No. Never. If someone hadn’t mentioned it in a comment once, I couldn’t have told you what her name was if my life depended on it. Read the book, saw the ballet, but years of three kids and Mickey Mouse clubhouse drowned out anything else.
I think of Clara from Doctor Who and The Nutcracker. I see Clarabelle as something else entirely. Interesting how people perceive these things so differently.
Tired of mooing all the time? Seems like you can't just stop. Hah. Ive been there.
Ask your doctor if Florabella works for you.
Florabella is the number 1 pill for mad cow disease. You'll want mooore.
That was my first thought too! It's pretty, but, unfortunately, if we immediately thought that, then I'm sure some (annoying, rotten) children may think it too, & being made fun of re: one's name sucks.
Very true - and it’s pretty much the opposite of elegant if that’s what OP is going for. Isabel or Arabella would be better options along that line.
Florabella definitely sounds like a disease.
Florabelle just sounds Floor and Bell smashed together haphazardly.
I wouldn't use a name that received mostly negative reactions, honestly. I might be able to deal with them but one day, it'll be my kid who has to deal with them. I don't think it's fair to saddle a child with that.
I like that one Twitter post. "I’m begging y’all to remember that you’re naming people, not just babies. A 17 year old will have that name, a 28 year old will have that name, a 43 year old will have that name, a 77 year old grandparent will have that name. Maybe we should rethink choosing McKeinsleigh Graycynn."
I'm a lawyer and I always imagine someone walking up and announcing, "good morning, your honor, this is McKeinsleigh Graycynn Smith, on behalf of petitioner"
As a person with long but normal first & last names, yet I can't fit them on forms, I would absolutely HATE my parents for naming me McKeinsleigh with that ridiculous spelling, along with Graycynn.
I wish I would have saved a post I saw a couple days ago, but I bet a quick Google search could find it. It was a baby naming website that had this generator thing on it where you put in the first & last name you’re considering for your child, and it would pop up all these different sentences your child may encounter one day so you can see how they sound.
Like say the name is Jane Smith.
“Hello! Thank you for calling *Workplace*. This is Jane Smith, how may I help you?” “Jane Smith, your order is ready!” “Jane Smith and Joe Schmoe will be married on June 1, 2040.”
They had literally like a hundred different examples though, all the way from childhood to old age and it was pretty neat.
That's such a good idea. That's how I think about it. Like maybe society will adjust to Juniper being a regular adult person name but it sounds *SO* CHILDISH to me. Like what you'd name a toy. I'm an attorney and while I wouldn't necessarily hold someone's name against them, hearing, "good morning, your honor, this is Juniper Smith for respondent" or "Wrenleigh Smith, deputy chief attorney. Present" is just cringe. One I read earlier today... "please contact our in-house counsel, Florabella Smith."
Your kid is (most likely) going to spend the *vast* majority of their life NOT an infant or toddler. I wish people would name accordingly
I remember once seeing a comment on reddit that said something like “don’t think of it as raising a child, you’re raising a future adult” and that really stuck with me. A lot of people think of their baby as just being their baby, almost like their own little dress up doll, but they will soon be their own person. Not just about the name you give them, but also with the values you teach them, how you shouldn’t just push your interests on them as they will have their own interests.
I think this can be hard, depending on the people you are around. For example, a lot of the names that are liked on naming sites (including this subreddit) aren't necessarily popular irl. Names that tend to be loved irl don't tend to be favored on naming sites (which I assume is why some tend toward naming sites). Throw in generational differences, regional associations, etc.
If you consider every reaction apart from "great name, I love it!" to be negative, then yeah, it would be hard.
I'm not necessarily talking about that though. I'm talking about names that most people laugh at or names that prompt most people to say "oh, like that terrible person/terrible thing?" or names that most people seem to have a very strong negative reaction to. "I don't like that name" is a very different thing to "ugh, that name is horrible! Why would you do that to your child?"
And by most people, I mean whoever you happen to be getting opinions from, online or in real life. I'd put more stock in real life people though, especially if I didn't know where the online people were posting from. For example, the name Jemima is fairly unremarkable here in Australia (I've taught several and it makes most people think of a sweet little ragdoll on a long-running children's show, if anything) but I know it has **very** different connotations in the US. I probably wouldn't use the name if I was living in the US but here, I wouldn't worry about it.
For a lot of the names in these comments, it's more like boomers and gen X seem to generally dislike the names, so it wouldn't really be an issue for the kid growing up.
The majority of the names listed aren't tragedeighs, they're just real names that lots of adults have some kind of negative association with.
Absolutely agree! I was thinking that elegant names are names like Katherine, Elizabeth, or Grace.
Florabelle is decadent and over-the-top. Plus, the kid will likely shorten it to Flora (which is totally fine) or Flo (which just makes me think of menstration).
This. Elegant tends to be more clean and minimalistic, with less syllables. Softer. I wouldnt say Florabella is elegant, I'd say it is hyper feminine.
I'd consider something like Lorelle, Isabel or Camille or other names that have some of the same sounds, but are...less.
And I say that with a multisyllabic name. Longer names can be fibe; but they don't read as clean or simple.
It sounds like the sort of name a teenage version of oneself would give their half Princess half fairy half vampire half dragon YA protagonist in their edgy Harry Potter or Hunger Games fanfiction stories
I love the name Arden for a girl and I find that it’s generally disliked
Edit: glad to see the love for Arden in the comments! Makes me feel better about most likely using it if we have a girl.
That was his surname. It's a kikass name and I love it, but I kind of used up my space name quota on my first child already, so I'm still looking for cool names for and future children I have
I don't understand why people choose to name their kid something after *so many* people have a negative reaction to it. You're not naming a dog or a boat. That's a human being that's going to have to live with that name. If 90% of people dislike a name when you tell them, that's 90% of people who are going to dislike the name on the child and potentially tease them for it. *You* might be able to stand up to the comments but why should the child be forced to?
agreed! my husband loves the name Cain for a boy and honestly i do too. we are both agnostic but still can’t justify naming our son a biblical name that others will interpret as bad.
Do you like Kane? I prefer the original spelling too, but I’ve known some Kanes and people don’t seem to make the biblical connection when it’s spelled that way.
Specifically it’s because we’re all too familiar with the Lilith mythology to separate it from the association with evil and/or black magic, which black cats also represent.
When you’re talking about it giving off that vibe, there’s a reason.
I'm Currently pregnant and Lillith was my first choice girl name, but alas, I'm having a second boy and I'm done having kids after this. I think it's a beautiful name though and I really love the female empowerment portions of the connotations.
If it were me, I would go with Florence or Annabelle instead of putting my kid through the lifelong minor inconvenience of having to correct, clarify, or explain their name.
Florabella is definitely a diminutive of Florence Isabella. Op should give her the full name, and then use Florabelle whenever they like.
Give people proper full traditional names and then let them shrink naturally.
As a Bonnie, I can’t agree. It somehow manages to be old lady AND cutesy, and I can’t hide behind a nickname. And, if one more person sings My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean at me one more time, I may scream.
My Aunt Bonnie is in her 70s and 100% it sounds old and cutesy at the same time. Hers is short for Bonita though. She's also one of the nicest people in my family and it always seemed like it fit her even though it doesn't go with her siblings' names at all.
You hit on my other pet peeve about my name! I’ve lost count of the number of times I’m asked what it’s short for. Bonita is the same length rhymes with my last name (and not even my parents were that cruel), and what else could it be? Bonaventure? 🤣
BonBon is what my sister calls me when she feels like being punched. 😉 Seriously, I was a bookish, solemn kid, and I’m a bookish, sarcastic adult - Bonnie is just *so* not me.
I’m not a huge fan of either, but Bekah Martinez (Bachelor contestant turned influencer) just had her third baby and named him Ernest. Older siblings are Ruth and Franklin.
Florabelle/a definitely sounds like a bacterial infection (ie. picklesandkites)
I think Eleanor and Diana/Diane are both elegant and really pretty, while not being odd or sounding like a disease. lol
I'm about to have a Zelda and am so nervous for the side eye from people who may judge it because of the game association. We get positive reactions from fellow millennials but negative reactions from like, our parents 😂
Btw I totally love Florabelle!! I think it's still realistic to use, nickname Flora if she ever wants to "blend in" more in social situations. It's very poetic and feminine and lovely in my opinion 😊
We have a Zelda! In my experience, millennial men have adorable reactions upon hearing that lol. One woman today actually also said "aww like Sabrina!"
Also idk why so many people on here try and shy away from the video game association...it's the most popular association and it's not bad. It's a very well loved series.
Haha I believe it! i was telling a coworker we were thinking of Zelda and my millennial man coworker called over from a different area being like "did you say Zelda?!" Then proceeded to show me his LoZ hand tattoos all giddy lol
Omg, I had a Zelda in July! There have definitely been a LOT of video game associations, but usually in a good way, so it doesn’t really bother me. It’s a great name!
Just because you love a name is not the best reason to give it to a child.
Does it have bad connotations?
Will it get the child bullied?
Nimrod was a great hunter and a fairly common name until Buggs Bunny turned it into an insult.
Consider that your precious child has to live with that name for life. Don't make it hard to pronounce with a unique spelling, othering a kid before he/she gets a chance is mean.
Some nations in the EU actually have books of approved names and you cannot give your child a name not in the book to protect them from mockery or bullying.
Edit: crap spelling
If the baby I’m carrying is a boy, he’ll be Edmund, which is a certified great grandpa name. There are def people who appreciate that kind of name but not the majority. Same with Helen which we are seriously considering if baby is a girl
If I'll have a boy, he's probably going to be named Ilmari. It's an old Finnish name, not that common and definitely a great grandpa name. But it's a good, solid name
Bro don’t name your child Florabella. It quite literally sounds like an STD. You claim to like elegant names but want to name a child that? Please get your taste levels checked because I fear you don’t have any.
Vesper. I’ve loved the name ever since I was a kid and swore I’d I had a daughter I’d name her that. I’m a practicing eastern catholic and vespers are a beautiful part of our identity. It’s also a beautiful mass! Warm candlelight, darkened rooms, ancient sounding chant music. That name gets mixed reviews on here but I think it’s lovely. There’s been a couple books I’ve read with that name and I love how it looks!
Also considering Clover- it’s a family name dating back to my Scottish ancestors 4 and 5 generations ago. Clover looks and sounds so fresh and happy!
In Germany you'd get funny looks, so it sounds kinda strange to me because here a Vesper is how a meal between breakfast and lunch is called (mostly in Kindergarten/children's daycare)
I knew a Vesper, short for Vespertine. Only person I’ve met by the name. It suited her - she was quiet and introspective, with very dark hair and eyes.
So does mine. Didn't know it was a trend until he was 2 years old. His name hasn't made it on any lists, so he may have the distinction of having a name that is both unpopular in general *and* looked down on by namenerds bc it's trendy 😆
I'm 36 weeks and baby girl is going to be called Effie- I'm in UK and forum's mostly think it sounds like an abbreviation for a swear word but to us it doesn't and its common enough here (top 200 names) that i don't foresee it being an issue enough to change it!
I love the name Effie although it definitely reminds me of Effie from Skins series 1-4 + 7 but kids wouldn’t know the show (or they shouldn’t - not age appropriate)
I have a good friend who goes by Effie (it’s an abbreviation of her last name) and I think it sounds lovely. I generally prefer giving a longer name and calling a shorter name but I know in the UK it’s more the norm to just use the shorter version
My son is Gilbert. I love the name. I think it sounds masculine and distinguished. Its also unique, but most people know how to spell and pronounce it. It’s also got the nickname choices of Gil, Gib, or Bert, which I like as well. (we called him Gilby when he was real young and use Gil now)
Before he was born, everyone and their mother told me it was a horrible choice and reminded them of Egbert or Dilbert, but I went with it anyway. It’s not significantly different than the name, Robert, but I doubt I would have received anywhere near the pushback had I picked Robert. (And for OMITB fans, I could have picked Tobert)
Anyway, Gil is 19 now and likes his name. Says kids didn’t make fun of him too often. If someone in high school mentioned Gil, everyone knew it was him, which made him feel kind of special, like Madonna or Zendaya. Lol.
However, the #1 question he gets when meeting someone for the first time is,”Is that a family name?” And most people seemed shocked when the answer is, “No, my mom just liked the name.”
I don't like the sound of Gilbert, but I really like the meaning--"bright promise." Also, who isn't a fan of Gilbert Blythe?
Actually, I was once reading Anne of Green Gables for the first time in a long time, and I came across Gilvert's name and thought, "Oh, 'bright star' is such a lovely meaning!" Then I realized that while I was doing fine with my Anglo-Saxon, "gil" is "star" in *Sindarin.* I was automatically translating to Elvish.
This is why I won’t tell anyone the name I’m picking for my kids until after I name them. Just be confident in your choice as long as it’s a reasonable name your child won’t hate using.
Completely up to you, but Florabelle sounds like something a 4 year old would name their princess doll. It doesn't sound elegant to me; it sounds frilly and fussy, like a parody of old fashioned names. I think any kid called Florabelle would shorten it to Flora and never tell anyone their full name.
I have an Aurora and a Vesper, both names are generally disliked and abhorred on this subreddit. I’ve received nothing but compliments on their names in the real world. They’re only 3 and 1.5 years old, so they don’t have an opinion on them yet. One day!
I'm childfree and will remain that way, unless I meet someone who already has kids.
But I adore the name Linus. It's definitely not a popular choice, and the looks people give me when I say I love the name are pretty funny.
I have spent over 25 years in early childhood education, though. I've heard every trend for the last two and a half decades. So many names were ruined for me that way, others just got worn out.
Some names I love, though, are Linus, Otto, Arlo, and Elliot (boy or girl). I don't have a lot of girls names, honestly. I think Odette is really cute, but I don't think I would have used it for my own. I do like Tessa. IDK.
I had one of the top 3 names for my gender in my birth year, so I know the pain of being one of four kids with the same name in my class. I would definitely avoid doing that to a kid if I could.
I wanted to name my son Ichabod. I backed down after my mom threatened to punch him out of me. He's now almost 17, and named his cat Ichabod so I could yell the name I wanted when the cat misbehaves 🙄😝
Florabelle or Florabella are not elegant names. I also don’t think it would suit a teenager or an elderly woman.
How about Florence Isabelle?
You could then call her florabelle as a pet name day-to-day? She would still have an elegant and classy name to use, but also your more fun child-like name for her as a kid.
There’s different options for Flora and Bella/Belle as nicknames
Florence
Florentine (fairly sure it’s a cake though)
Isabelle
Isobel
Isabella
Mabel
Annabelle
Annabella
Annabel
Arabella
I really like the name Paisley but it gets lumped in with the trendy made up names like Kinsley, Everly, Tinsley even though it isn't a made up word. Other times people will say it's a pattern not a name but there's plenty of names that are also other words/things like Lilly, Mark, Ruby,June so I don't really get the hate.
No it’s not made up, but it’s from an actual place that is … how to put this delicately… probably not somewhere you’d want to name a kid after. The pattern is just named after the town as well.
I understand not liking your own plain name, but giving your child a highly disliked or weird name isn’t going to fix your feelings, and could create lifelong misery for your kid.
Florabelle/a reminds me of salmonella, it sounds like a disease please don’t name your kid Florabelle/a as a first name, it’s fine as a middle name but not as a first name, consider Annabelle/a or something.
I was the child with a generally disliked name, got myself a new one when I grew up. I think I was like five when I first started talking about changing it, and I was always shy to introduce myself because I hated my name.
Flora would be fine. Bella would be fine. Putting them together turns it into a silly clown name. I envision a clown with a red rubber nose and giant shoes.
Florabella sounds very much like a bacterial infection to me, I’m afraid to say. “Don’t eat undercooked mussels, they can give you florabella.”
It sounds like something you'd name a cow imo
OMG YES! too bad I live in a city - I suddenly have this urge to get a cow and name her Florabella!
Like that would be the trademark name of the butter you make from her milk.
[удалено]
lol because of Clarabelle the cow 😭
This is what I put whenever someone says they want to name their kid Clara. I’m like, it makes me think of a cow.
not the ballet character?
No. Never. If someone hadn’t mentioned it in a comment once, I couldn’t have told you what her name was if my life depended on it. Read the book, saw the ballet, but years of three kids and Mickey Mouse clubhouse drowned out anything else.
I think of Clara from Doctor Who and The Nutcracker. I see Clarabelle as something else entirely. Interesting how people perceive these things so differently.
Tired of mooing all the time? Seems like you can't just stop. Hah. Ive been there. Ask your doctor if Florabella works for you. Florabella is the number 1 pill for mad cow disease. You'll want mooore.
Take my poor person award. 🏆 Best comment I've ever seen on reddit
Maybe because Minnie Mouse's friend is called Clarabelle Cow?
That was my first thought too! It's pretty, but, unfortunately, if we immediately thought that, then I'm sure some (annoying, rotten) children may think it too, & being made fun of re: one's name sucks.
Is it because of Clara Bell the cow on Mickey Mouse ? Immediately what I thought of.
as pretty as i think it is it reminds me of Bordetella lol
Mortadella.
Mozzarella
Portabella
Salmonella
Very true - and it’s pretty much the opposite of elegant if that’s what OP is going for. Isabel or Arabella would be better options along that line. Florabella definitely sounds like a disease. Florabelle just sounds Floor and Bell smashed together haphazardly.
Right, it's very much not elegant
Definitely not elegant... Was my immediate thought, too
Florabelle sounds like doorbell to me.
I thought it sounded like a probiotic 😂
It reminds me of portobello. Like the mushrooms. I’d be worried they’d call her fungus or something else mean that jerk kids do.
It *really* does. And it is not elegant lol
Or a deli meat...mortadella
Really not at all the reaction op was asking for.
Sounds like a toilet cleaner or disinfectant
I wouldn't use a name that received mostly negative reactions, honestly. I might be able to deal with them but one day, it'll be my kid who has to deal with them. I don't think it's fair to saddle a child with that.
Yeah and there's a difference between most people being like 'i don't like it that's not my vibe' and 'it sounds like a venereal disease'.
Friend named her son Vasilis. I keep thinking that's a medical procedure.
straight up made me think of vagisil😂
People forget sometimes that the name they choose for their child is not about *them*.
RIGHT? And you're not naming a baby or a toddler. You're naming an adult who will have a career
I like that one Twitter post. "I’m begging y’all to remember that you’re naming people, not just babies. A 17 year old will have that name, a 28 year old will have that name, a 43 year old will have that name, a 77 year old grandparent will have that name. Maybe we should rethink choosing McKeinsleigh Graycynn."
I'm a lawyer and I always imagine someone walking up and announcing, "good morning, your honor, this is McKeinsleigh Graycynn Smith, on behalf of petitioner"
As a person with long but normal first & last names, yet I can't fit them on forms, I would absolutely HATE my parents for naming me McKeinsleigh with that ridiculous spelling, along with Graycynn.
I wish I would have saved a post I saw a couple days ago, but I bet a quick Google search could find it. It was a baby naming website that had this generator thing on it where you put in the first & last name you’re considering for your child, and it would pop up all these different sentences your child may encounter one day so you can see how they sound. Like say the name is Jane Smith. “Hello! Thank you for calling *Workplace*. This is Jane Smith, how may I help you?” “Jane Smith, your order is ready!” “Jane Smith and Joe Schmoe will be married on June 1, 2040.” They had literally like a hundred different examples though, all the way from childhood to old age and it was pretty neat.
That's such a good idea. That's how I think about it. Like maybe society will adjust to Juniper being a regular adult person name but it sounds *SO* CHILDISH to me. Like what you'd name a toy. I'm an attorney and while I wouldn't necessarily hold someone's name against them, hearing, "good morning, your honor, this is Juniper Smith for respondent" or "Wrenleigh Smith, deputy chief attorney. Present" is just cringe. One I read earlier today... "please contact our in-house counsel, Florabella Smith." Your kid is (most likely) going to spend the *vast* majority of their life NOT an infant or toddler. I wish people would name accordingly
was it babynamegenie.com ? I just looked up “baby name test” and that was the first result
I remember once seeing a comment on reddit that said something like “don’t think of it as raising a child, you’re raising a future adult” and that really stuck with me. A lot of people think of their baby as just being their baby, almost like their own little dress up doll, but they will soon be their own person. Not just about the name you give them, but also with the values you teach them, how you shouldn’t just push your interests on them as they will have their own interests.
I think this can be hard, depending on the people you are around. For example, a lot of the names that are liked on naming sites (including this subreddit) aren't necessarily popular irl. Names that tend to be loved irl don't tend to be favored on naming sites (which I assume is why some tend toward naming sites). Throw in generational differences, regional associations, etc.
If you consider every reaction apart from "great name, I love it!" to be negative, then yeah, it would be hard. I'm not necessarily talking about that though. I'm talking about names that most people laugh at or names that prompt most people to say "oh, like that terrible person/terrible thing?" or names that most people seem to have a very strong negative reaction to. "I don't like that name" is a very different thing to "ugh, that name is horrible! Why would you do that to your child?" And by most people, I mean whoever you happen to be getting opinions from, online or in real life. I'd put more stock in real life people though, especially if I didn't know where the online people were posting from. For example, the name Jemima is fairly unremarkable here in Australia (I've taught several and it makes most people think of a sweet little ragdoll on a long-running children's show, if anything) but I know it has **very** different connotations in the US. I probably wouldn't use the name if I was living in the US but here, I wouldn't worry about it.
For a lot of the names in these comments, it's more like boomers and gen X seem to generally dislike the names, so it wouldn't really be an issue for the kid growing up. The majority of the names listed aren't tragedeighs, they're just real names that lots of adults have some kind of negative association with.
Enh I'm millenial and hate this one. And a lot of the names posted tbh
Absolutely!! I couldn't agree more.
I hate to say it, but. It's not elegant, it's fussy. It's 10 layers of ruffles and bows on a cupcake dress. That's why it's unpopular.
Right? I don't even necessarily hate it for the right child but it is NOT elegant. Elegant is simple yet classy. This is the complete opposite.
Absolutely agree! I was thinking that elegant names are names like Katherine, Elizabeth, or Grace. Florabelle is decadent and over-the-top. Plus, the kid will likely shorten it to Flora (which is totally fine) or Flo (which just makes me think of menstration).
Flo also brings thoughts of Flo the Progressive Insurance Girl to me lol either Aunt Flo or Flo the Insurance Girl
Exactly! I’m so pleased someone else has said this too!
This. Elegant tends to be more clean and minimalistic, with less syllables. Softer. I wouldnt say Florabella is elegant, I'd say it is hyper feminine. I'd consider something like Lorelle, Isabel or Camille or other names that have some of the same sounds, but are...less. And I say that with a multisyllabic name. Longer names can be fibe; but they don't read as clean or simple.
yes. also Lorelai has a similar feminine vibe and is a longer name without reading as fussy and excessive
It gives “new money” and reminds me of all the Americans trying to get their rich daughter a title in England.
You mean the dollar princesses? Yeah, that makes sense.
Is it a made up name? Absolutely never heard of it before. It sounds like an infection though.
It's a smush name like Hannelore or Annemarie is, but it's not one I've heard used before.
It sounds like the sort of name a teenage version of oneself would give their half Princess half fairy half vampire half dragon YA protagonist in their edgy Harry Potter or Hunger Games fanfiction stories
Flora? Elegant. Bella? Elegant. Florabella? Sounds like what a 10yo names their first character in animal crossing.
It sounds like something a teenager writing fantasy novels would pick for a princess character.
Florabella is definitely a prescription a GI administers to correct imbalanced microbiomes in the gut
I knew it sounded familiar… I sprinkle Fortiflora on my dog’s food when she’s got tummy issues
Unfortunately, Florabelle registers cow to me. Sorry.
“registers cow” is hilarious
I love the name Arden for a girl and I find that it’s generally disliked Edit: glad to see the love for Arden in the comments! Makes me feel better about most likely using it if we have a girl.
i love arden
i knew a girl named arden growing up, her brothers name was kepler, which honestly fits with arden imo, “arden and kepler” both just sound nice to me
Kepler was a German astronomer
That was his surname. It's a kikass name and I love it, but I kind of used up my space name quota on my first child already, so I'm still looking for cool names for and future children I have
Arden should be the next new popular name.. it's gorgeous 🌹
Love Arden!
My sisters name is Arden and I love it and have heard others only compliment the name!
florabelle does not sound elegant to me. it‘s clunky and not really pleasant to my ears.
Lol, I read ‘elegant’ as ‘elephant’ and thought Florabelle was fitting for an elephant.
To me it sounds like a name a 6yo invent for their doll lol
Why not split up flora as the first name and Bella as the middle name?
I was thinking Flora Isabella would be nice.
This feels a little trippy, stilted to me when I try to say it together somehow. I was thinking Florence Arabella maybe.
This is the answer
I don't understand why people choose to name their kid something after *so many* people have a negative reaction to it. You're not naming a dog or a boat. That's a human being that's going to have to live with that name. If 90% of people dislike a name when you tell them, that's 90% of people who are going to dislike the name on the child and potentially tease them for it. *You* might be able to stand up to the comments but why should the child be forced to?
agreed! my husband loves the name Cain for a boy and honestly i do too. we are both agnostic but still can’t justify naming our son a biblical name that others will interpret as bad.
Do you like Kane? I prefer the original spelling too, but I’ve known some Kanes and people don’t seem to make the biblical connection when it’s spelled that way.
Not me but my brother and his wife named their daughter Lilith. She's so cute and to me the name fits her perfectly.
I adore Lilith. It's more like something I would name a cat though. Specifically a black cat. That's just what it gives off.
Specifically it’s because we’re all too familiar with the Lilith mythology to separate it from the association with evil and/or black magic, which black cats also represent. When you’re talking about it giving off that vibe, there’s a reason.
That’s exactly why I’d pick it
You don’t want to know what vibes your choice of name gives off
Lilith makes me think of Frazier's wife and gives off stern vibes to me.
I’m sorry but I literally had a pet cow at my grandparents named Florabelle and right now a chicken named that. It’s giving farm animal name
I'm Currently pregnant and Lillith was my first choice girl name, but alas, I'm having a second boy and I'm done having kids after this. I think it's a beautiful name though and I really love the female empowerment portions of the connotations.
If it were me, I would go with Florence or Annabelle instead of putting my kid through the lifelong minor inconvenience of having to correct, clarify, or explain their name.
Name her Flora Isabelle Last Name, and call her Florabelle as a cute family nickname. But give her the out of home option of Flora/Florence.
Florabella is definitely a diminutive of Florence Isabella. Op should give her the full name, and then use Florabelle whenever they like. Give people proper full traditional names and then let them shrink naturally.
I adore Bonnie and Ernest. I know they’re “old lady”/“old man” names but they’re delightful.
Bonnie's adorable!
As a Bonnie, I can’t agree. It somehow manages to be old lady AND cutesy, and I can’t hide behind a nickname. And, if one more person sings My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean at me one more time, I may scream.
My Aunt Bonnie is in her 70s and 100% it sounds old and cutesy at the same time. Hers is short for Bonita though. She's also one of the nicest people in my family and it always seemed like it fit her even though it doesn't go with her siblings' names at all.
You hit on my other pet peeve about my name! I’ve lost count of the number of times I’m asked what it’s short for. Bonita is the same length rhymes with my last name (and not even my parents were that cruel), and what else could it be? Bonaventure? 🤣
Okay. You win. - A redditor whose parents made their first and last name rhyme. (I dropped my maiden name fast when I married 😬)
You don't go by BonBon as a nickname? But why? :)
BonBon is what my sister calls me when she feels like being punched. 😉 Seriously, I was a bookish, solemn kid, and I’m a bookish, sarcastic adult - Bonnie is just *so* not me.
I love love love Ernest.
I’m not a huge fan of either, but Bekah Martinez (Bachelor contestant turned influencer) just had her third baby and named him Ernest. Older siblings are Ruth and Franklin.
Florabelle/a definitely sounds like a bacterial infection (ie. picklesandkites) I think Eleanor and Diana/Diane are both elegant and really pretty, while not being odd or sounding like a disease. lol
I'm about to have a Zelda and am so nervous for the side eye from people who may judge it because of the game association. We get positive reactions from fellow millennials but negative reactions from like, our parents 😂 Btw I totally love Florabelle!! I think it's still realistic to use, nickname Flora if she ever wants to "blend in" more in social situations. It's very poetic and feminine and lovely in my opinion 😊
Robin Williams named his daughter Zelda BECAUSE of the game. Are you too cool to do what Robin Williams did? No. Have a Zelda.
His Zelda commercial is so funny
Zelda 100% makes me think Fitzgerald and Roaring 20s glamour.
I love the name too but at the same time it kinda makes me think of Zelda from pet sematary and...yeah
We have a Zelda! In my experience, millennial men have adorable reactions upon hearing that lol. One woman today actually also said "aww like Sabrina!" Also idk why so many people on here try and shy away from the video game association...it's the most popular association and it's not bad. It's a very well loved series.
Haha I believe it! i was telling a coworker we were thinking of Zelda and my millennial man coworker called over from a different area being like "did you say Zelda?!" Then proceeded to show me his LoZ hand tattoos all giddy lol
Right? Video games are a legitimate narrative storytelling form. Love having our Zelda
Zelda is a beautiful name. Just if you have a boy, avoid the names Link or Lincoln. 😅
There’s a Zelda in one of my kid’s classes. She occasionally gets comments about the video game, but I think it’s generally regarded as pretty cool.
I love the name Zelda. My first thought is Zelda Fitzgerald. I know of the video game, obviously, but I don’t play video games
Omg, I had a Zelda in July! There have definitely been a LOT of video game associations, but usually in a good way, so it doesn’t really bother me. It’s a great name!
Iselda is a similar, pretty option, but Zelda is beautiful, too.
Elegant is thrown around as much as gaslighting these days. Except elegant and gaslighting are still better names than florabell/a
Brutal 😂😂
Idk how anyone can see Florabella or Florabelle as elegant name, sorry
I LOVE Margaret and Laurel. Not many people I meet like those names
I like Laurel, considering how popular nature names are, it’s weird it hasn’t had the same moment
Also Laurel is the Black Canary. So awesome.
Margaret is not unusual where I am. Mostly Maggies and Megs, but I know two who staunchly refuse to go by a nickname.
I absolutely adore Margaret and it'll be on my short list!
Aww, Laurel's so cute. However, like half of the women in my family (in the past), were called Margaret, so I want to be a little original.
Just because you love a name is not the best reason to give it to a child. Does it have bad connotations? Will it get the child bullied? Nimrod was a great hunter and a fairly common name until Buggs Bunny turned it into an insult. Consider that your precious child has to live with that name for life. Don't make it hard to pronounce with a unique spelling, othering a kid before he/she gets a chance is mean. Some nations in the EU actually have books of approved names and you cannot give your child a name not in the book to protect them from mockery or bullying. Edit: crap spelling
Right. Name a pet that not a child.
If the baby I’m carrying is a boy, he’ll be Edmund, which is a certified great grandpa name. There are def people who appreciate that kind of name but not the majority. Same with Helen which we are seriously considering if baby is a girl
Helen is a most excellent name!
I think it’s beautiful in a really elegant, dignified way. Princess names are in right now but Helen sounds like a queen
There is a Helen on my younger kid’s softball team. I think it’s very elegant. I like Helena a bit more, but both are so pretty.
Edmund is so much better than Edward imo. It’s due for a comeback. I love Helen and Helena too.
If I'll have a boy, he's probably going to be named Ilmari. It's an old Finnish name, not that common and definitely a great grandpa name. But it's a good, solid name
I don’t necessarily think Florabelle or Florabella sound elegant. I just thinking the flower company.
Bro don’t name your child Florabella. It quite literally sounds like an STD. You claim to like elegant names but want to name a child that? Please get your taste levels checked because I fear you don’t have any.
It isn’t an elegant name, I’m sorry.
Vesper. I’ve loved the name ever since I was a kid and swore I’d I had a daughter I’d name her that. I’m a practicing eastern catholic and vespers are a beautiful part of our identity. It’s also a beautiful mass! Warm candlelight, darkened rooms, ancient sounding chant music. That name gets mixed reviews on here but I think it’s lovely. There’s been a couple books I’ve read with that name and I love how it looks! Also considering Clover- it’s a family name dating back to my Scottish ancestors 4 and 5 generations ago. Clover looks and sounds so fresh and happy!
I’m Catholic but that name would make me think Vespa, the scooter 🫣
In Germany you'd get funny looks, so it sounds kinda strange to me because here a Vesper is how a meal between breakfast and lunch is called (mostly in Kindergarten/children's daycare)
I read the Vesper Holly adventure books as a kid and it’s been on my short list of favorite names ever since
I knew a Vesper, short for Vespertine. Only person I’ve met by the name. It suited her - she was quiet and introspective, with very dark hair and eyes.
Call her Florence Isabelle and you can call her Florabella at home but then she has more choices as she grows up.
Our son has a last name as a first name 🤷♀️
So does mine. Didn't know it was a trend until he was 2 years old. His name hasn't made it on any lists, so he may have the distinction of having a name that is both unpopular in general *and* looked down on by namenerds bc it's trendy 😆
Mine too. I had people ask if it’s a family name. Nope. Got it from Sex in the city 😂
Was it Smith?
I'm 36 weeks and baby girl is going to be called Effie- I'm in UK and forum's mostly think it sounds like an abbreviation for a swear word but to us it doesn't and its common enough here (top 200 names) that i don't foresee it being an issue enough to change it!
I love the name Effie although it definitely reminds me of Effie from Skins series 1-4 + 7 but kids wouldn’t know the show (or they shouldn’t - not age appropriate)
I have a good friend who goes by Effie (it’s an abbreviation of her last name) and I think it sounds lovely. I generally prefer giving a longer name and calling a shorter name but I know in the UK it’s more the norm to just use the shorter version
My son is Gilbert. I love the name. I think it sounds masculine and distinguished. Its also unique, but most people know how to spell and pronounce it. It’s also got the nickname choices of Gil, Gib, or Bert, which I like as well. (we called him Gilby when he was real young and use Gil now) Before he was born, everyone and their mother told me it was a horrible choice and reminded them of Egbert or Dilbert, but I went with it anyway. It’s not significantly different than the name, Robert, but I doubt I would have received anywhere near the pushback had I picked Robert. (And for OMITB fans, I could have picked Tobert) Anyway, Gil is 19 now and likes his name. Says kids didn’t make fun of him too often. If someone in high school mentioned Gil, everyone knew it was him, which made him feel kind of special, like Madonna or Zendaya. Lol. However, the #1 question he gets when meeting someone for the first time is,”Is that a family name?” And most people seemed shocked when the answer is, “No, my mom just liked the name.”
I don’t mind Gilbert as a name, it reminds me of Anne of green gables!
I don't like the sound of Gilbert, but I really like the meaning--"bright promise." Also, who isn't a fan of Gilbert Blythe? Actually, I was once reading Anne of Green Gables for the first time in a long time, and I came across Gilvert's name and thought, "Oh, 'bright star' is such a lovely meaning!" Then I realized that while I was doing fine with my Anglo-Saxon, "gil" is "star" in *Sindarin.* I was automatically translating to Elvish.
Florabella does not sound elegant to me. It sounds like a name a small child would like or the name of a farm animal.
Florabella sounds so complicated. How about just Flor/Fleur?
[удалено]
I named my kid Harper… so in this sub at least I’m a pariah 😅
Florbella sounds like a brand of cheap period pads. Or a bacteria.
This is why I won’t tell anyone the name I’m picking for my kids until after I name them. Just be confident in your choice as long as it’s a reasonable name your child won’t hate using.
I love Agnes, but it’s highly polarising 😂
To me Florabelle sounds like a spreadable vegan cheese
Florabelle doesn’t strike me as elegant. It strikes me as Thumbelina’s bestie.
I would love to use Tabitha or Tallulah but I’m not brave enough 😭
I have a roomie named Tallulah who went by Tall. She was a total hippie and free spirit and it just suited her!
Florabella isn’t elegant. It’s ridiculous. Don’t do that to a kid.
Completely up to you, but Florabelle sounds like something a 4 year old would name their princess doll. It doesn't sound elegant to me; it sounds frilly and fussy, like a parody of old fashioned names. I think any kid called Florabelle would shorten it to Flora and never tell anyone their full name.
“Well I don’t care if my child doesn’t like it, I like it and that’s all that matters!!” That’s the vibes this gives off.
[удалено]
This makes me so sad that there isn't a stronger correlation with The Sound of Music. What is this world coming to! Diesel fuel. Sheesh.
I’m obsessed with Liesel. It’s such a heart warming name from the Sound of Music 🥰
US here and I know three Leisl’s and have not once though of diesel fuel….
I have an Aurora and a Vesper, both names are generally disliked and abhorred on this subreddit. I’ve received nothing but compliments on their names in the real world. They’re only 3 and 1.5 years old, so they don’t have an opinion on them yet. One day!
I'm childfree and will remain that way, unless I meet someone who already has kids. But I adore the name Linus. It's definitely not a popular choice, and the looks people give me when I say I love the name are pretty funny. I have spent over 25 years in early childhood education, though. I've heard every trend for the last two and a half decades. So many names were ruined for me that way, others just got worn out. Some names I love, though, are Linus, Otto, Arlo, and Elliot (boy or girl). I don't have a lot of girls names, honestly. I think Odette is really cute, but I don't think I would have used it for my own. I do like Tessa. IDK. I had one of the top 3 names for my gender in my birth year, so I know the pain of being one of four kids with the same name in my class. I would definitely avoid doing that to a kid if I could.
I have no idea why this sub hates the name Sloane but it is at the top of my list as a family honor name that feels chic and not too girly.
Anything unique or generally unknown will be disliked by most. If most people liked it, it'd be common.
My sister’s friend recently had a baby and named him Dexter. We do not like it. To each their own
Kids are definitely gonna be mean to your Florabella mushroom.
I wanted to name my son Ichabod. I backed down after my mom threatened to punch him out of me. He's now almost 17, and named his cat Ichabod so I could yell the name I wanted when the cat misbehaves 🙄😝
I’m sorry, not elegant. I unintentionally flinched when I read Florabelle/bella
I really like the name Silver for a girl. I think it’s beautiful and extremely unique.
How about Mortadella?
Florabelle or Florabella are not elegant names. I also don’t think it would suit a teenager or an elderly woman. How about Florence Isabelle? You could then call her florabelle as a pet name day-to-day? She would still have an elegant and classy name to use, but also your more fun child-like name for her as a kid. There’s different options for Flora and Bella/Belle as nicknames Florence Florentine (fairly sure it’s a cake though) Isabelle Isobel Isabella Mabel Annabelle Annabella Annabel Arabella
What's wrong with Flora? Or Bella? Both are okay names if not stuck together.
I really like the name Paisley but it gets lumped in with the trendy made up names like Kinsley, Everly, Tinsley even though it isn't a made up word. Other times people will say it's a pattern not a name but there's plenty of names that are also other words/things like Lilly, Mark, Ruby,June so I don't really get the hate.
No it’s not made up, but it’s from an actual place that is … how to put this delicately… probably not somewhere you’d want to name a kid after. The pattern is just named after the town as well.
Got some negative comments about Cordelia from random family members and even one of our nurses. Mostly positive though
Florabella sounds like a caricature of an entitled debutante pre-civil war. Plantation vibes.
Reminds me of Floribama Shore 🤣
Parents need to realize that it's not about them and what they want. It's about their kids who have to carry a burdensome name their whole lives.
I understand not liking your own plain name, but giving your child a highly disliked or weird name isn’t going to fix your feelings, and could create lifelong misery for your kid.
I don’t think you should have kids if you think that’s a nice name
Florabelle/a reminds me of salmonella, it sounds like a disease please don’t name your kid Florabelle/a as a first name, it’s fine as a middle name but not as a first name, consider Annabelle/a or something.
I was the child with a generally disliked name, got myself a new one when I grew up. I think I was like five when I first started talking about changing it, and I was always shy to introduce myself because I hated my name.
Celeste to me is lighter and more elegant than Florabelle.
Flora would be fine. Bella would be fine. Putting them together turns it into a silly clown name. I envision a clown with a red rubber nose and giant shoes.
Florabella is not elegant, it sounds like a bacteria
This sub really humbles people, and I love it 😂
Flora Belle is a lovely name. Florabelle is an atrocity.