Minerva?

divinemsbee · October 2014

Obviously, this is an entirely hypothetical exercise, but what are the thoughts on Minerva? I'm trying to offer it to H as a compromise away from Persephone. I love Persephone, but I just feel like it's 'too much.' I think it's one of those names that takes a certain kind of person to carry off, and that can't be guaranteed. To give an idea of style, our other girl names in the running are:
Claudia
Catherine
Margaret
Helena
Evangeline
Sibyl
Lydia

Middle name TBD, but we're partial to somewhat common and simple but pretty names like Anne and Jane (no May/Mae/Ray/Rae). My huge GPs are Priscilla and Beryl.

AnotherSun · October 2014

Too Harry Potter fandom

daystardreams · October 2014

I pretty much despise Minerva. If I was told that I could have been named Persephone but it got changed to Minerva, I'd be pissed!

All in all they are all nice names (except Minerva) it just depends on what you want in a name. Persephone and Evangeline are beautiful but they are a whole lot of name. I love them but can't see using either of them personally because I think they are too much.

Claudia, Catherine, Margaret, and Helena are also nice names but I wouldn't personally use them because I want people to say or think "That's a nice name you don't hear very often." when they learn my child's name.

Sybil (isn't this how it is spelled?) and Lydia are names that I would definitely use. I think they are just the right measure of uncommon, yet familiar without being too much. Good luck deciding!

SidraJedi · October 2014

I love Minerva. JK Rowling didn't invent the name so I shrug off the Harry Potter reference personally.

FWIW I used Persephone as a MN.

I really like your list and your GP names. I almost named my cat Priscilla bc I love it and just can't see myself really using it as a baby name. But DH wasn't as into it as me so her name is Felicity.

DawnJM25 · October 2014

I'm not a Harry Potter fan, so I've never heard of this. Sounds like a birth control pill. I like all of your other names way better.

2ndGeneration · October 2014

I don't know anything about Harry Potter, but I think Minerva is a town in Ohio where the Amish make cheese and butter. I've had the butter and it's good. So I think 'butter' when I hear Minerva.

DaisyZH · October 2014

I love Priscilla! I also really like Claudia, Evangeline and Lydia.

I feel like Minerva would actually be harder to pull off than Persephone. I do like the nn Minnie though.

Priscilla Anne gets my vote

ETA: I actually wouldn't worry about the Harry Potter connection personally. For one, she's a great character but also I don't think it's as obvious as say Hermione (this is coming from someone who would totally use Hermione if DH would let me!)

divinemsbee · October 2014

mjreilly2 said:

I love it. I have considered it even. I am too much of a chicken though. Same with Ginevra "Ginny." We have considered it to honor a relative that was very special to my dad—amazing woman. Her name was Minnie.

That's absolutely the nn we would use for it. I know you can't choose what a kid will go by, but I do think most names get shortened.

The thing with Priscilla is that it's almost ridiculous with my maiden name. Granted, a lot of people I meet now don't know it (I took H's last name and my maiden is my middle), but it would be painfully obvious to family and old friends. I really really like it, though.

EXL311 · October 2014

Honestly I hate Minerva. I think it just sounds ugly. I have an Evangeline so that's my favorite. I don't think Persephone is unusable and definitely prefer it to Minerva.

Havana2014 · October 2014

I've never seen or read HP so didn't make that connection.

It sounds like a birth control pill to me also.

capulet · October 2014

I love Minerva, which is on our girl list, along with half the other names you mentioned. And I might have to add the other half.

amandabohman · October 2014

I prefer Helena off of your list, and like Athena better than Minerva.

4N6s · October 2014

Not a fan.
I think Catherine is the best option on your list, or Claudia.

diamondduck13 · October 2014

I like Claudia best from your list. I consider that a great underused name.

Minerva did immediately make me think of Harry Potter, and Minnie, the Mouse. Some are not bothered knowing that some will immediately have associations like that, but I'm one who would be bothered by that so I wouldn't use them.

I also am with the people that think Minerva is just not pleasant sounding.

llbne · October 2014

I love Minerva, it is so much stronger than Persephone, and somehow a lot less pretentious.

holliberry28 · October 2014

I don't like Minerva, reminds me of mi-nervous. What about Penelope as an alternate to Persephone? I do think Persephone is very pretty though.

orchidhunter · October 2014

I'm named Lydia, so that's where my vote goes!

Really though, I never disliked my name growing up. I always thought it was pretty, and I never shared my name with anyone else in class.

blu-eyedwife · October 2014

I prefer Persephone to Minerva, but I do like Minerva/Minnie.

But Claudia is my favorite from your list. I've been crushing on that a lot lately.

kelley72 · October 2014

Claudia, Catherine and Margaret are all beautiful to me. Minerva is just too much... for me.

lolathepeke · October 2014

Minnie is cute.

Minerva is hideous.

Your other girl names are 1000000000% better!

capulet · October 2014

jeezidunno said:

daystardreams said:
Sybil (isn't this how it is spelled?) and Lydia are names that I would definitely use. I think they are just the right measure of uncommon, yet familiar without being too much. Good luck deciding!

I'm pretty sure you're correct on the spelling. I thought it was weird when I saw it in the original post.

Both spellings have been in use for a long time, but Sibyl is closer to the original Greek.