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[Opinions] Elliott for a girl
Heard this name from my teacher who just gave birth a matter of weeks ago. She said Ell was a nickname. Thoughts?
Personally, I think Elliott for a guy is alright, but for a girl it's kinda questionable. It's not the worst though, and at least it's original.Still writing, still dreaming.
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I tend to like slightly unisex names for children (ex. Wren for a boy, Lane for a girl) but Elliott isn't even slightly appealing. It's all boy for me.
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I abhor Elliott for a girlI find Elliott to be a terrible name for a boy and, with all the girls' names available, I struggle to understand why anyone would use it on a girl! I know one girl named Elliotte, she sometimes goes by Lottie and sometimes by Ellie. I just hate it, sorry.
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I think it's fine. I honestly don't mind unisex or gender bent names at all. I love the name Elliott (I prefer the spelling Elliot), no matter who it's used for.
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I am not a huge fan, but have heard it before. I guess it's just as usable as Brett or Hunter for a girl. QUESTION:
Why do people pick these unexpected names (like Elliott for a girl) and then revert to a totally acceptable and common nickname such as Ell?
Defeats the point amiright?

This message was edited 8/12/2016, 7:28 AM

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Personally I prefer more feminine names for girls with masculine or unisex nn's and more masculine names for boys with feminine or unisex nn's. Though I also like the opposite and I also like masculine nn's for boys and feminine nn's for girls.Some people like more masculine names for girls or feminine names for boys. A lot of those people like the nn's to match the child's gender possibly so the child has something to fall back on if they dislike their name. Most of the time unfortunately people like masculine names for girls and masculine names for boys. Not many people are comfortable with more feminine names for boys.
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I agree with your response - exponentially. While some nick-names may just be short forms of the formal, Nick-names also offer a choice against the formal for the name bearer, so if a girl or guy feels estranged by this quality, s/he may obscure the distinction. Also if parents or guardians realize that the child responds better or prefers the shorter nick-name, the shorter name would more naturally become the moniker. Another possibility, and this one hits close to home, is that the unexpected quality of the name (gender) is not the reason that the person bears this name, as I myself was named after a recently departed aunt, so the idea "let's give him a girl's name" sustained less merit in the wake of recent tragedy, which, through periods of grief, would impose conflict on one already in mourning, and even if considered, might not be suggested at all by the less affected parent. Yet in any situation, a parent or name giver may simply like a name--and the partner might have already agreed to it, assuming that it would be for a girl. When asked about my own unique name assignment last year, I did not easily offer the explanation, as natural conditions of loss, consolation, and remembrance--and the continuity of it all surround my name; yet while of course there is more to it, this is another reason that I cherish it--yet also guard it from degradation, and endeavor such for other names, as I do. While writing this, I tried to remove myself from the situation and involve anyone with a unique name, but I found myself reverting back to my own name & my understanding of the circumstance which involved its assignment; so I found this response to be cathartic. As unique as my name might be, there is natural empathy Behind the Name--but also regular, daily, normal human interaction, which during periods of loss, which later perpetuates, bears more upon the heart than the black and white characters which dispel it. When young, I always thought Brett to be a name for girls / females, due to the "ett" sound--i.e. the noun "barrette", Paulette, Collette...; as any guy named Brett would have 'girl's name' as I do. I still have this perception, though I fully understand now that it is more frequently used as a name for males.
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and the whole board becomes apoplectic

This message was edited 8/12/2016, 7:06 AM

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Indeed - Saturday night at the fights; such a trend continued during much of the latter half of last year. Folks would write amidst conflicting subtexts - "getting my popcorn" - or something similar.
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Trendy and stupid.
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Elliott is awful on a girl.
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No, I don't like it for a girl. Elliotte I can accept, but not Elliot.
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My sister loves Elliot for a girl. It's been her favorite girl's name ever since she watched Scrubs. She heard it and just felt like it was the perfect girl's name and that she'd use the nn's Elle and Ellie.My sister really wants to have a daughter called Elle and Ellie. Her second favorite name for using those nn's is Eloise. My sister's and grandmother's mn is Louise so it is honoring.Personally I think Elliot works for a girl since the ending sounds similar to names ending in -et / -ette but it isn't my style so I'd never use it.If my sister ever has a daughter named Elliot I'd be happy with my little niece's name. But until my sister gets to a better place mentally that won't be happening.
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This message was edited 8/12/2016, 2:59 AM

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A few years ago I would be answering that Elliot is a boys name.....period. But my name tastes are changing. I now kind of like some boy names for girls. My favorite would be Cody, Cameron and Elliot. But in reality I would probably never use them in real life. But I no longer cringe at these new uni sex names.Sorry this was suppose to be in response to the OP. I have no idea how it ended up here. Guess I need to wake up!

This message was edited 8/12/2016, 4:38 AM

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Its not even original. Its been used a few times, along with masculine names like Ryan and James. Its dumb to use it on a girl.
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I've met a little girl Elliott too. I think it's awful. Eliette is a real French and Dutch girl name with history, use that! (See submitted database)

This message was edited 8/11/2016, 10:43 PM

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Not the worst, not original either imo and definitely only for a boy!
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Idk why everyone's freaking out haha. It's not my favorite on a girl, but it makes sense with the influx of all the other Elli- names lately and I don't think it's that bad. It reminds me of Scrubs, I'd guess that was their influence?

This message was edited 8/11/2016, 5:19 PM

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Not just questionable...But also out of the question! I find the trend of naming girls boys' names cruel to the girl, as though you'd been desiring a girl.

This message was edited 8/11/2016, 5:09 PM

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No, nope, NEVER.Elliot has always been my favorite name for a boy and I got so irritated when it began being used on girls. STOP THIS ALREADY!!! Now if I ever have a boy (not pregnant, have one daughter), I won't feel comfortable using this name anymore. :(
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You would feel uncomfortable giving a son a boy's name that a girl might have?
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Maybe not uncomfortable but I'd rather not.
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I'm sorry you feel that way because probably every boys name has been used for a girl before. It's not a new trend, historically it has happened a lot. There is a girl named Abel in my genealogy about 6 to 8 generations back. If you look at genealogy you find some really surprising name trends.Or is the issue for you that if a certain number of people use a boys name for a girl it ruins it for you? I can see how someone would not use Avery for example for a boy since more girls than boys are receiving the name. It wouldn't stop me but I could see why some people are uncomfortable with that.
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This message was edited 8/12/2016, 5:29 AM

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Yeah, it's not that it truly would make me uncomfortable... just annoyed that my favorite boy name seems to be more commonly used on girls now, so now it's starting to become more girly... know what I mean?
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Yeah but I don't think you need to get anxious about Elliott / Elliot. Maybe certain boys names will have that happen but if Elliot didn't get super used by girls during the years Scrubs was on and the fact that it's in the 600's for popularity for girls I wouldn't worry. I could be wrong but I highly doubt Elliot will become more used for girls than for boys. It just doesn't seem like something you need to worry about. I highly doubt it will even make it into the 300's. Elliette or Eliette might get onto the top 1,000 list possibly.
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This message was edited 8/12/2016, 3:40 PM

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That's a good point!
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But that's not true at all if you look at the popularity charts for Elliot and Elliott. It is still much more common on boys.
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That's true. :)
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This is true. You will find William and Michaels on girls in the early 1900s even.
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I've just seen Jasper suggested for a girl in two different posts! But again....noones thinking it would be cool to call a boy Rebecca. Or Jane....or
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I'm a male Barbra, usually Barbie, and I love my name; ladies who know me enjoy the feminine attributes or associations of my name - even those who are not fans of the name proper. I've no problem with Jasper for a girl; as a matter of fact, when I think of Jasmine, I wonder there are not more of either name for either gender with either pronunciation of the "J".
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I think that's really cool! I would love to know the history of how you got your name if you felt like sharing.
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Thank YOU! (M - w/cross reference)Thank YOU! Please see my response subordinate to "Seraphina Starstrider's" response under the original query rubric subtext "Re - Elliot for a girl" at the date and time "Aug 13 2016, 6:26:58 AM". At this moment, the message is near the top - if not over the top - (ha ha) of Entity's initial query on August 11. I almost offered all this last year, but a fight broke out, and I did not want to offer what is dear and precious to me into the midst of indifferent conflict.
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I like Jasperine for a girl.
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I like Jasperine. That's pretty nice.
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I like it as well; not only for the name proper, but for the suffix - which also serves as a third syllable. I love when names (also words) flow with a stream of syllables. Hyphenated first names with a middle name to boot - be still my heart!
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You do see a lot of unisex or slightly girly nn's for boys. Personally I like nn's like Danny or Matty or Sasha for boys.I'd completely use Quinn or Avery for a boy because I don't care if it is more used for girls.I think it's weird that it ruins a name for someone if that name gets used for both genders.Elliot / Elliott is most likely always going to be more a boys name. Who cares if some people use it or Devon or Sean for a girl.
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Well, being English, some of those English place names don't quite come off for me on either sex(Devon is beautiful btw, if you ever get a chance, visit). I live in Camden for example and I would not be calling my treasured newborn after it :-)I all for unisex anything - my own name, Laurel, is unisex, though usually used for females - and have a big problem with gender stereotyping. Which leads me on to ....My problem with giving traditionally male names to females is that....parents mostly do it because they think it's cool, or a bit edgy. But they don't think it's cool or edgy to give female names to males (usually). And fundamentally this is because we idealise male traits, while female traits are considered less desirable. So it demeans a boy to be given a female name, and elevates a girl to be given a male name.And then you come to names like Sasha, which is a traditional Russian shortening of the male name Alexander, adopted for a female given name because the -a ending is typically more female, and now considered a 'girly' nickname. I really like it for boys too btw.
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I agree with this!N
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Agreed - well statedAgreed - well stated (nt)
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I was raised Catholic during the nineteen seventies and eighties. One Catechism Teacher around second grade was a lady who asked us to call her Mike. She had long, blond, angelic hair, with blue eyes - she was stunning, yet dignified--bearing all the charm & beauty, replete with feminine gentleness that a lady might bestow. Of course this description is from the perception of a second grader, which I can still recollect...

This message was edited 8/12/2016, 3:58 AM

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To be fair, I do like Ruby for a nickname for Reuben!

This message was edited 8/11/2016, 6:42 PM

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Yes - also Rosario (n/n Rose or Rosie) is popular for males among specific cultures.
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Ugh... I'm just so tired of seeing boy names on girls. Grrr.
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I suppose it is a bit like the evil mutant lovechild of Eleanor and Harriet.
There used to be a kid in my niece's class called Elliette. Not much better.
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I like the spelling Elliette. It seems more feminine.
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This x 10 000!
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Blehhhh no. I don't think it seems original, I've been hearing of little girl Elliotts ever since name trends caught up with the Scrubs character (who is annoying anyway). Fortunately not a lot of them, but the idea is clearly out there. But I think it's a very handsome name for a boy.

This message was edited 8/11/2016, 4:14 PM

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Really? First time I've heard it. I don't like name trends... Most...
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No. I didn't think it was cool in Scrubs and I don't think it's cool on an actualy human baby. If she wanted to call her Elle, I don't know why she didn't just stop there
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That's it!I was trying to remember Scrubs. Thanks.
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