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It's okay. Not really my style.

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The image I get from Millicent is a prim and proper Victorian high society woman.

I'm Millie, not Millicent, but as a child I was always asked if Millicent was my full name. In fact, when I was Christened, my parents asked if they wanted my name to be Millicent (though they were happy that they'd put Millie on my birth certificate and wanted to stick with that).

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My younger sister is Ellie. We went through a period growing up calling each other elongated names - as oppose to nicknames - so for a long while she was Eleanore and I was Millicent. Now we're older, we're "Elle and Mill", but I appreciate longer names with nickname potential rather than putting nicknames straight on the birth certificate.

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That being said though... Despite everything... Still can't get behind Millicent personally. I just don't think it's ready for a revival, maybe it never will because I don't think it has the sound, spunk or personality to hold it's own in today's world. It's very 'bread and butter pudding' and white net curtains.

I like it but it makes me think of Maleficent. I love the nickname Millie.

I adore Millicent! It evokes a gown swishing throughout a stately Victorian house.

I think it's a good name, and usable. Refreshing - maybe, if it didn't become Millie so readily.

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Also it's not a favorite for me because it just doesn't strike me the right way aesthetically. I don't like how it reminds of milli- words like millipede and millimeter, and I don't like the "lis" sound when it is spelled with a C like in delicious or license, and I don't like the resemblance to -cent adjectives like magnificent, decent, liquescent.

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Since its spelling is the problem for me, and the things I don't like about the spelling have no connection to its etymology, I like to "fix" it into a name I do like: Mellisant or Melisant (I like the double L because it dissociates it from Melissa better). There! no Millie / Milly, no thousandths, no malice or license, and no quality of "millicence." And it just seems warmer, less stiff and prissy to me, too.

This message was edited 4/20/2018, 10:33 AM

I always liked the name Millicent, but I hate the NN Millie. Hate it, hate it, hate it. I can't think of what else you could shorten it to, though. And yeah, that would be an issue for me, because everyone in my family gets a shortened name or nickname.

I always think of “Millicent and the Wind” when I hear it, and I think it was a brilliant choice for that story. It’s crisp and refreshing and whirly and kind of blustery...

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The first part is a little heavy, but the other two syllables lighten it right up. And Milly is a sweet nn. I didn’t even think of Minnie working for it, but it’s so cute!

This message was edited 4/20/2018, 8:36 AM

I love Millicent; it’s one of my favorite names. It has a beautiful sound, strong meaning, and good history.

It's not terrible, but I think I associate it too much with Millicent Bulstrode from Harry Potter, a minor character with a memorably unpleasant physical description.

I love Millicent - more to due to its lengthy history and international spelling & phonetic variations - Millie & Mélisande (Melisond); Amalasuintha, Sondra, Sandra, even Sandy, Cindy & even Cynthia.

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In some ways it is "as much" or 'more' "what one can do" with a name that brings as much fun and magic - as in so many cases our names are spoken (heard) presumably more often than read (seen).

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Adults "Name-Bully" children by assigning a name - then calling the child some other form of it. Yet this would usually occur with little thought. A teacher may call the child a different form than the child's given name. A sports coach a different form; a catechism teacher a different form; a scouts leader, yet another different form - etcetera. Peers from any of these groups may ascertain one form of the name and continue using it. I may open new topic on this during the weekend.

This message was edited 4/20/2018, 3:42 AM

I like it, I agree it sounds refreshing:) My cousin has a baby girl named Millicent Brook nn Minnie.

I hate Millicent, imo its horribly ugly. Millie is a million times better.

It's okay. It reminds me of dental floss for some reason, and also of the word "militant." And it sounds very British to me. Was it very popular there at any point? It's never been common here.

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I agree it is an interesting name to see on a little girl, provided she doesn't go by "Millie".