Naming after Grandmothers

Expecting090114

Hi All!  I need some others thoughts on naming.

I decided long before BFP that if we have a girl, she will be named after my grandmothers.  DH is completely on board with it.  Maybe more than I am.

Here's my dilemma.  I love their names, but was thinking of shortening or using only nicknames.  Maggie Rose is the first of which I come up with and we both love the idea of calling her that, but DH thinks it silly to put "nicknames"  vs formal name on the birth certificate.  My grandmothers first names are Margaret and Rosella.  They are very old school names and I feel that is a little too much for a child to go through school with Margaret Rosella.  DH is thinking opposite of me.  He thinks that once they are older and in a professional environment, they would prefer a formal name vs nickname.   Here are the suggestions I've made to him. 

Maggie Rose
Margaret Rose- he's ok with shortening Rose, but still thinks of it as a nickname
Zella Margaret -Gma's nickname as a kid was Zella and I LOVE that, but DH again says "nickname"?

Of course, we don't know gender yet so this could all be for nothing.  We agreed on a boy name immediately so that isn't a problem.

I would love to know your thoughts or suggestions, ladies! 

nittanyllama

I'd prefer to put a more formal, full name on the birth certificate. I don't think Margaret is too much for a young child, I think it's being used much more often now! Obviously you can still call her Maggie. And Rose does not feel like a nickname to me, at all... 

Zella is adorable as a nickname but if I saw that as a child's full given name I might side-eye it for not seeming like a real name. If you want to do Rosella Margaret or something similar then I support Zella as a nn

GL!

emilyray14

I think Margaret Rosella is great! I agree with your DH, that Maggie is too nicknamey for it to be her given name.

Jags8

I really love Margaret. Rosella is also amazing!

brooklynesque

I love Margaret Rose (or Margaret Rosella).  There are so many great nns for Margaret -- Maggie, Meg, Mae -- it will be a very versatile name.

Expecting090114

Thanks, ladies!

I love both the names as well.. maybe I just needed reassurance!

Expecting090114

MauiBliss said:

Expecting090114 said:

Thanks, ladies!

I love both the names as well.. maybe I just needed reassurance!

You will absolutely not go wrong naming her Rosella Margaret, Margaret Rose or Margaret Rosella. Really stunningly classic and lovely names. 

Maybe its just the hormones.. but this just made me cry! 

homediva

I have a kids book from when I was little called "Rosella and the Butterfly," about a little thumbelina sized girl. I loved it and am choosing Rosella Margaret based solely on that!

FutureMrsW9

Expecting090114 said:

Here's my dilemma.  I love their names, but was thinking of shortening or using only nicknames.  Maggie Rose is the first of which I come up with and we both love the idea of calling her that, but DH thinks it silly to put "nicknames"  vs formal name on the birth certificate.  My grandmothers first names are Margaret and Rosella.  They are very old school names and I feel that is a little too much for a child to go through school with Margaret Rosella.  DH is thinking opposite of me.  He thinks that once they are older and in a professional environment, they would prefer a formal name vs nickname.   Here are the suggestions I've made to him. 

This exactly.  Your DH is right.  I'm Kathryn, but I've always been called Katie.  However, I couldn't imagine putting Katie on my resume - it just looks so juvenile.  YH has the right idea thinking about your daughter's future.  I like Margaret Rose best.

MrsRoy07

Our DD is Evelyn, which some ppl told us was too "old" for a baby- but she'll be an adult way longer than a child! We call her Evie now, and some ppl call her Evelyn all the time, which I don't mind a bit. Go with the formal name and use a nickname while she's young. I love nicknames!

saham07

I agree 100% with your husband! If you give your daughter formal names, then she will have the OPTION to use nn's as an adult.....not they other way around? Using formal names gives you both what you want in names

JMU_Bride09

I knew a Maggie in high school (full name Margaret but never used it). To me, it seems silly to give a name that the child will never be called. I think that there is a huge difference between pet nicknames that will be used by family only and nicknames like Maggie that will be used by teachers, friends, friends' parents, etc. I think that Maggie can be a formal name. And Rose is a definite stand-alone name.

NerdyLucy

I'm with your husband. I like Margaret Rose, Margaret Rosella, or even Rose Margaret. I think shortening to Rose is fine, but I would still use Margaret versus Maggie as the formal name.

Ecat504

I agree with your H, Margaret Rose is much better than Maggie Rose. Margaret Rose is actually a very lovely 

sharksfan

I vote Rosella Margaret. But I freaking love the nn Zella.

LadyXaverian

Margaret Rose or Rosella Margaret. I like Maggie as a nick name, though.

g8trkim

I love Maggie Rose but I think I would go formal with this one. Put Margaret Rosella on the birth certificate and call her Maggie Rose. Pretty name!

absolutelymaybe

I like Maggie Rose. 

FakeFinn

NittanyMama said:

I'd prefer to put a more formal, full name on the birth certificate. I don't think Margaret is too much for a young child, I think it's being used much more often now! Obviously you can still call her Maggie. And Rose does not feel like a nickname to me, at all... 

Zella is adorable as a nickname but if I saw that as a child's full given name I might side-eye it for not seeming like a real name. If you want to do Rosella Margaret or something similar then I support Zella as a nn

GL!

All this.

MrsAdventure

When I was younger there were a lot of girls with similar sounding names (lots of Melissa's and Alicia's in my school classes) so as far back as I can remember I was called 'Nikki', as my middle name is Nicole. But, when getting ready to go into the third grade, my mom was introducing me to my teacher as Nikki, and I promptly decided that that year I really wanted to be called by my first name. I remember feeling really excited that I got to make this big choice about my identity, so to speak. Like this is who I am, and I like it. I have never gone back to Nikki. Nothing wrong with giving her the option.

Also, I completely agree with PP, there is something special about the way the names Margret and Rosella flow together, no matter which one is first.

Expecting090114

Thanks for the feedback, ladies!