how it sounds when I read it?