Holland

rockchalk1010

I think we have finally decided on a name for DD#2, Holland Josephine with the possible nn of Holly.  Last name is difficult to pronounce so we wanted something easy to say, but not super common.  Also, I always hated not having a formal name (i.e. given name being something like Maggie instead of Margaret).  I know this may not be everyone's style, but is it too out there?  Anything we are not thinking about before we announce?

rockchalk1010

The (Kingdom of the) Netherlands is a country, North and South Holland are two of the 12 provinces that help to make up the country, but I understand your thoughts and this is something we have considered. Holland is also a pretty normal surname in the States, so it the geography association doesn't tend to bother us.  Also, it has become pretty common to name your child Paris, London, Memphis, Dallas, Kensington or even the dreaded Brooklyn - which lack association outside of geographical places.

trizzie

Obviously, I like it.

rockchalk1010

Holland is a legit name - it means "wooded land" - not all that different from Hollis which means "dweller at the holly trees and Holly which means "of the holly tree".  It may not be super common or traditional, but that doesn't make it not a name.  It may be a NMS name, but it's a name all the same.

rockchalk1010

Plus Hollis sounds too similar to Halas which is too Chicago Bears for us.

rockchalk1010

I guess it depends on how you feel about the Bears

LNic5

I'm in the minority here...I don't find Holland Josephine that bad, I think it sounds good together

Please don't attack lol

futurestaples

I know a Holland... It's a baby boy tho (less then a year old) ...Holly is a cute nickname for it tho!

nocatanywhere

I went to school with a (male) Holland ten years ago. No one paid it much mind other than it being a fairly unique name. There's also a popular young actress named Holland Roden (Teen Wolf) with the name right now.

*shrug* I always thought it was a nice name. Probably because I knew someone who had it.

koalaberry

I don't think Holland is that bad really and I use to have a job making out birth certificates. I can tell you I am a stickler.  I can't disagree with the fact that is easy to spell and pronounce which is a lot more than I can say for many of the coocoo names I see on here.  I agree with the others that Holly is a stand alone name.  I know it's not a  huge endorsement but I've seen much worse than Holland.  

effthisnoise

I agree that Holly is a name by itself, but I like Holland Josephine. There's also that actress Holland Taylor (Legally Blond, Two and a Half Men, etc.).

daystardreams

I love Holly Josephine.

allthecheese

rockchalk1010 said:

Holland is a legit name - it means "wooded land" - not all that different from Hollis which means "dweller at the holly trees and Holly which means "of the holly tree".  It may not be super common or traditional, but that doesn't make it not a name.  It may be a NMS name, but it's a name all the same.

@rockchalk1010  Sooooo according to your definition, Holland is not a name for a person, but for a land. A person could well be a dweller at the holly trees or be of the holly trees, but I've never seen a person being that successful at being land

that being said, If you're going to name your child "a random place name" I personally don't think Holland is the worst choice. NMS tho, but I will recommend Holly.

also I have a hard time understanding pps' theory of not using a place name because you have no connection to it. If I were tp name my child "a random place name" I would definitely use one that I had no connection too. My theory is that I don't want my child's name to be the same as a household word that would get used at all often. Example if I knew you had holly bushes in your yard that you were always talking about trimming I would NOT recommend the name

parenthood4

I'll be in the very small minority as well...I don't mind Holland!

divinemsbee

How I feel about the name Holland, as well as most place names, can be summed up by this Chris Rock quote: " Yeah, you can do it, but it don't mean it's to be done! Shit! You can drive a car with your feet if you want to; it don't mean its a good fucking idea"

You can use it, no one's going to stop you. But it's not a great name. Josephine's so lovely though, it's a pity it gets stuck in the middle.

DaisyZH

I don't like Holland, I do like Holly and Josephine.

Engineer81

I like Holland. I tossed it around for a bit.

youenjoymyself

I like it, too! Holland Josephine is pretty.

DawnJM25

Holland isn't terrible, but it isn't pretty and doesn't sound feminine.  I'd just name her Holly Josephine.  As for wanting full name with a nn, my DH is Anthony but he goes by Tony.  He NEVER goes by Anthony, but it's on all of his formal documents, ID, etc.  He hates having a formal name that he's never called.  Just something to think about...

kellyfo14

I think it's pretty actually.

chapstix7

Maybe I'm the only one; I picture an 80 year old man?

divinemsbee

DawnJM25 said:

Holland isn't terrible, but it isn't pretty and doesn't sound feminine.  I'd just name her Holly Josephine.  As for wanting full name with a nn, my DH is Anthony but he goes by Tony.  He NEVER goes by Anthony, but it's on all of his formal documents, ID, etc.  He hates having a formal name that he's never called.  Just something to think about...

Sidebar: I love love love Tony for Anthony.

llambrose

It wouldn't be on my list but I think it sounds nice. There is an actress named Holland Taylor.

Ballerina0917

I think there are a lot worse names than Holland. And holly as a NN is super cute. Saw some other suggestions so I'll throw out Hollyn as a possible tweak.

Coconuthead

Sorry, I don't care for it; I'm afraid I don't see the appeal. The sound is clunky and unfeminine and the association with the country inescapable. Holly Josephine however is lovely. Best of luck!

Unknown

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divinemsbee

Ballerina0917 said:

I think there are a lot worse names than Holland. And holly as a NN is super cute. Saw some other suggestions so I'll throw out Hollyn as a possible tweak.

I don't think 'there are worse names' is a legit argument here. The bar shouldn't be set that low. I mean, I sure hope when I name my kid that 'well, at least it's not Nevaeh or Cashlynn' isn't the first thought through people's heads when they hear the name.

And no, no to Hollyn.

FakeFinn

rockchalk1010 said:

The (Kingdom of the) Netherlands is a country, North and South Holland are two of the 12 provinces that help to make up the country, but I understand your thoughts and this is something we have considered. Holland is also a pretty normal surname in the States, so it the geography association doesn't tend to bother us.  Also, it has become pretty common to name your child Paris, London, Memphis, Dallas, Kensington or even the dreaded Brooklyn - which lack association outside of geographical places.

Dutch person here. It is true that Holland is in the name of two provinces. Most often we refer to our country as Nederland (the Netherlands), however there are times when we refer to our country as Holland. Be it in football (soccer) songs (Hup Holland Hup), emblazoned on tourist items etc. The Netherlands is a tiny country and it rains quite a bit here. Small and wet aren't wonderful associations IMO. I love Josephine, would you consider it as a fn?

Engineer81

bromios said:

Engineer81 said:

I like Holland. I tossed it around for a bit.

That must have been exhausting.


Well I needed the exercise! :-)

animalcrckr

rockchalk1010 said:

The (Kingdom of the) Netherlands is a country, North and South Holland are two of the 12 provinces that help to make up the country, but I understand your thoughts and this is something we have considered. Holland is also a pretty normal surname in the States, so it the geography association doesn't tend to bother us.  Also, it has become pretty common to name your child Paris, London, Memphis, Dallas, Kensington or even the dreaded Brooklyn - which lack association outside of geographical places.

Regardless of you formal definition of the geography of Nederland, it is still referred to Holland by many people.  We live in Europe and a lot of people refer to the country as Holland. Just FYI

BananaLettuce

I think I can understand the appeal because Holland is a beautiful country and the word in itself is pretty, but I still do not like place names on people. I think Holly is the better choice. I like Hollis as well, but it sounds a bit masculine to me.

I love Josephine!

rockchalk1010 what about the Polish Halina (hah-LEE-nah)

capulet

rockchalk1010 said:

The (Kingdom of the) Netherlands is a country, North and South Holland are two of the 12 provinces that help to make up the country, but I understand your thoughts and this is something we have considered. Holland is also a pretty normal surname in the States, so it the geography association doesn't tend to bother us.  Also, it has become pretty common to name your child Paris, London, Memphis, Dallas, Kensington or even the dreaded Brooklyn - which lack association outside of geographical places.

I guess my opinion on this is that names are best when you like the meaning/association as well as the sound.  My biggest pet peeve with American naming conventions is that people use names without caring about the meaning or significance of the name.  Now in the case of Holland, it could be the the significance of the name is its etymological meaning, as a family surname (or otherwise significant to you), or as a reference to the country (or provinces, if you insist).  But if you are saying the name has all those meanings, but you don't actually care about any of the meanings, I think it's just bizarre to use it as a name.  It's an odd name - I think it's especially odd on a girl, but whatever.  There is nothing wrong with using an unusual name, and my daughter has one, but people want to know why you used a name and they will ask you.  I find it easier to be confident in a name that I/DD know, and can tell others, has meaning to us.

MarxieVonTrapp

OP, I thought you were also thinking about Hope.  I like that, too.

526SadieSadie

Holly Josephine is a beautiful name.  Holland is awful.

Holly isn't like Maggie or Jenny - It's a standalone name.

4N6s

I like holly.

Kitty Holland

I am not a huge fan of place names, but I kind of like it. I like it better than Holly. Are you or DH Dutch? Does it hold any special meaning for you?

I live in Holland (both the province of Nord Holland and the country) and it would never work here as a FN, though it is a last name here.

nah82

I graduated hs with a girl named Holland.  Hardly anybody knew that was her full first name, though, because she always went by Holly. (Which makes me think that she herself was not fond of it.)

katie0919

My niece's name is Holland, and while at first I was surprised by my sister's choice of a name - she is clearly a Holland. And an adorable one at that. And I generally don't like geography choices for names....Brooklyn, Paris, etc.

My sister spent part of her childhood (before I was born - she's 10 years older) living in Holland with my parents, so it has meaning to her. 

I, however, and my sister as well, do not like the NN 'Holly". I am definitely the minority here, I suppose!

MorganWP

Late to this party but I know a Holland. She's one of my good friends and goes by Holly. I don't think it's a bad name at all. But this is coming from someone who also knows a Bethlehem that goes by Beth. I think I'm just used to odd names. 

ItsGreen

There is the actress Holland Taylor so I am find with this. And Hol or Holly is a fine NN. 

DanandVan

FWIW, I know a 9 yr old boy named Holland, no nn. I kind of l Iike Holland, for either a boy or girl (although the feminine nn Holly does make it easier as a girl's name).