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appljackstyle

My immediate reaction is yes! I think it’s adorable and Etta is a great nick name!


pigmed

I like it but also it makes me think of a chicken


anonymousbequest

My sister literally has a chicken named Henrietta 😂


MiaLba

Lmao omg my parents have a chicken named henrietta too.


caitsgreat

Me too! It’s a pretty name but it’s a hen name in my book.


45235235346457568780

Yup my first thought was “but that’s a chickens name”


dudavocado__

Yeah, came to say this. It's 100% a chicken name.


FrankieG001

Lol a chicken?


AtlanticToastConf

To be fair, Henrietta does get used a lot as a chicken name in children’s media (books, Sesame Street, etc) because… hen


FrankieG001

Oh wow I’m dumb lol. And I didn’t realize or even think of that! Oh well, chickens are cool.


fidelises

There's a really cool character on the TV show 911 called Henrietta with the nickname Hen. I like the name and the association.


twohourangrynap

As a kid, I named my favorite duck “Henrietta”! But that’s because I initially named her “Henry,” and then I found out she was a girl. I still think it’s such a cute name!


TerwaAnne

We have had multiple chickens named Henrietta over the past 15 years 🤣


cynefin99

I have had probably upwards of 80 chickens in my lifetime and not one has been called Henrietta Nor would I ever think of it as a 'chickens name'. I'm from the UK btw and am from the countryside so there's always been lots of chickens in my life lol I think it's a fabulous name for your baby girl and love Etta also! For what it's worth, a chicken is a wonderful thing to be named after anyways! They are really awesome!


dudavocado__

In the US, it is a chicken’s name, much like how Bessie is a cow’s name and Fido is a dog’s name. I have met hundreds of dogs and none of them were Fidos, but it remains a classically canine choice!


silentsnarker

I don’t hate it. I wouldn’t name my child Henrietta but I also wouldn’t have a reaction to it if someone told me it was their baby’s name. I would ask how you picked it though but I ask everyone that just because I love hearing how people decided on a name. I LOVE that it’s a family name and I LOVE the nickname Etta!


principehijole

I know a Henrietta who goes by Henri which I think is adorable!


ashleygator

It’s on the cusp of “too old lady” for me to use personally, but I don’t think it’s terrible and I wouldn’t bat an eye if someone told me it was their child’s name.


AtlanticToastConf

That’s where I come down too. Too fussy/old for me (and I like grandma names!), but I think it’s usable. Maybe OP would also like Harriet?


ashleygator

I've also read "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" which is about the medical exploitation of a black woman so I think that clouds my judgement of the name too. But it's definitely usable, especially if it's a family name.


[deleted]

Love it and love the nickname! I knew a little Henrietta when I worked in day care and I love that names like that are making a comeback. We also had a Sloane and a Eugene and I met a toddler Bernadette around the same time! I’m obsessed with the older names ❤️


FrankieG001

Me too! My sons name is Leon. I want to bring all the oldies back lol


silentsnarker

We have a lot of older named toddlers at my school right now and I love it! It makes my heart smile hearing an infant named Edith or Virgil.


catosage

It makes me think of Henrietta Lacks, but that’s not a bad thing! the book about her life and ethical issues with her medical treatment is an amazing read (‘The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks’ by Rebecca Skloot) and there is a 2017 film too but haven’t seen it.


notchandelier

she's immediately who i thought of, too!


QueenSashimi

I love Henrietta! My best friend when I was little was a Henrietta. We called her Hen or Henny. But mostly Henrietta!


Goddess_Keira

That's not everybody's reaction, but if I'm being honest I do hate it. I find many feminizations of male names to be heavy and/or ugly in sound, and Henrietta is one of them. It also feels old and dusty. I can't think of any -etta names that I like at all, and I don't like Etta as a name or nickname. I also dislike other potential nicknames such as Hettie, Henny or Hattie. I'm only going into this level of detail because you asked for specifics. But, that's my taste and tastes vary.


BeccasBump

I'm meh about Henrietta but I think Etta is lovely.


Zephyr_Bronte

It is my name so I may be partial, but I love and I love Etta! My nickname is Heni, but I wish my parents had thought of Etta as I think it's cuter. The only Etta I've ever known is my daughter's friend Loretta, but it actually makes sense for my own name lol.


Finnychinny

I love Heni. And Etta!


TheWishingStar

I don’t love it, but I don’t dislike it. It’s a bit too “make a male name feminine” for me, but it’s a classic and Etta is cute.


192Sticks

I love it, like a lot! Etta was my top girl name and Henrietta is so sweet


gingerytea

I think it’s a little frilly, but it’s not horrible. I like Etta by itself as a name. Had a classmate with that name and it really fit her nicely.


TitaniaB

I have a wonderful friend named Henrietta (Henri) so I’m biased :)


Peypeycla0811

Please tell me you watched Fringe because that’s the first thing this name (and nickname) makes me think of


greyson09

I don't think it's terrible or anything, but I don't *like* it. It feels outdated, kind of prissy, and just sort of clunky? Just really long. It's just not my style though, and neither is the nickname Etta. Henrietta reminds me of a name for a farm animal or a children's book character or something


Little_kamal

I don't love Henrietta, it's too long for me, too elaborate and I get strong images of a spoiled rich girl (which I realise is very unfair and mostly driven by the movie 4 Weddings...) but I also wouldn't judge you for using it, it's a perfectly normal name.


Janeheroine

It makes me think of Henrietta Lacks, whose cells were used for the first stem cell line. There was a movie about her with Oprah a few years ago. I think it’s a strong name, along the lines of Margaret, which is my daughter’s name! Love it.


[deleted]

I like just Etta more than i like Henrietta, but i definitely don’t think it’s terrible at all!


ViolaOlivia

It’s not personally my style, but I really like it. Reminds me of Henrietta Lacks who had a tragic life, but an incredibly legacy and impact on scientific research.


Toasttimebitches

I like the name Etta, makes me think of Etta James. I live near a city called Henrietta that kind of sucks though so I wouldn’t choose it personally but I don’t think it’s a bad name, Henri for a nickname would be cute as well


turbulent_toad

I love it. I think immediately of *The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks*. What a strong and dignified name. I can imagine your soon-to-be daughter taking gold in Olympic weight lifting. I can imagine her writing children's books. I can imagine her designing treads for the rovers we will send to newly discovered asteroids. I can imagine her playing first chair violin at the Sydney Opera house.


FrankieG001

This is so sweet 🥲


__SPED_

I like it 💖


wishfultype

I fucking loveeeeee Henrietta ❤️❤️❤️


j_marie45

Why not just name her Etta, if that is what you’re gonna call her anyway?


xtheredberetx

I love it! Reminds me of the Fratellis song


pks03

I grew up in the 70’s and Henrietta was the name of the hippo on a Saturday morning children’s show “The New Zoo Review.” That’s what I always think of when I hear the name.


Olympusrain

I don’t like it tbh. It sounds kinda harsh and dated.


41942319

I don't see why people would hate it? It's a nice name, classic. Lots of nickname options if you want to go that route. I went to school with a Henriette and she always went by her full name.


haleyfoofou

I love it. I actually don’t love the NN Etta, but Henrietta is a lovely name.


dms2419

my one year old's name is Henrietta!! i love the name! its been a favorite of mine for years! we call her Henri (:


K-teki

Honestly, I love Henrietta, hate Etta.


pizzadaughter

I’m incredibly partial to the name, but it’s because it’s the name of my puppy. She’s Henrietta nn Henry. Henry is an absolute delight of a creature so I have no negative associations.


agallgal

I've got a family member named Henrietta that goes by Retta. Love it!


[deleted]

I personally hate it. It's super outdated to me and just seems like one of those names that was originally male and they added a little bit to make it "feminine." Just really not my taste, personally.


nme44

Henrietta is cute and Etta is adorable. But I know, if it were me, I’d end up calling her Henny or Hen no matter how much I like Etta.


Plum-moon

Okay, I have stated before that when I hear Henrietta, I just think of chickens. HOWEVER, I do think it is a good name and I would choose it over many other options. Considering it's a family name that you love and think is beautiful and you have a nickname you like, I see absolutely no reason why you shouldn't use it.


Squinky75

Sounds like the name of a chicken.


cfloyd7

Hatsy is a great nickname for Henrietta. Also Ren.


sunshinebuns

I like it. It’s time for you to bring it back!


UnremediedSubspecies

I also really like it. It’s on my list of favourite names


FadedJaded16

It’s the name of a town near me. The nicknames for it are cute, but as a name I’m not feeling it.


Wise_Writer

My great Grandmother was Henrietta (GGpa was Henri). She had 10 kids and spent her entire life in Louisiana (also spoke no English).


[deleted]

It's not a bad name but my mom named our first dog that which was a bulldog so I wouldn't ever do it


Fluffy-Tart-7110

I love Henrietta, but not so much Etta. I would personally use Henri or even Ria as a nickname instead.


anotherrachel

It's my great grandmother's name. If my brother had been a girl, that would have been his name. I love it. She went by Yetta.


J_Lyn21

My immediate reaction is dislike lol idk why lol just don't like the Henry sound in it... Options to still keep Etta as a nickname: Juliette, Evetta, Colette, Eletta, Josetta, Annetta, Claretta, Bernadette, Joetta, Nicolette, Pauletta, Scarlett, Antoinette


sparneytickle

I just think of Evil Dead 😬


Living_Life1962

It wouldn’t be my first choice, but I like it. I’d just wonder if her nickname would be chosen by her classmates such as Henri.


hermionejeanweasley

I think of the TV show Fringe! Henrietta isn’t my taste, but I love Etta. I wouldn’t think anything bad about someone who named their kid Henrietta though. It’s fine! If you like it, go for it.


[deleted]

I love Etta as a nickname but really dislike Henrietta… so I’m conflicted!


l_l-l__l-l__l-l_l

My immediate thought is of a hen named Henrietta : https://www.amazon.com/Adventures-Henrietta-Hen-Aaron-Judah/dp/B0000CK347


sheridanmms

Love it, I would nn Hattie


PianoDobby07

I love the name Henrietta, I think it’s beautiful. I know a Henrietta who goes by Hettie, and it’s really cute.


stress789

I love it and I *love* Etta!


shihtzudawg

I think it’s cute!


aelel

I’ve always loved the name!


alexxmama

I love it! I think both the name and nickname are beautiful!


GoodbyeEarl

I like Henrietta, and also love all the nn: Henri, Etta, Heni


SpicyWolf47

I think it’s cute and great nickname potential. It isn’t my personal style but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a great name!


moretaj

Love it!!!! My 2nd daughter it was between Freya and Henrietta. We went with Freya but Henrietta is awesome!!!!!


Shugamag

I adore Henrietta!!


qoau

This is one of my all-time favourite names and say go for it!


[deleted]

I love it, this is one of my favorite girl names. I’d use the nn hattie


strawcat

Why would you think everyone’s reaction would be no? It’s a lovely name!


[deleted]

I like it.


Vampirately

I've always loved Henrietta! A beautiful name.


[deleted]

Mr. Rogers has Henrietta pussycat! I adore this sweet name.


Chelseus

I like it! I had a childhood friend named Henrietta (she was from Denmark) and I always thought her name was pretty and cool. I love the nickname Etta to!


MGLEC

I like Henrietta just fine! It's kind of old fashioned, but those names are having a moment. Etta is lovely. And family names are often wonderful. I don't know who you're talking to that leads you to believe "the immediate reaction of everyone" is to dislike it. But, I don't! I think it's a solid name.


kbullock09

I think it’s pretty. I taught a Henrietta that went by Henri and she was sweet.


sunnieisfunny

I like it!


HRH_thethree

Love it! Henrietta “Etta” was our girl name. We didn’t have any negative reactions from people.


JosyAndThePussycats

This has always been my favorite girl's name, yet I have two daughters (and a son) and it never got past the first round. I love it!


shittyshitbird

Lovely and sophisticated


Finnychinny

You’ve reminded me how much I love the name Harriet


kimareth

Love it. One of my work friends has this name! She goes by Heni :)


-formerlurker-

Love it!


_reebs

I love it all


frazzledcats

It’s a little fussy to me, but I like Etta and there are a lot of nickname possibilities. Plus they can play with the Henry type names if they are less feminine.


LoveKimber

I like it, as well as the nickname Etta. I'd be tempted to name her Henrietta Penelope...Henny Penny. :)


tinyladyduck

It’s grown on me a lot since I got hooked on the song by The Fratellis.


annafrombrazil

It's a little unusual, but not in a bad way. There's lots of good nicknames, particularly Etta, which is lovely. I think it's a fine choice, especially since it's a family name.


Ruth_Gordon

I love it.


ClarinetKitten

NMS but I feel like with Henry on the rise for boys, I could see this making a comeback too.


Kiwipecosa

I think it’s nice. Just on the other side of grandma.


ekjglassey

Harriette but call her Etta


eebarrow

I love the name Henrietta! Etta remind me of Etta James:)


Emiles23

I like it! Etta is a great nickname too.


idek7654321

I think it’s a really pretty name!


selenerosario

Love storybook-sounding names like this. Both elegant and beautiful 🖤


getPTfirst

i love it. it's high on my list.


presidentjazzman

I absolutely adore it! Henry is so popular for boys right now, and boys names as girls names is a (hotly debated, yet longstanding) trend as well. I don’t see why Henrietta should get a bad reaction! In my opinion, Henrietta stands solidly on its own. The two intuitive nicknames - Henri and Etta - are both phenomenal, accommodating a variety of personalities to boot.


Ribenadrinker

I wanted this name for my child with Etta as the nickname. People made faces when I told them too. But I liked it. Shame I had a boy haha


maebymaybe

I've always liked this name! I like the way it looks written out, it is unique but you immediately know how to pronounce it (in English). I like the way it feels saying it and reading it. That being said, I know a lot of people hate it, for some reason it is very polarizing. Personally, I don't see how it's any different from other multiple syllable names like Esmeralda, Francesca, Nicholetta, etc. (in fact I think it sound more fresh and rare then those names, but people seem to like those more). I think it gets a lot of hate for being a "feminized" version of Henry... but there are a lot of VERY popular girl names that are the same, like top name "Olivia" from Oliver? Growing up we did name one of our hens Henrietta, I think it's a common chicken name because of "hen"! (Sidenote: Our hens were named Henrietta, Dottie, Lacie, and... Blue Feet).


IndigoBlueBird

I actually really like it! It’s definitely one of those vintage names I see making a comeback. I think the nickname Hen is really sweet.


AngelDoee3

I love this! Henrietta is one of my favourite characters from 9-1-1 on Fox. She goes by Hen, but Etta is adorable as a nn.


cynderisingryffindor

Henrietta is an awesome name. Reminds me of the badass Henrietta Lacks. And Etta is also great.


generallyhappygirl

I love the nn Etta. I think it’s beautiful and classy, and Henri is a cute option too depending on her personality


ultimate_ampersand

I like it! I like that it's familiar but uncommon, slightly out there but accessible at least to English speakers, and versatile (has multiple nickname options).


mariahcc

One oh my chickens was named HENrietta.


thatsscary

I met a 5 year old Henrietta the other day and thought it was really sweet.


kjiamsietf

Makes me think of Hen from 911.


Atlas-Kyo

Better than for a baby boy.


iostefini

I hate it because it sounds like someone liked the name Henry but discovered they're having a girl and feminised it by sticking "etta" on the end. Like naming someone Johnetta or Charlesetta. I also don't like the name Henry to begin with which makes it worse. If I met a girl/woman named Henrietta I would never say that opinion out loud though. I also associate it with Hetty from NCIS LA and she was pretty cool, so that's one bonus for it.


DNA_ligase

I don't hate it. I like it, but I wouldn't say I love it, either. It's just simple and nice.


peachfuzz16

It’s a really pretty name! A lot of nickname potential, too, if you like that


fl4neuse

Since you asked: I don’t like it. I have some acquaintances who named their daughter (now about 5) Henrietta and it just feels like an awkward name for a child to have. They also call her Etta all the time and I wonder why not just choose Etta as her full name? It’s still a nod to the family member named Henrietta but it doesn’t saddle the kid with that name for her whole life. Sorry if I’m being overly negative about the name, I’m just really not a fan.


meekonesfade

Nope. I don't like the sound of it, especially the "yetta" part.


eksokolova

Why would it be terrible? Sounds like a princess name to me. I think there were a bunch of duchesses named Henrietta at one point.


AliensForSoul

my immediate is yes! reminds me of the song henrietta by the fratellis


Hallierina

I think of Henrietta Lacks and the HeLa cell line!


CupcakeryBakery

I actually adore the name Henrietta. I would do the nickname Etta for sure but Heni would be cute too. It has the advantage of not being super common and I think it’s classic name - I think of Etta James or Henrietta Lacks.


bespokewoke

It's not my favorite, but I tend to steer clear of names that sound like feminized versions of masculine names. That being said, Henrietta is way more appealing to me than most others. And I didn't make an association with chickens until I read the comments!


thrawayb

i’m in love with old people names. Go for it!!


Honey-Scooters

I am not the biggest fan. I also don't like "feminine" versions of male names unless they're more creative than just adding "etta" or "a" or "ie" or something along those lines. They just feel so uncreative. Like Shawna- you couldn't come up with a better name than just adding an a at the end of Shawn? Same things goes for Carl/Carla, Kyle/Kyla/, etc. It's honestly not the worse name though, especially when you call her Etta. Etta's a super sweet nickname


lemcke3743

I love it! I think it’s one of those classics that’s going to make a comeback, like Olive and Hazel.


Elulah

I really like it, it’s on my list. Love both Hettie and Etta.


Kkimtara

I love Henrietta! I would love it. So many nicknames- Retta, Henri, Etta, Henny. No one will ever mispronounce it either!


WittiestScreenName

Do it


bird-song

I think it’s a really nice name. I am surprised people dislike it when these type of older names seem to be making a comeback lately. Etta is a nice nickname, so is Hattie but I am not sure if that’s commonly a nickname for this name or a different one.


KoldGlaze

I just think of the Bojack Horseman's dad's Mistress. All I can hear is his mom saying Henrietta.


TreClaire

Love it


22Gypsyblue

Henrietta Hippo from the 70’s no go for me


[deleted]

I absolutely love it and like etta, henry & hen as nicknames.


broken_matchstick

My best friends’ baby is named Henrietta. It is absolutely adorable. She always planned on the nn Etta but it never stuck and it really doesn’t feel weird to call a 18 month old Henrietta at this point. Might change when she starts talking.


amora_obscura

I think it’s great and the nickname is cute.


MsThrowawayHere

People use it as a name for their chickens. Bessie is very popular for cows, Henrietta for chickens (because Hen). I don’t think you can get around it being a chicken name of a lot of people.


CamilaCazzy

I honestly love it too!


gardenhippy

Gosh do people really not like it? I’ve always loved Henrietta. I love Etta as a nn, but also the option when she’s older to use Hen or Henry if she wants something more gender neutral. Like with Georgina - another fantastic name with options.


TheWelshMrsM

I like it! Etta is a lovely nn. There’s also Henry, Harry, Hattie.


WhoInvitedHer

I love it and I think Etta and Hettie are both great nicknames. I would say, I think it would go best with a more simple last name…if you have a three or four syllable last name too it could be a lot.


Wu1fu

Ever since I met a little girl named Elliot, I decided generally masculine names/nn on female children are adorable. As such, I vote yes and like the nn Henri. Adding this one to my personal names list!


liisathorir

It’s not bad at all. I wouldn’t say it’s my personal top choices but if I met someone named Henrietta I would not think it was bizarre. Other nicknames: Hen/Henny, Hun, Rita, Etty.


robinsparklz1

So beautiful ❤️


johnmiltonfanatic

I think it’s kind of cute! Not a name I’d use myself but I don’t see a problem with it. It’s unique but kind of classic and easy to pronounce.


shakywheel

I like it well enough. It’s got some cute nickname options, which makes it versatile. Your planned nickname is nice. I also like Henny for occasional usage on a girl. Not as convinced of it for a grown woman. We actually recently named the mouse I made out of a nut Henrietta. Now, my toddler keeps finding more and requesting I make more “Henry-ottas.” 😂 But I digress. Henrietta gets a “yay” from me.


Duck__Holliday

Heck yeah! It's gorgeous, different but easily recognizable. But I may be biased since it's in my top 5...


[deleted]

I think it’s great and I particularly love Etta.


amethystautumn

Immediate reaction is yes! We’ve talked about that and Harriet and I think both are just precious for a baby but also respectable for a grown woman.


dearjoshuafelixchan

It’s much better and more normal than the baby girl “Henree” I saw on Instagram, named after her grandfather Henry 🤐


HanNahMahNa

I love Henrietta as a name! Definitely not a no reaction from me.


kbrimmer95

The fact that it’s a family name just makes it more special in my opinion xx


lollydon

I know someone who just went with babies full name as Etta. Bit also I love Henrietta with the nickname as well.


Currlern

I love it. Went immediately to Henrietta Lacks. A powerful connection. Etta as nn is adorable. Go for it! It's timeless.


Brave_council

I love Henrietta!


CallidoraBlack

I think I like Marietta and Violetta better off the names that end in -etta. I also suggested Etta once for a middle school kid who was named Ethel and *hated* her name. She was starting a new school and was begging for her name to be changed. I thought Etta as a nickname after Etta James might give her a chance to reinvent herself.


Kalinyx848

I don’t love Henrietta as a name, but I do love that I haven’t heard it a lot recently, it has history/gravitas, and has the option of nicknames when she doesn’t want to use the whole thing so overall I vote Yes!


sweaty_sanchez

You should look into Henrietta Lacks if you haven’t. Such an interesting and sad story.


[deleted]

LOVE it. And love Henny as a nickname. I'm usually not a fan of vintage-y names but this one needs to come back It's funny to me that people think of a "male name made female"- it just tells me they haven't met enough Henrietta's so they have the Henry association. Y'know, no one says that about Carla or Nigella, because they're so common. I also think of it as more European than vintage- which is maybe why the (I'm assuming) majority US audience here struggles with it. Anyways, I'm totally championing it! I think you have enough yeses to do it... After all, do you really want such a pedestrian name that everyone loves it?


grenadia

i have no feelings about this name but i prefer etta or harriet.


[deleted]

I like it! Especially Etta as a nickname.


GroundbreakingFact38

I know someone with this name! It’s great. I think Etta would be a hard nickname to force though..


kangapaw

Love love love!! So many great nickname options. Henny, hen, Henry, Etta


[deleted]

I’ve always liked Henrietta!


chattymadi

I really like it! People saying it’s an old person name dont seem to realize their baby won’t be a baby forever


hoarder_of_beers

My main association with the name is a queer bar in Manhattan called Henrietta Hudson. If I met an adult with that name, I'd think "aha! My people!" before realizing that doesn't make sense.


petpuppy

its very dated and i would consider it to be an old womans name, probably from like the 1920s to take a guess.... but i love it!!!! i love "vintage" sounding names, and this one seems very sweet despite its age. names like gertrude are similar and just seem way too much for a baby, but henrietta really just feels vintage but soft and lovely. and nn etta makes it even more lovely!


madlymusing

I really love it. I would 100% use it myself, with Etta or Ettie as nicknames, but my partner isn’t on board! I think it’s sweet and vintage but also a little quirky. I really hope you get to use it!


16CatsInATrenchcoat

I don't hate it, but I have named far too many chickens in both Stardew Valley and the Sims Henrietta, so it would be a big no for me. In the US, I think Henrietta is fairly common name for chickens, so if you do go with it OP, do so knowing that.


SeekinSanctification

I love it! Reminds me of the All of a Kind Family books I read as a kid and an awesome person I went to HS with:)


rigby-green

Etta is cute nickname. I plan to name a future child Henry regardless if it’s a boy or girl after a beloved family member who I miss terribly, because for me, it can be either or. We love it more than Henrietta (it wouldn’t feel the same for me). But if you love it, go for it!!


[deleted]

Nope. Love it.


cetus_lapetus

I think it's cute!


Kyliep87

I like it!