Persephone? WDYT?

divinemsbee

It's one of the names that fits what I like and whag my H likes. I'll amit I like names that are a wee bit English aristocracy and mostly old fashioned and H tends to like names that are more mythological, Freya is another one of his faves. MN with Persephone would probably be Anne, just because I like the souns. Our last name begins witg B and is similar to Hanson.

thepretzelchick

No. Just...no. She was the queen of the underworld. Or you could go with it and name your next child, if it's a boy, Hades.

If it was me, I'd remember that I love my child and would go back to the drawing board.

magpie1127

I agree with PP - it sounds beautiful, but it has that whole "evil" thing attached to it, so that would deter me.

Suggestions: Phoebe, Petra, Daphne, Isolde, Katya, Agnes, Margot, Claudia, Signe, Adair

ETA: Another suggestion - Persephone also reminds me of Seraphina.

BlindysWife

I kind of like Persephone. My H and I both have a soft spot for Greek mythology names. I would never use it though, because I feel its just a hair over the top. I suspect that a lot of people who were unfamiliar with it would totally miss the pronounciation. But like I said, I do like it. 

You could also use Penelope or Calliope if you wanted to be just slightly less edgy.  

ETA: my mythology memory is pretty rusty, but wasn't Persephone NOT evil? Wasn't she the one that was like, kidnapped by Hades against her will and taken into the underworld? And her mom had to save her with something to do with pomegranate seeds? Am I totally off base and confusing this with another story? Cause in my memory, she wasn't a bad character. 

Sunday924

I know a little girl IRL with that name and it's NMS.

Lue94

Sorry. I don't like it.

countrywed

I am one of the people pp mentioned who doesn't know how to say it.  All I see is Per-see-phone, and think phone like telephone?

kaylynne

MommyLizzy:

BlindysWife:

I kind of like Persephone. My H and I both have a soft spot for Greek mythology names. I would never use it though, because I feel its just a hair over the top. I suspect that a lot of people who were unfamiliar with it would totally miss the pronounciation. But like I said, I do like it. 

You could also use Penelope or Calliope if you wanted to be just slightly less edgy.  

ETA: my mythology memory is pretty rusty, but wasn't Persephone NOT evil? Wasn't she the one that was like, kidnapped by Hades against her will and taken into the underworld? And her mom had to save her with something to do with pomegranate seeds? Am I totally off base and confusing this with another story? Cause in my memory, she wasn't a bad character. 

 

This is correct, she was not evil at all.  She was the goddess of vegetation I believe. She was incredibly beautiful, and when she was kidnapped her sorrow made the world barren (I think that's how it went).

She was indeed goddess of vegetation.  He mother was Demeter, goddess of the harvest.  It was Demeter's tears that brought winter into the world.  After she was kidnapped by Hades, Hermes negotiated her release.  Hades promised to let her go, but anyone who eats in the Underworld is tied to it forever.  She ate a few seeds of pomegranate, so she has to stay a month for every seed.  We have seasons because Demeter is mourning for her child during the months she has to spend with Hades. 

There was a huge cult around her in the ancient world.  She was a maiden when she was abducted, so she is also associated with purity.

 I do think people will mispronounce it, but people also mispronounce Penelope and people haven't stopped using it.

magpie1127

kaylynne:

MommyLizzy:

BlindysWife:

I kind of like Persephone. My H and I both have a soft spot for Greek mythology names. I would never use it though, because I feel its just a hair over the top. I suspect that a lot of people who were unfamiliar with it would totally miss the pronounciation. But like I said, I do like it. 

You could also use Penelope or Calliope if you wanted to be just slightly less edgy.  

ETA: my mythology memory is pretty rusty, but wasn't Persephone NOT evil? Wasn't she the one that was like, kidnapped by Hades against her will and taken into the underworld? And her mom had to save her with something to do with pomegranate seeds? Am I totally off base and confusing this with another story? Cause in my memory, she wasn't a bad character. 

 

This is correct, she was not evil at all.  She was the goddess of vegetation I believe. She was incredibly beautiful, and when she was kidnapped her sorrow made the world barren (I think that's how it went).

She was indeed goddess of vegetation.  He mother was Demeter, goddess of the harvest.  It was Demeter's tears that brought winter into the world.  After she was kidnapped by Hades, Hermes negotiated her release.  Hades promised to let her go, but anyone who eats in the Underworld is tied to it forever.  She ate a few seeds of pomegranate, so she has to stay a month for every seed.  We have seasons because Demeter is mourning for her child during the months she has to spend with Hades. 

There was a huge cult around her in the ancient world.  She was a maiden when she was abducted, so she is also associated with purity.

 I do think people will mispronounce it, but people also mispronounce Penelope and people haven't stopped using it.

 Interesting! Thanks for explaining! I'm not really into mythology, so my knowledge was only that she had a connection to the underworld.

However, the name Persephone means "bringing death," so I'd still shy away from suck a dark name.

granolaok

I like it. She was not evil, she was the daughter of the earth goddess!  I think it's beautiful and has good associations... and to me it seems like a really fresh, fun alternative to the name Penelope.

oliversmom03

I love it. Wasn't she the goddess of hair?

BlindysWife

MommyLizzy:

countrywed:

I am one of the people pp mentioned who doesn't know how to say it.  All I see is Per-see-phone, and think phone like telephone?

 

pair-se-FO-nay where the O is long.  

 

I guess most everyone is going to be reading it wrong though. 

Your pronunciation isn't quite right. 

Per-sef-O-nee.

Or, think of it like this: the -phone is pronounced much like the -lope is pronounced in Penelope.  (fo-nee / lo-pee). 

Mochadoodle

It's certainly unusual, but I like it. I would pronounce it per-SEF-o-nee. Is that correct?

Persephone Anne sounds lovely.

rosewatermegs

Freya is my DD's name I love it and I think Persephone is beautiful!

divinemsbee

Thanks guys! It's a name I read and then it just grew on us until it made it onto our list. Plus I feel like we could use one of my favorite NNs, Effie. I know it's originally from Elizabeth, but it could be cute for Persephone.

Manderlin923

I like it, but I like Freya more. I also love Athena, and Daphne.

WashingtonQueen

I love Persephone!

TarHeels&Rebels

MommyLizzy:

BlindysWife:

I kind of like Persephone. My H and I both have a soft spot for Greek mythology names. I would never use it though, because I feel its just a hair over the top. I suspect that a lot of people who were unfamiliar with it would totally miss the pronounciation. But like I said, I do like it. 

You could also use Penelope or Calliope if you wanted to be just slightly less edgy.  

ETA: my mythology memory is pretty rusty, but wasn't Persephone NOT evil? Wasn't she the one that was like, kidnapped by Hades against her will and taken into the underworld? And her mom had to save her with something to do with pomegranate seeds? Am I totally off base and confusing this with another story? Cause in my memory, she wasn't a bad character. 

 

This is correct, she was not evil at all.  She was the goddess of vegetation I believe. She was incredibly beautiful, and when she was kidnapped her sorrow made the world barren (I think that's how it went).

 

Yep, this is right. I absolutely love the name and it's a GP for me.  If you have the cojones for it, use it and I'll live vicariously through you. 

EmarieDuke

The name is NMS, whenever I hear I always think your kid would probaby prefer just being called Stephanie. It basically has the same sound and it's more mainstream. I just can't imagine seeing Persephone on a resume.

groovygirl858

My first thought was that it would be mispronounced often. Reading the responses confirmed my first thought.

thetheisens

I love, love Persephone. It's on my gp list, but I don't think I would ever use it. I love hearing someone else use it. It may get mispronounced, but a lot of names get mispronounced. I really like it with Anne as a mn.

Javad

This is one of those names I can't decide if I love it a ton or pretty much hate it. It has a wonderful sound to it. The pronunciation makes it one of the prettiest names I've ever heard. But the mythological story does encompass a lot of darkness. Even though Persephone herself isn't a dark character, her association as the 'queen of the underworld' or 'queen of hell' and the 'wife of Hades' is not something I'd want my baby name associated with. As such, this is one of those names I'm happy if other people use, but I'd never use it myself.

JellyTwoPointO

I used to own an African lizard named Persephone. 

Antipodean

thepretzelchick:

If it was me, I'd remember that I love my child and would go back to the drawing board.

^ goodness! that's a bit rude!

I think Persephone is a lovely name however as others mentioned it does have references to the Underworld. But would not say that naming your child this means you love them no less! gosh!

I personally love the names Penelope and Cassandra if you're wanting to stick with the Greek theme