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Help[Opinions] Angel
What do you think of Angel? I've only known one Angel, but her full name wasn't Angel. It was DomAngelique, but she was always called Angel. That's interesting, so I've thrown it out there, but I'm really asking about Angel as a full name. Do you think it works on a boy as well as a girl?
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Angel reminds me of Angel from Buffy the Vampire Slayer (and Angel), who is decidedly masculine (that was a lot of Angel's in one sentence).
However, I've also met a few Asian-Australian Angel's (probably because their parents seem to prefer more cutesy names. That, or they named their daughters after random words found on Chinglish stationery; I've also met a few Cherry's and Vanilla's. Luckily my parents decided to do a little more research than look to the nearest pink pen.)
However, I've also met a few Asian-Australian Angel's (probably because their parents seem to prefer more cutesy names. That, or they named their daughters after random words found on Chinglish stationery; I've also met a few Cherry's and Vanilla's. Luckily my parents decided to do a little more research than look to the nearest pink pen.)
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I think it works for both. I know two male Angels, both Hispanic. The Mexican 18yr old uses the Spanish pronunciation, and the 3yr old Honduran-American uses the English pronunciation. I also know female Angelas, Angelina, Angelique. For just Angel, no ending added, I prefer the Spanish for boys and the English for girls.
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I'm so used to seeing Angel on boys it barely registers with me as a unisex possibility anymore; it's the 4th most popular name for boys in my state. They usually pronounce it like ahn-hel in Spanish and AYN-jel when speaking English.
I just realized none of the Angelas I've known have gone by Angel. They've all been Angie or Angela. Anyway, the female Angels I've met have all been short for something, usually Angelina, which is also very popular here. I also knew a woman years ago whose daughter Angel was an Angelica, and I work now with an Angelic, whose family calls her Angel. She's totally embraced the angel theme in office decor, too; it looks like heaven exploded in her cubicle.
Angel is a little like Alex for me. If it's going to be used as a given name, I think it's best for boys. As a nickname, it works for either, although I don't really like it. I worry some about Angel- names for girls. It's almost like you're tempting fate and asking for a hellraiser.
I just realized none of the Angelas I've known have gone by Angel. They've all been Angie or Angela. Anyway, the female Angels I've met have all been short for something, usually Angelina, which is also very popular here. I also knew a woman years ago whose daughter Angel was an Angelica, and I work now with an Angelic, whose family calls her Angel. She's totally embraced the angel theme in office decor, too; it looks like heaven exploded in her cubicle.
Angel is a little like Alex for me. If it's going to be used as a given name, I think it's best for boys. As a nickname, it works for either, although I don't really like it. I worry some about Angel- names for girls. It's almost like you're tempting fate and asking for a hellraiser.
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So how are you not tempting fate and asking for a hellraiser when you name a boy Angel then? Just wondering. I've never heard it used as a nickname, I thought Angie was more common.
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Perhaps you are asking for a hellraiser. Angel Clare was no angel, right?
More seriously, it's probably because I mostly see Angel on a boy as a Spanish name and Angel on a girl as an English name, and it affects my perception of each, just as I would view Jesús (he-SOOS) and Jesus (JEE-zus) very differently.
On girls, I sometimes feel like Angel is a very high pressure name, à la Chastity, holding a girl against an impossibly high standard of goodness, sweetness, and purity. It seems like too much--like a a set up for a long hard fall--to me, and that worries me enough that I'm reluctant to use Angeline, my great-great-great grandmother's name...even though she was a neat lady and I love her name.
It surprises me that you know many young Angies. I don't know any under age 25 or so, just as I don't know any young Angelas, and I would describe Angie as an unfashionable nickname, like Mindy or Sue. I mostly run into little Angelinas these days, sometimes called Angel, but most often called Angelina or Lina.
More seriously, it's probably because I mostly see Angel on a boy as a Spanish name and Angel on a girl as an English name, and it affects my perception of each, just as I would view Jesús (he-SOOS) and Jesus (JEE-zus) very differently.
On girls, I sometimes feel like Angel is a very high pressure name, à la Chastity, holding a girl against an impossibly high standard of goodness, sweetness, and purity. It seems like too much--like a a set up for a long hard fall--to me, and that worries me enough that I'm reluctant to use Angeline, my great-great-great grandmother's name...even though she was a neat lady and I love her name.
It surprises me that you know many young Angies. I don't know any under age 25 or so, just as I don't know any young Angelas, and I would describe Angie as an unfashionable nickname, like Mindy or Sue. I mostly run into little Angelinas these days, sometimes called Angel, but most often called Angelina or Lina.
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Ahhh I see. Yes, Jesus and Jesús are very different names to me as well. I agree that it's a high pressure name but I think it is for boys, too.
Oh but Angeline is really lovely and so much prettier that Angelina. It would also make a nice middle name. I actually don't know many Angies I just guessed that Angie would be more common as a nickname than Angel. I guess I just figured people who want to call their child Angel would just name her Angel instead of Angelina. I guess I was wrong :P
Oh but Angeline is really lovely and so much prettier that Angelina. It would also make a nice middle name. I actually don't know many Angies I just guessed that Angie would be more common as a nickname than Angel. I guess I just figured people who want to call their child Angel would just name her Angel instead of Angelina. I guess I was wrong :P
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warning: gif lies within
Angel is all man to me, baby.
(I honestly just prefer the more obviously feminine Angela and Angelica. Angel for a girl is too Precious Moments for me. And even for a boy, I feel Angel needs to be pronounced the Spanish way. Unless you're a centuries-old vampire with a soul.)
ETA: Though now that I think about it, I have heard Hispanic men named Angel pronounce it the English way, and I suppose I like it more than I thought I did.
Angel is all man to me, baby.
(I honestly just prefer the more obviously feminine Angela and Angelica. Angel for a girl is too Precious Moments for me. And even for a boy, I feel Angel needs to be pronounced the Spanish way. Unless you're a centuries-old vampire with a soul.)
ETA: Though now that I think about it, I have heard Hispanic men named Angel pronounce it the English way, and I suppose I like it more than I thought I did.
This message was edited 5/10/2012, 8:19 PM
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If it's pronounced Ahn-Hell or Ahn-Jell, it works okay on a Hispanic boy. On any other boy it looks like the mother was a fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. On a boy I prefer Angelo.
On a girl I think Angel works fine as a full name. It's kind of cheesy and downmarket, but not terrible. I have known several people with pets named Angel though.
On a girl I think Angel works fine as a full name. It's kind of cheesy and downmarket, but not terrible. I have known several people with pets named Angel though.
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Wow, DomAngelique? I'd rather be named Angel too! I kind of like it but would never use it. I only like it on a girl. It's not that uncommon, I know three girls named this. One is 10, one is a teen and one in her mid 20s. The 10 year old really looks like an angel and I started to like it when I met her. I also know one guy named this who is over 40. Pronounced the English way, which is rare for a guy.
I would think Angel was a girl. I like it on a girl but not on a boy at all. I'd like to see it on someone else but wouldn't use it.
I would think Angel was a girl. I like it on a girl but not on a boy at all. I'd like to see it on someone else but wouldn't use it.
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