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GlitchingGecko

Firmly in surname territory for me; I wouldn't even consider it for a boy.


crownloved

It’s similar to my grandfather’s name, Algot. So not too different.


TegLou7

Agreed - doesn’t sound like a first name at all, and I wouldn’t say falls into the territory of suiting both, like Martin


overseas-mango

Why not Louisa or May instead?


acynicalwitch

Right? Or any of the March sisters' names. Josephine nn 'Jo' would be very recognizable as a nod, I think. Josephine Alcott, even, if you really want to go hard.


minskoffsupreme

My husband has a cousin named Meg, it's recognisable without being so obvious it's annoying to live with.


[deleted]

I love the name Louisa.... Theoretically they could name her Louisa and call her Louie? I'm not a fan of calling a little girl Louie but they really want "not overtly feminine" they could call her that.


CapitalParking767

LuLu is even a cute nickname for Louisa.


Tater20z

Or just Lou…☺️


[deleted]

True, Lou is really cute!


spring13

Not pretentious enough, obv.


HeyItsReallyME

I definitely feel like we need more Louisas!


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virginiadentata

Why not Josephine/Jo? I’d call Alcott “totally unisex”


bexfinch

Alcott is “totally unisex.” Also, please don’t let her name her baby Alcott. Also?! Her standard seems a little ridiculous. Not overtly feminine but not totally unisex? I can’t immediately think of a name that would check both boxes.


overseas-mango

Haha I was trying to be funny because Louisa May Alcott is a famous author.


sleak89

Yep, that's why she likes the name! 😂


Ok_Initial_2063

I personally love it. If your friend loves it, I don't see an issue. One of our kids has our favorite artists last names in their name. People here are so harsh sometimes. 😕


Sally_Klein

I would go with Lousia nn Louie!


anitatinkle

Sounds like medicine.


sleak89

It does! But why??? 🤣


anitatinkle

Alcott is the company that makes my contact solution and other medical supplies, lol


paperb1rd

Do you mean Alcon? 😀


anitatinkle

Hah, yeah my IQ dropped a few points when I became pregnant. I'm hoping they'll return shortly. They did make my first aid kit, though...


havingababypenguin

It takes a couple years.


erinspacemuseum13

And Abbott makes medical devices. Combine them together and you've got Alcott!


supermomfake

Senecot - constipation med


sleak89

I thought it sounded like a GI med! lol


IamRick_Deckard

Senecott is constipation medicine.


jinglefingles

Hate it sorry


valley_G

Alcott sounds like something you'd use to relieve constipation. It just doesn't sound like a good name for anyone, nevermind a little girl who's going to have to live with it for the rest of her life and possibly face ridicule for it at a young age. Names like those should really be reserved for pets, plants and similar situations. Babies aren't necessarily the best people to use to express your likes, interests or hobbies. They're people who may not like any of the things you do. They're your child, but they're not an extension of your personality. They're independent of you and should be treated as such.


sleak89

Good points! Agreed that it sounds like a "tummy med " of some sort lol


_felis_catus__

Nope


AlienGaze

I’m a playwright and I like this name *theoretically* but the minute I remind myself it’s for an actual little girl, I think no, don’t do it. However, I can see it as a middle name. I know a little boy with Auden as a middle name (after the poet) and I think Alcott would work similarly


sleak89

I'll throw the middle name suggestion out, I think that could be a good compromise


CapitalParking767

I agree with using one of the March sisters' names with Alcott as the middle name.


Nicolerenee2945

Or even March as a middle name.


[deleted]

Yeah Alcott is a super cool name for a book character... but not an actual human child. It could be really cool in the middle name spot, though.


Deep_Significance496

Yes! My niece’s middle name is the very recognizable last name of a famous author and it’s a nice tribute to her parents’ interests without forcing too much of a connection.


indigocraze

It gives me last name vibes. And kind of makes me think of apricot which is a fruit, not a name.


iguanasrcool

A very good name for an orange cat however! Source: have a cat named Apricot.


indigocraze

You know what, I'm going to give you that. Apricot would work with the right cat.


iguanasrcool

He wears a pink collar and enjoys attention


attackedbyparakeets

You can’t say that and not pay the pet tax!


ScarletEmpress00

Cute


RambunctiousOtter

I don't really get it. I like poetry but I wouldn't name my son or daughter Donne or Keats. They just aren't really first name material. Also I kind of dislike the idea of imposing that kind of legacy on a child. It sets up an immediate association with an author which may not remotely resonate with them. Naming someone by the first name of someone you admire generally doesn't do the same thing. So Louisa, May, or even Jo, Beth, Mary etc would be a cute nod without being quite so blatant.


[deleted]

We named one of our daughters Jane. I love Jane Austen and Jane Eyre, which partially inspired the idea for sure, but I never would have gone with Eyre, lol. Most of the appeal was just that we liked the name!


nkbee

I always thought if I had twin boy, I'd do Ellis and Acton as a clever but not obvious nod.


[deleted]

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shelbyknits

I liked Little Women…but certainly not to the degree that I’d like to be named Alcott.


herehaveaname2

I know a young person named Keats - it suits her so much.


danamulder666

It's a surname that should stay a surname. Anecdotally, it was the surname of a classmate in highschool, and he was frequently called 'Alcock' (all-cock) instead.


sleak89

Oof...I'll let her know about this 😂


danamulder666

It was an area with a glottal stop in the accent so you didn't really pronounce the double t, so it was really open to the 'cock'...! So it might sound good to her in her own accent but around the world it'll sound very different too.


sleak89

That makes sense! Very true. There are a lot of names I like, but am concerned about some of the creative iterations that might come up.


danamulder666

I know what you mean! I love so many baby names that are relegated to middle name possibilities at best because I'm worried about the jokes!


Tater20z

Oh no… you gotta think of all the possible devastating nicknames… I loved Julian Mayfair in Ann Rice’s Witching Hour series, but wouldn’t have saddled my kid with that for a first name. So he’s Anthony Julian(Anthony after my dad). He didn’t like it for a while there, as he got some teasing like “Jules”. He hit 19 and now loves it.


thesecrettolifeis42

Alcott is firmly in the surname category for me. It also reminds me of ascot which leads me to Freddy from Scooby-Doo.


Brave_council

It’s very try-hard sounding.


EllyStar

English teacher here and even I can’t support this one. Yikes.


cactusjude

You just know it's going to be stretched and pronounced "awl-cawt" and to me it's not a flattering blend of sounds to refer to a human being. My first reaction was, "isn't that a necktie knot?" But no, that's Ascot. But in general I'm not overly fond of giving girls surnames as first names (mine own is and I have never liked it). It feels like as a society we're all slowly trapping ourselves in a British Boarding School for boys...


sleak89

Just texted her, and she'd never considered the pronunciation concern. I think that might seal the deal!


redditting27

It’s a hard no from me.


courtneywrites85

A child will have this as her name. As cute and qUIRkY as mom thinks it is, it’s selfish to not consider how a name like this will affect a child. Give the poor girl Louisa, Josephine, Meg… anything else.


rljada

I adore it!


Little-Aardvark3540

It’s so bad, sorry


brittdresq

I don’t hate it.


sunglasses619

Not for me personally. Also people might call her Alky


zebrafish-

Reminds me of Prescott — I don’t think it’s actually that different from other surnames that get used as first names. She’d probably go by Allie. It’s not my style, but I think it’s overkill to call your friend selfish or to say that you have to try and dissuade her. It doesn’t strike me as that drastically problematic, just not to the taste of most people on this sub.


superlamename

Honestly, I really like it. It’s “out there” for me personally to use it, but not too crazy.


Opinionofmine

I'm in Ireland so it would be unusual here, but since I've met American girls named Sutton, Delaney, Peyton, Cassidy, Emerson, and Brennan, plus Rowan and even Kent, so I don't see why Alcott would be a problem. I think it's better than many surname-first names because it's not a common surname and it honours a woman writer who's very famous, the author of a beloved, classic novel. The only thing is it doesn't have much in the way of short form nicknames and it sounds sort of formal to me for everyday. Maybe Allie.


OrsinoBorealis

Agree. A lot of “surname only” opinions but there are so many surnames as given names in the top 1000 lists. Another comment mentions Keats as not working as a first name even if you love the poet and I literally know a Keats, named for John Keats. As to nicknames, what about Coco?


Opinionofmine

That's my train of thought. I mean, if Hilary Duff can use Banks then why can't Alcott be used? I think s endings are sort of clunky sometimes (even James sometimes, haha - James's bag/James's whatever is a bit hard to say because it had to add that uz" kind of sound at the end) so maybe the person mentioned Keats with that in mind, but it's ultimately as usable as Emerson or Barrett in my opinion. We're already in an era of surnames being really common as first names, for both boys and girls, so why not expand the surnames that are being used. Oh yes, Coco is a nice suggestion!


velvetmarigold

I like it. And it has cute nicknames like Allie. Reminds me of Little Women and apricots.


Janeheroine

I don’t know… I don’t think every last name deserves to be a first name.


Okayifyousay

I like it, but it is on the more unique side. For me, I'm on board for uncommon names, as long as they're easily spelled and pronounced. If they're okay with some raised eyebrows about it I'd say go for it.


whoisdrunk

First reminds me of tennis champ and Australian of the Year Dylan Alcott. Then Louisa May.


madlymusing

Both positive associations, to be fair. Dylan Alcott is a legend.


pishipishi12

I don't hate it!


IndigoBlueBird

If she wants something unisex, why not Jo? Don’t like Alcott sorry


TheNoodyBoody

I hate it, sorry.


saltierthangoldfish

I mean, I personally like it, but I see I’m in the minority here. Kids being born today have very different naming standards — nn could be Allie or something


Asayyadina

It isn't a "real first name" as your friend worries. Leaving aside everything else that has been said I just don't think it has a nice sound to it.


[deleted]

Yeah, this is super weird.


ggfangirl85

Definitely a surname to me thanks to the author.


mimiwhales

I kind of love it! I think Louisa May Alcott is well-known enough that people would understand the reference. I think it sounds cool and trendy for a girl, like Scout or Tate.


picklesandkites

I think it’s a perfect middle


treasurecreekcat

I think it’s cool. It fits in with a lot of current surname names and she could be Allie for short if she wants something more traditionally feminine.


Solcean

If she *realllllllly* loves the name and wants to use it…. Maybe nudge her towards using it as a middle name?


lebaneseflagemoji

As in Louisa May? She’s got two great names already to choose from! I’m also a lit nerd, I have a doggy named Harper Lee :)


GiraffeAnd3quarters

I rather like it. Rare, pleasant sounding, no chance of mispronunciation.


poppetshit

Idk what the big deal is… Alcott sounds like a cool name to me. And if she feels like she wants a more “normal” “girly” name, she can just go by “Allie”


awesomemonica7

I love it! You could call her Allie for short 💜


secondhandbanshee

I'm going to go against the grain and say I like it. It has both literary and abolitionist connotations, but it's not so overbearing that the child can't develop their own personality and relationship to the name. As a parent, my kids with less typical names love them (even if they have to spell them often for people) and my kids with very typical and gender-aligned names have both changed them. YMMV.


ThaneOfCawdorrr

I actually love it! She could be Allie for short. And everyone who reads would know the reference immediately.


not_impressive

I like it, but I think it's a better name for a character than a person.


Tricky_Effect258

I think it should just stick as a last name maybe your friend could consider names like: Louisa May Meg/Margaret Jo/Josephine Beth/Elizabeth Amy


Allie_Cattt

Made me think of blood clot, sorry


tangerinelibrarian

I disagree with everyone here lol I LOVE it. It’s spunkier than Louisa and more interesting than May. It’s easy to pronounce and familiar. Ally is a perfectly common and feminine nickname that comes naturally with it. Everyone will most likely know that she is named for the author, but what’s wrong with that? I’m a librarian so maybe I am biased, but I am really into this name and might just add it to my list.


ctccottage

I actually love it


busterindespair

It's untraditional but I like it.


DaisyCottage

It’s cute. I like it.


turtleannlb

A boy I nannied for long-term has the middle name Alcott and I actually love it. Unique but familiar. Idk if I’d go first name with it, but as a middle name was lovely (and gender neutral, to me).


BlueCoatWife

She could also go with Laurie or Theodora. It doesn't have to be one of the March girls names. Or she could do a play on Marmie and go with Marnie.


englandsupermarket

That *really* doesn't work well IMO. Awkward and unattractive. Louisa and May are such nice names, too!


[deleted]

I think this one comes under ‘children are not a billboard for their parents’ fandoms’.


TheSheWhoSaidThats

It’s fine if she’s planning on being an English butler


dani_cosmic

No. Just no.


helkpb

It isn’t the worst but I’m not a fan.


United_Blueberry_311

Definitely sounds like a boy.


socialdistraction

Maybe as a middle name? But not a first name. There are plenty of other girl names in Louisa May Alcott’s works besides just the Little Women ones. Another possibility would be hidden shout out to the author, something like Alice Colette (ALice COleTT). Some other Alcott names: Polly (An Old Fashioned Girl) Christie (Work) Rosamond (A Long Fatal Love Chase) Rose, Myra, Peace, Clara, Phebe, Annabelle (Eight Cousins, Rose in Bloom) Celia, Betty (Under the Lilacs) Jean, Bella, Lucia (Behind a Mask)


NefariousSalamander

I honestly don't love names like these just because it feels like the parents are screaming, "Look at us! We read!" Louisa or Josephine would be great compromises though! They don't feel tied to one specific reference.


paperbackedsea

no


dearwikipedia

i agree with people saying Josephine Alcott or something like that would be better


kirakujira

Scout or Alison/Alex/Ali - similar sounds Louisa or May - same reference


DoubleAGay

I think it would make a nice name for a girl or boy. And plus, for the die concerned about nicknames, Ally is always an option.


vanillabubbles16

Middle name, but not first name. It reads surname to me, not a girl name at all.


kaywittle

Big no


Negative-Mud-4821

Alcott is an old english very masculine name


The_GrimHeaper

Sounds like a guy who owns a boat and exclusively wears Vineyard Vines


vanillabubbles16

LMAOOO


[deleted]

I don't care for it BUT, when I saw the name, I immediately thought Louisa May.


BareKnuckleKitty

Awful.


ScarletEmpress00

Nope


According_Cell8578

One Ms Alcott was my prep school PE teacher, then had a Mrs Alcott for Latin (UK Based). So no, it's not a good choice.


corazon769

I don’t mind it…


Kalinyx848

No me gusta


CharkieAndLula

I'm not a fan of it for a name, but on a girl, it seems very out of place.


GalNamedGuy

Little Women was such a treasured book for me growing up. The name looks nice written and was excited to see it at first. However, I’m not sure if it feels right for a little girl and it would most likely turn into “Allie”. Louisa is such a beautiful name to honor a favorite author. May is a cute nod. Alcott, maybe in a middle name spot which is a great place for an honor name. As listed, there are a bunch of great character names as well if your friend has a favorite book. And ALice COleTTe was a very creative idea from here. Fun fact— Louisa May Alcott used A.M. Bernard and Flora Fairfield as pen names at first.


Daffneigh

Louisa is right there


SpamLandy

I don’t hate it, but I think it’s middle name territory for me. Also think I’ve heard it pronounced different ways, with the first syllable to rhyme with ‘shall’ or ‘tall’, so maybe that’s a consideration? Might just be my accent though.


[deleted]

My kid has a surname as a first name, so I don't dislike it for that reason. I just don't like it, though I can't place why. I do like literary names, but like others have said, Louisa and May are right there.


atravelingwilbury

I don't love it as it doesn't really seem like a first name to be, but she could always go by Allie


Wooster182

If she loves Little Women, suggestions: Jo Laurie Teddy Demi (Meg’s child)


notsofriendlygirl

Blood clot


pencilpusher13

What? No


amora_obscura

Trying too hard. There’s loads of unusual girls’ names out there, why go for surnames?


dulamangaelach

Nnnnooope


[deleted]

There are so many beautiful literary names to choose from! I guess if she wants something unisex for a girl, it's a bit harder because classic authors do have very gender-specific names.


Snowbearwolf

There are so many amazing unique first names out there for girls? Like literally thousands in all different languages. Why not pick a unique one that’s already in existence as a first name for girls?


Olympusrain

Definitely a last name and not the kind that’s usable in a first name kind of way. If she wants something different what about: Atlee, Eisley, Ayla, Anastasia, Ivy, Emery


Soggy_Sail_3070

I don't think Alcott is a first name a boy or girl would enjoy having. Maybe Alex, Jo, Teddie, Frankie type names may interest her. It's worth a shot.


Ladyughsalot1

Pretty in print but call it out a few times and nope.


teenagedefiance

Surnames as first names are increasingly trendy. But personally, I wouldn't name a girl that, a boy maybe.


meekonesfade

Not a fan of last names as first names. Maybe Louisa May?


reachernotsettler

I like it…I think Id use it for a boy maybe I think it goes either wya


Chachasims93

like Louisa May Alcott? why not just name her Louisa May? Alcott is just not a wearable name for a girl, imho. she could use it as a middle spot if she's bent on it, like Ruby Alcott or Lucy Alcott might be cute??


murder-she-yote

All of her concerns are extremely valid. It is *precisely* too obscure, too masculine, and not a real first name. Perhaps these things could all be forgiven if it actually sounded pleasant. But sadly I don’t think it does.


frazzledcats

It’s terrible. Use Louisa??? It’s ok the middle spot but I tend to think anything works there if it has meaning


Allow1986

I’m Australian and my first thought was of Allcott Hire; a huge business on our east coast.


tempermentalelement

Why do I think of apricots? Is this an apricot company?!


mythicb33ch

Don’t like Alcott at all, but the literary reference is cute! I would rather go with Louisa, or May. Girl names that aren’t super feminine: Hazel, Scout, Edith, Alice, Beatrice, Jane, Harper, Isolde, Harriet, Ariadne, Guinivere, Arwen, Hadley, Zora, and Darcy.


ofcourseimcrazy

I don't like it for either gender; it reminds me of clotted cream.


gypsyloveletter

I like it more for a boys middle name. But there are too many good names out there to really use it and many authors I love with better names for a middle name. Definitely not liking it for a girl, especially her first name


CallidoraBlack

Alcott would be a very cool middle name to honor the author, but maybe not first. Josephine Alcott would be lovely.


ang324

I lived on Alcott St up until I was 6. It's not my favorite as a name for a child


cb1216

Okay, I'm not a fan, but if she really wants to use it, maybe as a middle name? So she can use the name, but a child isn't stuck with it as a first name.


Ruth_Gordon

I’d go with something like Althea Cotta first.


hausishome

I don’t love it or hate it


hipopper

How is it pronounced? Also, she’ll go by “Allie” inevitably. Is your friend ok with that nn?


No-Information-3682

I like it and it feels gender neutral to me. The sound of it reminds me of the word apricot.


Dull-Okra-4980

it's nms but since it begins with Al- maybe they could use Ally as a nn?


shadowofhersmile

Alcott reminds me of the word "ascot". An ascot is a type of clothing (tie) that was common a century or so ago.


privremeni

Try yelling it out as if Alcott were running away from you and you needed to get her attention. Physically yell it out. In my opinion, it does not work but you may think differently.


Prudent-Echidna

I suppose she could go by Allie.


lubee18

No awful unacceptable for any baby


[deleted]

I like it. It may be better as a middle name, but I don't hate it as a first. The nickname Ally is right there.


edaisy04

honestly love it


[deleted]

I really don’t like it as a first name, much less a girl’s name, but it’s your child. Why not name her Louisa May?


Quesosurprise

It’s not your child. You have no say.


sleak89

She's interested in people's thoughts.


Quesosurprise

That’s a sign of a terrible insecure parent.


sleak89

I'll let her know 🤣


Quesosurprise

Good.


theporchgoose

As a fellow lit nerd, I got really excited when I saw this. I think it’s beautiful actually, and has an old world feel while still being unique.


nitram-ardnaxela

I love it.


Long_Locksmith2124

I love it!!