Any way to improve on Geraldine?

2850

My grandmother's name was Geraldine and I'd love to name my baby girl after her, but it's such an old-lady name. Any ideas on how to modernize it?

HappyMrsK

Well in some cultures they honor someone by just using the same first initial. So maybe just use another name that starts with G.

 

Karen1998

HappyMrsK:

Well in some cultures they honor someone by just using the same first initial. So maybe just use another name that starts with G.

 

This.  Or make it a middle name.

Wish Upon A Star

My grandmother's name is Geraldine also, we have been having the same problem. We were thinking about the initials as well. 

macchiatto

Karen1998:

HappyMrsK:

Well in some cultures they honor someone by just using the same first initial. So maybe just use another name that starts with G.

 

This.  Or make it a middle name.

Yeah, I think those are your two best options. I'd probably go the initial route.

baloneydisc

You can always name her Geraldine and call her Gerry (Jerry). I know a woman who goes by this.

k*princess

I would just middle name it.

Mama_SAS

I love it. 

Sweets2005

Gerlinde? That is old lady, too. I also suggest just going with a G name

donsluv

My aunts name is Gerldine and goes by Geri.

She is going through breast cancer right now and if this one is a girl we wanted to honor her some how but like you said, it's kinda an old lady name and I can't find another name to get out of it so we are thinking of using her middle name instead which is Elizabeth.

Can you use your grandmother's middle name? Or her married or maiden last name?

lisa5201

GiGi is cute

Better NN imo than Gerry 

queenbone

I actually really like Geraldine!  It started off as a joke from my uncle Gerry, but then it totally grew on me.  Now that he passed away earlier this year it moved farther up my girl name list. In addition to the other nns mentioned you could do Dina or Gera

cogbot

My grandmother's name was also Geraldine, but she went by Jo.  

summersoff17

my grandma was also Geraldine...I considered Gigi, Dina, Geri and I have a cousin who is named after her named Jerilyn..so you could try Gerilyn.

I am having a boy so I'm trying to convinve DH to use Dean as a middle name to honor my grandma geral(dine).

 Good luck... also I had a student a few years ago and her name was Geraldine

 

Hope this helps!

StellarStina26

I was thinking taking some letters and rearranging...

Aldine, Aldina, Deana, Dina

qtpa2t

Hey!  My name is Geraldine, and I've always been happy with it.  I never thought of it as an old lady name growing up.  The nick names abound, too.  Lots of options.

JasmineBrooke

I like Geraldine, as is.

I think people sometimes get hung up on names sounding "old ladyish" but I've yet to meet a baby or toddler that reminded me of an old lady.  To me, older, classic names look/sound refined AND spunky when paired with a fresh young face.

macchiatto

JasmineBrooke:

I like Geraldine, as is.

I think people sometimes get hung up on names sounding "old ladyish" but I've yet to meet a baby or toddler that reminded me of an old lady.  To me, older, classic names look/sound refined AND spunky when paired with a fresh young face.

Hmm ... to me it depends on the name. Some sound classy on a little girl; others just sound kind of frumpy and ill-fitting, IMO. (And obviously some of it is just a matter of personal taste. )

BelleBaby

What was her middle name?  Maybe use that instead (if it's better than Geraldine). 

veganxangel

I really like Geraldine as is!

braveangel2

I see a few different options..

1. Geraldine as a first name, use the full name

2. Geraldine as a first name, use a nick name

3. Geraldine as a middle name

These first three options would preserver the entire name - basically if someone was doing a genealogy chart, it would be easy to pinpoint where she got her name.

4. Use an anagram or even several letters from the name

Adeline Grace or Grace Adeline or Adeline Grey or Drea Gail etc.

5. Use a nick name: Dina, Gerry, Lina, Nadine etc.

6. Use a name with a similar meaning "ruler of the spear" (technically a feminine form of the masculine, Gerald).

https://www.behindthename.com/php/search.php?nmd=md&terms=ruler+spear

It's a bit limiting since ruler of the spear is such a masculine meaning, but there are a few.

7. Use grandmother's favorite name

8. Use grandmother's middle name

9. Use grandmother's maiden name (I suggest for a middle only - quite a few surnames don't sound that great as a first name on a girl)

I would also like to point out, narcissistically, that the name, Angel, can be made from Geraldine.