Roberta

Helenahhandbasket

What do you all think of this name?  It's my dad's name (well, Robert is) and it's sort of growing on me as a FN.

I like femme names with boyish NNs, so we'd probably NN either Bobbie or Robbie.

Would a sibset of Josephine and Roberta make you think we wanted boys (bc of the useage of feminized male names)?  That is H's concern.

Scarlett&Gatsby

I wouldn't think you wanted boys with Josephine and Roberta as a sibset.

That said, I just can't get on board with Roberta, sorry. It feels "old lady" in a bad way (you know, a Gladys vs. a Clara).

ETA: It also reminds me of my great-grandmother, who went by her middle name, Elberta, generally shortened to "Berta." It's hard for me not to think of Roberta being shortened to Berta, too, which is kind of clunky and way too close to Bertha for anyone's liking.

Helenahhandbasket

Scarlett&Gatsby said:

I wouldn't think you wanted boys with Josephine and Roberta as a sibset.

That said, I just can't get on board with Roberta, sorry. It feels "old lady" in a bad way (you know, a Gladys vs. a Clara).

 

 

 

That was my orig. reaction to the name as well-- but it's totally growing on me. Thanks for the input-- I am sure youare not the only one that will have that reaction

Dr.Loretta

It's NMS but a fine name.

Josephine and Roberta as girls wouldn't immediately make me think you were gunning for boys. If you had a Nelsa or a Johnna, maybe

Manderlin923

I wouldn't think you wanted boys (love Josephine, btw!) but I don't care for Roberta. It's the "berta" part I dislike.

Pepper6

Roberta is technically a fine name, but I kind of really hate it.  I do like Josephine though.

Barbercharm

I would think you really liked the names Josephine and Roberta.. . Who cares how others might perceive the choice of your names?! Don't let that sway you from using a name you really like!! Roberta isn't necessarily my style, but I love that its for your dad. And I think she'd grow to love that about her name too! And I like the nn options.

PinkLillyLover

Manderlin923 said:

I wouldn't think you wanted boys (love Josephine, btw!) but I don't care for Roberta. It's the "berta" part I dislike.

This.  

MannaPants

Love this sibset!

Helenahhandbasket

Idani said:

I would never make the assumption you were hoping for boys, so you can tell your husband he is thinking too much into that

 

As for the name Roberta, I kinda like it.  My parents neighbors have a 3 year old Roberta and after my initial thought of not liking it, it really has grown on me.  They call her Ro as a nn. 

 

Ooh that's cute- though a Ro and a "Jo" might be too much!

Helenahhandbasket

MommyLizzy said:

I'm not a fan of Roberta, but I do love Josephine (it makes me think of Little Women).  I agree with Roberta being an old lady name, in a not cute way.

There are lots of girl names with boyish NN
Melissa, NN Mo
Charlotte, NN Charlie
Alexandria, NN Alex
Samantha, NN Sam
Nicole, NN Nick

 

 

Love Samantha-- but my LN starts with the letters SAM.  Thanks for the suggestions-- we also have Francesca NN Frankie on our list

omgitscasey

I like it. I'd probably call her Birdie though.

Helenahhandbasket

omgitscasey said:

I like it. I'd probably call her Birdie though.

 

That's adorable!

DaisyZH

Birdie is a cute nickname, love PP's idea!  Personally not a fan of Roberta but I wouldn't think you wanted boys and it's a cute sibset.

MayDayGirl

It's not my favorite but I love the nn birdie

GibsonGirl620

I would definitely pick up on the "boys names turned into girls names" theme. I wouldn't think you wanted boys necessarily.

Robert has a special meaning to me, I love it. Roberta- I'm not a fan. Sorry.

Barbercharm

DaisyZH said:

Birdie is a cute nickname, love PP's idea!  Personally not a fan of Roberta but I wouldn't think you wanted boys and it's a cute sibset.

Great nn!! I love love the nn Birdie!!

GibsonGirl620

MelRC117 said:

I mean, yes, there are obvious male names that it was derivied from but I would assume if someone wanted boys and had girls this day and age they would skip the feminine version of it and use the masculine version anyway.

I do like it! 

Lol. Just use Robert!

theycallmejen

Normally I would not like Roberta, HOWEVER, I think its awesome that you are naming her after your father.  He is going to feel so special - what a wonderful gift to him!

You could call her Birdee for short, like Sandra Bullock in Hope Floats:

https://www.imdb.com/character/ch0019726/?ref_=tt_cl_t1

evaazalea

My DH wanted to use it as a MN for DD in honor of his grandma, honestly, am lad he changed his mind, it's so nms.

mfransdell

I'm really not a fan of it.

queenbone

Roberta has been growing on me for whatever reason. I think it pairs really nicely with a lot of names, but I never suggest it on here because I figure it is too 50s and not in a good retro way.

I think Josephine and Roberta as a sibset are fine since you use Josie and not Jo as a NN.

I like Bobbi or Berta as a NN for a girl, but not Robbie.

macska3

I'm not a fan--I prefer its nickname, Robin. 

Roberta sounds too stuffy and old lady for me, and I don't like the emphasis on the "bert" part. It makes me think of Bert and Ernie.

CMSAV

I like it. we considered it for DD2s MN.

brooksidebride

I would not think you were hoping for boys. I would just think you liked femme names with masculine nicknames, or feminized versions of boy names.

My first reaction when I saw the thread title was that I didn't like it. But as I thought about it, and pictured two little girls... Josephine and Roberta... Jo and Robbie... I started to kind of love it. And I like the family connection too.

I know two. Both in their early 50s. One does not have a nn. The other goes by Bobbie.

I think I'd find it refreshing on someone young.

dreemkin84

How about Robin instead?