[Opinions] Hephzibah
WDYTO Hephzibah? I just came across it the other day and saw that it was a Hebrew name meaning 'my delight is in her'. If it was a mn, I have no idea what name I would pair it with. Maybe Margaret Hephzibah? I would also like it as a fn, but I don't see it as being usable in the U.S unless it had a nn. My combos for that are Hephzibah Beatrice, Hephzibah Giselle, and Hephzibah Naomi.
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It reminds me of Hepzibah, who's a character in X-Men comics.
It was my little sister's doll's name
HEP-zuh-bah
No idea if we were saying it right, but there you go.
HEP-zuh-bah
No idea if we were saying it right, but there you go.
It's beautiful and has such a New-England Puritan charm (also a dark sort of Gothicness too though), but it is a little overwhelming. I see that Eppie is considered a nickname for it, that's kinda cute. Oh wait, I just read it again and suddenly thought of the EPI-pen, that's no good. Uh...Zibah??
Obscure biblical names are way in, though, so I wouldn't be surprised if we see more Hephzibah's around soon.
Obscure biblical names are way in, though, so I wouldn't be surprised if we see more Hephzibah's around soon.
I was on the Richard Bacon BBC radio program about unusual names Monday where one of the main guests was a young British woman named Hephzibah who likes her name very much. You should still be able to listen to the program for a few more days. (The segment on names is the last hour of the 3 hour program.)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00hh4ry
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00hh4ry
This message was edited 2/11/2009, 12:27 PM
Did she prn it like HEF-zih-beh or hef-ZEE-buh? Just curious. Hephzibah seems like one of those unusual names that could take on different pronunciations.
I'm just listening to it and she says Hep-zi-bah. She was known as Hepsy as a child. Her sister is apparently Seraphina, so what a great sib-set.
Yes.
I just asked mafiosa below this same question, except I've always heard the name as "HEP-zi-bah." How did the young woman on your radio program pronounce her name?
I just asked mafiosa below this same question, except I've always heard the name as "HEP-zi-bah." How did the young woman on your radio program pronounce her name?
The young woman on the radio program pronounced Hepzibah with a "p" sound at the end of the first syllable, as you do.
Hepzibah
I pronounce it like that too. No idea why...it's not like I even know anybody by that name or anything!
I pronounce it like that too. No idea why...it's not like I even know anybody by that name or anything!
I never paid attention the meaning of Hephzibah. It is very beautiful.
Hephzibah / Hepzibah is a great name to say out loud. It's just so much fun. It makes a great GP mn, but you're right about it not being very practical as a fn. I guess I could see Eppie as a nn for it, though. (Disclaimer: I would name a dd Niamh, so take what I typed just now with a grain of salt.)
Margaret Hephzibah flows nicely. It's a little jarring seeing sensible shoes Margaret next to hallelujah Hephzibah. But then again, they do both share an old fashioned, pre-Industrial charm, similar to Margaret Hester. My attempts:
Beryl Hephzibah
Eleanor Hephzibah
Danielle Hephzibah
Josephine Hephzibah (I pronounce it "HEP-zi-bah" so the repeated "ph" isn't a tongue twister)
Gwendolen Hephzibah
Pearl Hephzibah (too Pearl Harbor-ish?)
Georgia / Georgine Hephzibah
Zoe Hephzibah
Marjorie / Margery Hephzibah
Juno Hephzibah
Elodie Hephzibah
Melody Hephzibah
Hephzibah / Hepzibah is a great name to say out loud. It's just so much fun. It makes a great GP mn, but you're right about it not being very practical as a fn. I guess I could see Eppie as a nn for it, though. (Disclaimer: I would name a dd Niamh, so take what I typed just now with a grain of salt.)
Margaret Hephzibah flows nicely. It's a little jarring seeing sensible shoes Margaret next to hallelujah Hephzibah. But then again, they do both share an old fashioned, pre-Industrial charm, similar to Margaret Hester. My attempts:
Beryl Hephzibah
Eleanor Hephzibah
Danielle Hephzibah
Josephine Hephzibah (I pronounce it "HEP-zi-bah" so the repeated "ph" isn't a tongue twister)
Gwendolen Hephzibah
Pearl Hephzibah (too Pearl Harbor-ish?)
Georgia / Georgine Hephzibah
Zoe Hephzibah
Marjorie / Margery Hephzibah
Juno Hephzibah
Elodie Hephzibah
Melody Hephzibah
This message was edited 2/11/2009, 12:18 PM
I don't see it as being usable AT ALL; in fact, I see it as one of those "oh-my-gracious-you-did-NOT-name-your-child-this" names. It's horribly unwieldy, difficult to spell, incredibly old-fashioned (not in the good way like Amelia or Charlotte), and nickname-free. It's on my "Worst Names of All Time" list.
Sorry.
Sorry.
I agree too.
And I just noticed that I've been mispronouncing it this entire time. Figures! LOL. :)
And I just noticed that I've been mispronouncing it this entire time. Figures! LOL. :)
Wait.
Your comment made me look at the pronunciation BtN gives to Hephzibah. It's "HEF-zi-bah?" I always thought it was "HEP-zi-bah." Is that how you were saying it too?
"HEF-zi-bah" gives me pause. Could heifer jokes be far behind our little my-delight-is-in-her? Nn Effie is cute, but there are other formal names I like much more.
Calling Cleveland Kent Evans! Calling Cleveland Kent Evans! How does the girl from the radio program that you met pronounce it? (This has thrown me into a tizzy. Or should I say a fizzy?)
Your comment made me look at the pronunciation BtN gives to Hephzibah. It's "HEF-zi-bah?" I always thought it was "HEP-zi-bah." Is that how you were saying it too?
"HEF-zi-bah" gives me pause. Could heifer jokes be far behind our little my-delight-is-in-her? Nn Effie is cute, but there are other formal names I like much more.
Calling Cleveland Kent Evans! Calling Cleveland Kent Evans! How does the girl from the radio program that you met pronounce it? (This has thrown me into a tizzy. Or should I say a fizzy?)
This message was edited 2/11/2009, 1:20 PM
I always thought it was HEP-zi-bah too
Until this post and I looked it up, I had no idea it was HEF-zi-bah 0.o
Until this post and I looked it up, I had no idea it was HEF-zi-bah 0.o
Nah, I didn't even get to be "almost correct". I've been pronouncing it hef-ZIE-bə. I think that pronunciation makes it sound much better, to be honest. LOL. :)
I agree with you