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Help[Opinions] Thistle
I'm thinking of using Thistle as a middle name, but wondered what you thought was the best spelling. As far as I've been able to tell, they are all legit older spellings of Thistle or in other languages. I know it's not to everyone's style, but it has meaning to me, but I thought maybe using a less obvious spelling might help avoid any embarrassment issues as a teen, etc. Or should I just stick with the obvious and hope she'd understand it was important to her heritage? Her sister has the middle name Rain which is often seen in a equally bad light.
What's best? Could you see it being used as a first name?
Thistle
Thistel
Thissel
Thissle
Tistel
What's best? Could you see it being used as a first name?
Thistle
Thistel
Thissel
Thissle
Tistel
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Replies
I don't like the sound at all. It reminds me of a lispier version of Russell.
I say no.
Perhaps Mulberry might suit your fancy.
I say no.
Perhaps Mulberry might suit your fancy.
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Thanks all, that's what I figured
Thistle is more than a weed in Scotland, it's a symbol of the country, part of its history and an important metaphor for the Scottish soul. (Read the poem 'A Drunk Man Looks Upon a Thistle' by Hugh MacDiarmid if you dare, lol) As an adopted Scot and an expat I find it a poignant symbol. But I realise it's not a name that really works as a first name, I just threw that in at the end to see people's opinions.
Thanks.
Thistle is more than a weed in Scotland, it's a symbol of the country, part of its history and an important metaphor for the Scottish soul. (Read the poem 'A Drunk Man Looks Upon a Thistle' by Hugh MacDiarmid if you dare, lol) As an adopted Scot and an expat I find it a poignant symbol. But I realise it's not a name that really works as a first name, I just threw that in at the end to see people's opinions.
Thanks.
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I like the imagry connected to thistles. They are bold, strong, hardy and couragous. Thistle reminds me of the Devil's Club plant. The Devil's Club was a symbol of physical and supernatural / spiritual strength to many different tribes of the Pacific Northwest. Just like the thistle they both have medicinal properties.
Then as you mentioned the thistle is the symbol of Scotland. Also it is often apart of many family crests. Thistles, cornflowers and many other plants were commonly embroidered on gentlemens waistcoats, coats and embroidered on womens dresses.
I find the thistle flowers to be pretty when depicted and in real life. And as gail mentioned they often attract birds that eat the seeds. I actually saw some thistles this morning near my bus stop.
The only time I dislike thistles is when I'm not being careful walking around a field. They are usually easy to avoid if you are paying attention.
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Then as you mentioned the thistle is the symbol of Scotland. Also it is often apart of many family crests. Thistles, cornflowers and many other plants were commonly embroidered on gentlemens waistcoats, coats and embroidered on womens dresses.
I find the thistle flowers to be pretty when depicted and in real life. And as gail mentioned they often attract birds that eat the seeds. I actually saw some thistles this morning near my bus stop.
The only time I dislike thistles is when I'm not being careful walking around a field. They are usually easy to avoid if you are paying attention.
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ok. w/ the explanation, it makes more sense... still nmsaa, but it at least makes sense and makes it more positive.
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I don't think of Thistles as weeds. Though I dislike the term "weed". I don't consider any plants as "weeds" anymore. The term "weeds" has no real purpose since people use it to mean so many different things. They call invasive species "weeds", they call proflific spreading plants "weeds", they call wildflowers "weeds", they call pricky plants "weeds", etc... I dislike like the term because it has a negative spin to it and I don't think all "weeds" deserve such a negative image. Some "weeds" have medicinal uses or are nitrogen fixers. Invasive plants should be considered negatively but that's why I use the term invasive plants rather than "weeds".
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Do you object to marijuana being called "weed"?
My mother could never say "thistle", by the way. She always said, "Thithle."
My mother could never say "thistle", by the way. She always said, "Thithle."
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I don't know. It's kind of different since they don't call it a weed or weeds, it is always just weed. I don't usually get a negative sense from the term. I usually call it marijuana because calling it weed somehow feels weird to me. It almost feels like I'm trying to seem cool.
If I'm not paying attention I'll sometimes say Fistle. I don't as naturally pronounce the Th sound as I do with the F sound. I also usually over pronounce my S's.
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If I'm not paying attention I'll sometimes say Fistle. I don't as naturally pronounce the Th sound as I do with the F sound. I also usually over pronounce my S's.
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I recently asked members of the pot-smoking circle I frequent their least favorite term for marijuana. The agreed-upon answer was "marijuana," because it just sounds so stilted. We usually call it pot or weed. I never hear grass, mary jane, or dope. We also agreed to try to think of a new nickname for it, just for fun. By then almost everyone had lost interest, but the single person who was still interested and I came up with "Daisy," which I kind of like, but which staunchly won't catch on.
Anyway, I kind of like "weed" for marijuana, sort of for the reasons S.S. doesn't like calling plants "weeds" in the first case. Weeds, it seems, are unfairly and arbitrarily marginalized/hated plants. I'd say marijuana is pretty unfairly marginalized. It's like the "weed" of...society...... get it?? did i just blow ur mind????? No, anyway, point is, I think weed is a nicely poetic term for pot because it's a simile in itself and it kind of reclaims marginalization.
Anyway, I kind of like "weed" for marijuana, sort of for the reasons S.S. doesn't like calling plants "weeds" in the first case. Weeds, it seems, are unfairly and arbitrarily marginalized/hated plants. I'd say marijuana is pretty unfairly marginalized. It's like the "weed" of...society...... get it?? did i just blow ur mind????? No, anyway, point is, I think weed is a nicely poetic term for pot because it's a simile in itself and it kind of reclaims marginalization.
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That's interesting. Thanks for sharing.
I figured most people who smoke marijuana probably prefer calling it weed.
I think I would feel more okay calling it weed or other terms if I actually used it.
I do on occasion say weed or mary jane but as I said I usually call it marijuana.
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I figured most people who smoke marijuana probably prefer calling it weed.
I think I would feel more okay calling it weed or other terms if I actually used it.
I do on occasion say weed or mary jane but as I said I usually call it marijuana.
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This message was edited 5/5/2012, 7:16 PM
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Maybe people who don't smoke it all feel silly using any of the slang terms for it. I don't smoke it, and I always feel slightly silly using any term for it other than marijuana. If I do use any other term for it, it's pot. That's what I heard most as a teenager.
I was certainly ridiculed the one time I used the term "marijuana cigarette" instead of "joint."
The biggest pothead I know prefers to call it reefer.
I was certainly ridiculed the one time I used the term "marijuana cigarette" instead of "joint."
The biggest pothead I know prefers to call it reefer.
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I don't smoke anything and I have no problem referring to it as weed... Then again, I spent my teen and college years in a province that's famous/infamous (depending on whose perspective you look at it from) for the stuff. While, aside for special medical situations, I wouldn't promote it, I recognize the plant itself has other useful purposes.
All that said, I think I tend to use the term pot more than weed... Some people talk about "BC Bud".
All that said, I think I tend to use the term pot more than weed... Some people talk about "BC Bud".
This message was edited 5/6/2012, 6:47 AM
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I forgot about the term pot. Actually I use the term pot more than weed or mary jane. I'm not certain if I say pot or marijuana more often. I probably use those terms about equally. I actually feel a little bit silly that I forgot about the slang term pot. :P
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I think the embarrassment issues of a mn are practically nonexistent, especially for teenagers. I can remember the fn's of dozens and dozens of my classmates, from kindergarten through college, but for the life of me, I cannot remember a single person's mn, even that of my childhood best friend. I don't even know the mn's of my first cousins! And I don't think this is uncommon--unless one is confronted with a birth, marriage, or death certificate, or filling out income tax forms with a partner, when do others ever learn our mn's? (I was once at a gathering of adults where we went around the room and shared our mn's as a way to "break the ice", which was both funny and interesting, but this, too, has only happened once).
All that aside, I love Thistle as a mn. As weeds go, I often give thistles a pass in my garden because thistle seeds are the favorite food of goldfinches, and thistles attract many of these beautiful birds to the yard. In general I think weeds get a bad rap--really, they are all primitive flowers, and many contribute really positive medicinal qualities to our diet.
Oh--Go with the Thistle spelling--the others all look as if someone made a mistake, or is into medieval literature.
All that aside, I love Thistle as a mn. As weeds go, I often give thistles a pass in my garden because thistle seeds are the favorite food of goldfinches, and thistles attract many of these beautiful birds to the yard. In general I think weeds get a bad rap--really, they are all primitive flowers, and many contribute really positive medicinal qualities to our diet.
Oh--Go with the Thistle spelling--the others all look as if someone made a mistake, or is into medieval literature.
This message was edited 5/4/2012, 11:13 AM
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I believe the simplest, least convoluted choice is usually the better one, so I would just use Thistle. Best to use the obvious spelling and explain to her why it's important to her heritage than to use an archaic, abandoned spelling and have to explain both why it's important and why it appears to be misspelled.
I think it's best as a middle name, especially considering your daughter's name.
I think it's best as a middle name, especially considering your daughter's name.
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If you insist on using it at all, spell it Thistle. The others look like they're misspelled and everybody hearing the word thistle knows that's how it's spelled.
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If one must, Thistle, but it seems rather odd for a name to want something so prickly. Can't think of anyone I know who'd wish to be lumped w/ such a name... Something to keep in mind. I wouldn't want it.
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My favorite spelling is Thistle. The other spellings just feel off to me. Plus I think most people won't be more okay with a strange looking spelling.
I was just thinking a couple hours ago how I like the names Thistle and Nettle. Maybe not enough to personally use them but I like them. Nettle with the nn Nettie or Ettie would be cute.
Also it surprises me that a lot of people feel negatively about Rain as a mn. I've met and known people with the fn of Rain and Rainn. The little girl who I babysat wasn't ever picked on that I know of. Of course nature names are very common these days, at least where I have lived.
I really like the idea of both of your daughters having nature themed middle names. I know that a lot of people hate themes but I actually like them when they aren't over board. I feel that daughters with the mn Rain and Thistle would not be over the top.
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I was just thinking a couple hours ago how I like the names Thistle and Nettle. Maybe not enough to personally use them but I like them. Nettle with the nn Nettie or Ettie would be cute.
Also it surprises me that a lot of people feel negatively about Rain as a mn. I've met and known people with the fn of Rain and Rainn. The little girl who I babysat wasn't ever picked on that I know of. Of course nature names are very common these days, at least where I have lived.
I really like the idea of both of your daughters having nature themed middle names. I know that a lot of people hate themes but I actually like them when they aren't over board. I feel that daughters with the mn Rain and Thistle would not be over the top.
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This message was edited 5/4/2012, 4:39 AM
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I've never had any comments personally, but I've read on this board and others that Rain is depressing and why would you want to name your child that.
Rain is a personal subtle connection to my writing and also to Scotland. I want something like Thistle or Alba to do the same thing for another girl. I'd love Alba Thistle, but that's maybe too much.
Tistel is the Swedish spelling which would be appropriate here in Finland. And closer to the English than Ohdake.
Rain is a personal subtle connection to my writing and also to Scotland. I want something like Thistle or Alba to do the same thing for another girl. I'd love Alba Thistle, but that's maybe too much.
Tistel is the Swedish spelling which would be appropriate here in Finland. And closer to the English than Ohdake.
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I want to say go with Thistle but I guess you could also do Tistel if that if how it is spelled where you are living. But if you plan on moving back someday to a place where the spelling is Thistle then I still stand by spelling it Thistle.
Also I don't personally find the name Rain to be depressing. I like it when it rains. Truly having any type of weather for too long makes me eventually annoyed and wishing for a change. I love rain and everyone I know does as well. But I get tried of rain after having too many months of it. I'm certain if I move some place where it snows rather than rains in the winter that I'll probably be getting tired of the snow near the end of winter. I also get tired of the heat after having too many sunny dry days in the summer.
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Also I don't personally find the name Rain to be depressing. I like it when it rains. Truly having any type of weather for too long makes me eventually annoyed and wishing for a change. I love rain and everyone I know does as well. But I get tried of rain after having too many months of it. I'm certain if I move some place where it snows rather than rains in the winter that I'll probably be getting tired of the snow near the end of winter. I also get tired of the heat after having too many sunny dry days in the summer.
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Don't move to Scotland then, you'll quickly get tired of rain. lol
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Well my point is that I like my weather to change after a few months. Actually I probably like rain more than most people.
Where I'm from we have a ton of over cast days in the year. Most other places in the US have more rain than us in the year but they get it all at once. Our rainy period is sprend out from October - June. We don't get so much rain each day during those months but it is very overcast.
Its just that around April or May I'm starting to get a little tired of the rain and overcast days. But then that's around when we start having more sunshine and less days that are completely overcast. So I guess when I said I get tired after a few months I really meant after the majority of the year.
I kind of like the idea of moving to New England since very have more snow during their wet season but I'll miss the summers in the Pacific Northwest. Our summers tend to be less overcast / sunnier and not as humid as the East Coast according to statistical data.
I actually love our weather in the Pacific Northwest. I prefer Portland Oregon's weather slightly more than Seattle's since they tend to get a little bit more snow and sun. I've been told that our weather in Seattle is similar to Ireland. So I probably would do well in England, Ireland or Scotland.
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Where I'm from we have a ton of over cast days in the year. Most other places in the US have more rain than us in the year but they get it all at once. Our rainy period is sprend out from October - June. We don't get so much rain each day during those months but it is very overcast.
Its just that around April or May I'm starting to get a little tired of the rain and overcast days. But then that's around when we start having more sunshine and less days that are completely overcast. So I guess when I said I get tired after a few months I really meant after the majority of the year.
I kind of like the idea of moving to New England since very have more snow during their wet season but I'll miss the summers in the Pacific Northwest. Our summers tend to be less overcast / sunnier and not as humid as the East Coast according to statistical data.
I actually love our weather in the Pacific Northwest. I prefer Portland Oregon's weather slightly more than Seattle's since they tend to get a little bit more snow and sun. I've been told that our weather in Seattle is similar to Ireland. So I probably would do well in England, Ireland or Scotland.
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Well, despite not liking the implications of a weed as a name, Alba Thistle kinda flows well.
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I could see it being used as a first name, but I wouldn't want to go through life with it as my first name. Would you? It could work okay, it's not awful, but IMO it makes a big fat statement. It's not outrageous, but nms. Makes more of a statement than Rain does. More like, at the level of Chardonnay or Velvet.
If you want to use it as a middle name I think you should spell it the way that has meaning for you - that is, spell it Thistle. People don't have to share their middle names if they don't want to.
If you want to use it as a middle name I think you should spell it the way that has meaning for you - that is, spell it Thistle. People don't have to share their middle names if they don't want to.
This message was edited 5/4/2012, 12:34 AM
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agree about the statement...
It sounds like a Lalaloopsy doll or a My Little Pony. Also, there is the Sister Susie Sitting on a Thistle.
It sounds like a Lalaloopsy doll or a My Little Pony. Also, there is the Sister Susie Sitting on a Thistle.
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