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Help[Opinions] Theodore vs Theodora
Husband's love of the name Theo has well and truly rubbed off on me! I am loving Theo for a boy or girl!
Now my question is which do I like better?
Possible siblings could be: Casper, Wilfred, Hilda, Daphne
So which is better Theodore or Theodora?
Now my question is which do I like better?
Possible siblings could be: Casper, Wilfred, Hilda, Daphne
So which is better Theodore or Theodora?
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I love Theodore most, I named my son that...we call him Theo. I like Theodora as well, though not as much, and there are definitely girl names I like much more. The "Dora" part is just too pronounced for me, and years of having small children make it nearly impossible for me to even think that name with out the stuttered "D-d-d-d-Dora!" as in the explorer :/ I have personally known 2 Theodora's, one middle aged and one child. Neither was called Theo though, the older was known as Dora (cringe) and the younger was called Teddy. I really do hate to see solid boy names used on girls, b/c it seems when that trend takes hold the name eventually becomes a "girl" name ...so while I agree Theodora is quite nice, I don't love the idea of calling a girl Theo. I mean, I can see the appeal, but I think Thea would be a better choice. I'm obviously somewhat biased on that, though.
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I get what your saying about using boys names on girls. But i'm not using Theo, i'm using Theodora with the possibility of the nickname Theo. Its no different than using Alexandra "Alex" or even Charlotte "Charlie".
I love feminised names like Theodora with short boyish nicknames, our other favorites are Thomasina "Tommy" and Wilhelmina "Billie".
I love feminised names like Theodora with short boyish nicknames, our other favorites are Thomasina "Tommy" and Wilhelmina "Billie".
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You're right, it is just like Alex and Charlie...which are firmly unisex names here now b/c of that ;) I would never assume an Alex is a boy, in my DD's school there is pretty even mix of genders with the Alex's... little safer to bet that Charlie is a boy if they are over 5, but under 5 it's anyone's guess with Charlotte as popular as it has become.
And I can't disagree on the cute factor of a feminised name with a boyish nickname...I've always thought that was adorable, ever since a show I watched called Sisters years back, there were four sisters Alexandra, Theodora, Georgiana and Francesca...who were called Alex, Teddy, Georgie and Frankie (their father wanted boys, so the story goes). Anyway, I always loved the names. My daughter's name actually is a feminised version of the name shared by my two great grandfathers, Cecil. They were both usually called "Cec" or "Ceci" which we call her often (I'll admit we call her Cecil around the house, but she frowns upon it in "public"...she's seven now and has her own opinions ;) So it's not really analogous unless you only plan to use the nicknames occasionally within the family... I even will admit that when I was pregnant with my son, we toyed with using Theo either way, Theodore for a boy, Theodora for a girl. But now, having faced the reality of naming a son, it's sorta tough when so many names have been "stolen" or made to seem unisex... It's a phenomenon that really only works one way, I suppose, unfortunate, really. But true nonetheless. So I generally don't endorse it, even thought I used to like it too. I'm not really a hypocrite, just, having a son really changed my perspective on this.
And I can't disagree on the cute factor of a feminised name with a boyish nickname...I've always thought that was adorable, ever since a show I watched called Sisters years back, there were four sisters Alexandra, Theodora, Georgiana and Francesca...who were called Alex, Teddy, Georgie and Frankie (their father wanted boys, so the story goes). Anyway, I always loved the names. My daughter's name actually is a feminised version of the name shared by my two great grandfathers, Cecil. They were both usually called "Cec" or "Ceci" which we call her often (I'll admit we call her Cecil around the house, but she frowns upon it in "public"...she's seven now and has her own opinions ;) So it's not really analogous unless you only plan to use the nicknames occasionally within the family... I even will admit that when I was pregnant with my son, we toyed with using Theo either way, Theodore for a boy, Theodora for a girl. But now, having faced the reality of naming a son, it's sorta tough when so many names have been "stolen" or made to seem unisex... It's a phenomenon that really only works one way, I suppose, unfortunate, really. But true nonetheless. So I generally don't endorse it, even thought I used to like it too. I'm not really a hypocrite, just, having a son really changed my perspective on this.
This message was edited 4/30/2014, 7:25 PM
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I love both Theodore (b) and Theodora (g), and I adore Theo (b) and Thea (g).
I do not like Theo for a girl, although I am usually okay with more masculine names for girls, especially just a nn.
I could never decide between which I would choose, unless I was pregnant and decided I was going to use the name for the child - whatever sex the child was would be the deciding factor of what I would use.
I do not like Theo for a girl, although I am usually okay with more masculine names for girls, especially just a nn.
I could never decide between which I would choose, unless I was pregnant and decided I was going to use the name for the child - whatever sex the child was would be the deciding factor of what I would use.
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Aaaaaaahhh! Theo for a girl?? That is awesome. How have I never thought of this before? I who love the boy nicknames on girls.
Theodore nn Theo on a boy is down-to-earth and cuddly.
Theodora nn Theo on a girl is sweet and spunky all at once.
I like Theodore, but Theodora is rocking my day!
I pick Casper, Theodora, and Daphne.
Theodore nn Theo on a boy is down-to-earth and cuddly.
Theodora nn Theo on a girl is sweet and spunky all at once.
I like Theodore, but Theodora is rocking my day!
I pick Casper, Theodora, and Daphne.
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Theodore, hands down.
I know a Theodora and her relentless hatred of her name might have rubbed off on to me, but I do find it heavy, plodding and too long for comfort. Theo for a girl (like my friend Theodora!) is OK I suppose - nothing else works, especially Dora, for her. But on a boy, Theo and perhaps also Ted work just fine.
I know a Theodora and her relentless hatred of her name might have rubbed off on to me, but I do find it heavy, plodding and too long for comfort. Theo for a girl (like my friend Theodora!) is OK I suppose - nothing else works, especially Dora, for her. But on a boy, Theo and perhaps also Ted work just fine.
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I don't care for Theodore. I think it is incurably dorky (which is also my impression of Tobias and Toby, ugh). I like Theodor and Teodor more, but not enough to really sing their praises.
Theodora, I love, although my disclaimer is that I pronounce it tay-, not thee- (also Theda as ted-a). So thee-odora is always a bit disappointing to me. I know it's not wrong but it takes the beauty out of it for me.
Theodora, I love, although my disclaimer is that I pronounce it tay-, not thee- (also Theda as ted-a). So thee-odora is always a bit disappointing to me. I know it's not wrong but it takes the beauty out of it for me.
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I definitely prefer Theodore, only because I have an endless supply of girls names that I like (more than Theodora) and not so many boys names so I wouldn't want to 'waste' Theodore by naming a girl Theodora. I had a similar dilemma with Juliet and Julian. I wanted to save Julian because of my small boys list but then decided I loved Juliet way too much.
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