View Message

This is a reply within a larger thread: view the whole thread

[Opinions] a question ...
in reply to a message by Genie
How does Ren honor Sue and Lynn? Neither of those names is Japanese, neither has anything to do with a lotus, I'm just wondering.Alexandra is okay. I used to like it more but now it seems a bit fancified to me. I mean, it's classic and classy and familiar, but it's just not as regal as it seems to think itself to be.
Alexa is annoying but I don't know why.
Alexis is the Alex girls' name I like the best.
Clarissa annoys me too. It sounds the prissiest of all the issa names, maybe because it is the most old-fashioned. Marissa is all right. I much prefer Melissa, which is nowhere near as popular as it once was and certainly less so than Alyssa, which I also like a lot.Elaina and Alyssa or Elaina and Alexis might be too matchy-matchy for your taste, though they don't bother me that much.Alicia? That might be an option.Off the top of my head:Karina, Tamara, Vanessa, (really like this one) Veronica, Jessica, Christina, Diana.
Archived Thread - replies disabled
vote up1

Replies

Lynn - From an English surname which was derived from Welsh llyn "lake". Sue - Diminutive of Susanna - From Σουσαννα (Sousanna), the Greek form of the Hebrew name שׁוֹשַׁנָּה (Shoshannah). This was derived from the Hebrew word שׁוֹשָׁן (shoshan) meaning "lily" (in modern Hebrew this also means "rose"), perhaps ultimately from Egyptian sšn "lotus".I am being very loose with the definitions, but Lynn is a "water" name, Sue is a "flower" name, and a lotus is a "water flower". I spent about two months searching for a way to combine my mothers' names in a way we'd like, and Ren, while a bit of a stretch, is our favorite. Lynn has been used far too much in both our families, neither of us care for Sue names, and my mothers' first names (Teresa and Tina) just didn't give us anything we liked to work with in either meaning, variations, etc.Your stating that Alexandra seems 'fancified' is the very reason "Alexandria" is not an option! Of your suggestions, I also like Vanessa. I believe it will make the list! Thank you for the input
vote up1
I have an idea ...How you can incorporate water-flowers in a name, and though it's a stretch, so is Ren, as you admit. Here's my idea:
Monet.Claude Monet was famous for his beautiful paintings of water lilies.
vote up1
I absolutely ADORE this idea! Very clever and really beautiful. Thank you!
vote up1
I like Monet a lot more than Ren. All I can think of is Ren and Stimpy.
vote up1
Yeah, I get this. Not a lot, but it's come up. Darn bad - mannered Chihuahua running a perfectly lovely name ;-).
vote up1
DittoAlso, if the OP has no cultural ties to Japan, I think it seems a little odd to use Ren.What about just combining Sue and Lynn for a middle name? Sue-Lynn or Lynn-Sue are cute! Although I'm partial to Sue since it's my daughter's middle name (after her great-grandmother). :)And I'm too tired to come up with suggestions, but also for the OP: I think Alexandra is gorgeous. It has a lot of history to it. It used to be one of my top names.

This message was edited 5/18/2014, 8:36 AM

vote up1
Suellen or a variation in spelling was on the board for a while (I am a lover of classic books, and I have read 'Gone With the Wind' about a hundred times). We just can't fall in love with Sue :-(. I have no idea why. It is a beautiful name, with a wonderful background. I wondered about the cultural aspect. However, one suggestion I've taken seriously is to use a combination name like Maren which has meaning in Western culture as well as Japanese.

This message was edited 5/18/2014, 9:10 AM

vote up1
I get that. I've tried to make myself like Frederick, which is a perfectly fine name, since it's my dad's middle name and his dad's first name... but I just can't like it!Maren is beautiful! Alexandra Maren, swoon! Whatever you go with, I think the important part really is just that you like it and feel good about using it, and if you place significance upon it then it can be meaningful for you. :)

This message was edited 5/18/2014, 10:24 AM

vote up1
Family names... sigh. Dad doesn't get it, but he indulges my eccentricities. I do really like Alexandra Maren; However, Alexandra Monet has a certain appeal to it! I love Behind the Name forums, I may end up with 30 amazing names that will all be perfect!
vote up1
Yeah, I thought of those two, but my first thought was that Renee had left her e's someplace and was wandering around without them.
vote up1
This made me giggle!
vote up1