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Help[Opinions] Helen, Margaret, Susan, or Deborah
Billina, I'm stealing your idea. I'm sorry.
Which of these dated / out of style classic names is your favorite and what would you choose as a middle name?
Comments on all are welcome!
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Which of these dated / out of style classic names is your favorite and what would you choose as a middle name?
Comments on all are welcome!
Archived Thread - replies disabled
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Replies
Helen! ❤Helen Rosalind.
Nn Nellie, sometimes. Or Hellie. How vintage haha! I'd prefer Helena as it feels more timeless but I love Helen a lot as well.
Margaret is classy but so majestic and there's something intimidating about it, I like few Margaret-related names. Perhaps because my own birth name was related to Margaret and I changed it so you can figure I didn't like it.
Susan has a very maternal, mature feel, I think it's okay but a little plain.
And I don't like Deborah, it sounds very harsh to me and really does feel dated.
Nn Nellie, sometimes. Or Hellie. How vintage haha! I'd prefer Helena as it feels more timeless but I love Helen a lot as well.
Margaret is classy but so majestic and there's something intimidating about it, I like few Margaret-related names. Perhaps because my own birth name was related to Margaret and I changed it so you can figure I didn't like it.
Susan has a very maternal, mature feel, I think it's okay but a little plain.
And I don't like Deborah, it sounds very harsh to me and really does feel dated.
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Margaret
Many names go well with it but for the moment, I'm really liking the sound of "Margaret Alexandria" (:
Susan would be my second pick but I would only use it as a middle name, if considering it.
Many names go well with it but for the moment, I'm really liking the sound of "Margaret Alexandria" (:
Susan would be my second pick but I would only use it as a middle name, if considering it.
This message was edited 10/6/2020, 10:54 AM
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Deborah
I really like Deborah, though hate Deb / Debbie.
Margaret would be my 2nd choice, but it's just kind of there.
Deborah Ceridwen
Deborah Phoebe
Deborah Ninlil
Deborah Sinead
Deborah Zoe
Deborah Philomena
Deborah Evangeline
Deborah Eurydice
I feel like Deborah Sinead. Maybe Deborah Sinead Eurydice.
I really like Deborah, though hate Deb / Debbie.
Margaret would be my 2nd choice, but it's just kind of there.
Deborah Ceridwen
Deborah Phoebe
Deborah Ninlil
Deborah Sinead
Deborah Zoe
Deborah Philomena
Deborah Evangeline
Deborah Eurydice
I feel like Deborah Sinead. Maybe Deborah Sinead Eurydice.
This message was edited 10/5/2020, 3:37 PM
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Helen Octavia
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I'd go with Helen; it's my grandmother's middle name and was my great-grandmother's first name.
I was going to say Helen Flora but I just realized that's very close to my great-grandmother's combo of Helen Cora (not a bad thing, though!). I think Helen Felicity or Helen Frances would be nice too. I really like Helen with F- names, not sure why.
I like Margaret well enough but I feel like using it would kind of feel like honoring myself! Susan is nice but I can't stand Sue. Deborah is my partner's mom's name so it's growing on me just because she's a lovely person but I don't like Deb/Debbie and it's just not a name I would actually use.
I was going to say Helen Flora but I just realized that's very close to my great-grandmother's combo of Helen Cora (not a bad thing, though!). I think Helen Felicity or Helen Frances would be nice too. I really like Helen with F- names, not sure why.
I like Margaret well enough but I feel like using it would kind of feel like honoring myself! Susan is nice but I can't stand Sue. Deborah is my partner's mom's name so it's growing on me just because she's a lovely person but I don't like Deb/Debbie and it's just not a name I would actually use.
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Helen
Helen Lysandra comes to mind, if I'm in a midsummer mood.
Helen is not nearly as nice as Helena, but has a pleasant sound and I enjoy the mythological association.
Margaret feels too closely tied with Thatcher, and it reminds me of shortbreads and carpeted kitchens.
Susan is nice and solid.
Deborah is dowdy and sounds like a tired housewife.
Helen Lysandra comes to mind, if I'm in a midsummer mood.
Helen is not nearly as nice as Helena, but has a pleasant sound and I enjoy the mythological association.
Margaret feels too closely tied with Thatcher, and it reminds me of shortbreads and carpeted kitchens.
Susan is nice and solid.
Deborah is dowdy and sounds like a tired housewife.
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Helen
Helen is pretty and has a genteel durability to it. Deborah holds positive associations due to the judge and prophetess, but I dislike the nickname Deb.
Helen Anastasia
Helen Antigone
Helen Evanthe
Helen Honour - The alliteration doesn't bother me as much since the H in the middle name is silent.
Helen Isolde
Helen Seraphina
Helen Tempest - guilty pleasure
Helen Winifred
Helen is pretty and has a genteel durability to it. Deborah holds positive associations due to the judge and prophetess, but I dislike the nickname Deb.
Helen Anastasia
Helen Antigone
Helen Evanthe
Helen Honour - The alliteration doesn't bother me as much since the H in the middle name is silent.
Helen Isolde
Helen Seraphina
Helen Tempest - guilty pleasure
Helen Winifred
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Helen - nice but kind of boring. I think I do like it better than Helena. The meaning is nice. I don't think it's very dated. The "hell" part bothers me a bit because I'd be kind of worried people would call her Hel for short kind of like you call a Jennifer Jen sometimes or use Em for Emma.
Susan - I really dislike Sue and Susie so I'd stay away from it. It's very 50s/60s. I don't have a problem with it but I don't particularly like it either. It reminds me of "Miracle on 34th Street" which is nice.
Margaret - nice meaning. I used to like it until I met one and had to use it on a daily basis. She was nice but having to say it over and over made me realize how harsh and ugly it actually sounds. I think it's hideous now :(
Deborah - this is kind of nice pronounced with three syllables. But I can't stand Debbie, Deb or the Debra pronunciation and spelling. I think it might be hard to enforce the three syllable pronunciation. The meaning is nice. Very 60s.
I think I'd choose Helen. Helen Lyra.
Susan - I really dislike Sue and Susie so I'd stay away from it. It's very 50s/60s. I don't have a problem with it but I don't particularly like it either. It reminds me of "Miracle on 34th Street" which is nice.
Margaret - nice meaning. I used to like it until I met one and had to use it on a daily basis. She was nice but having to say it over and over made me realize how harsh and ugly it actually sounds. I think it's hideous now :(
Deborah - this is kind of nice pronounced with three syllables. But I can't stand Debbie, Deb or the Debra pronunciation and spelling. I think it might be hard to enforce the three syllable pronunciation. The meaning is nice. Very 60s.
I think I'd choose Helen. Helen Lyra.
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Susan ...
I actually do like Susan.
Susan Noelle or Susan Alexis might be nice combos.
I actually do like Susan.
Susan Noelle or Susan Alexis might be nice combos.
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The only one I would really have to avoid is Susan. For whatever reason, and I've known an assortment of Susans, I just don't get the attraction. I love Suzanne, and might consider Susannah as a mn for family reasons, but Susan itself is a no-no.
Helen delights me! Light and dancing and warm and open. From what little I know, it seems less liked in the US than Ellen, which I find dowdy and pedestrian.
Margaret is a joy. Timeless, austere but radiant, the only issue is the nn question. I don't enjoy Maggie; Meg does nothing for me and Megan does less; Peggy is cheerful and bouncy but doesn't seem to work any more. And here in South Africa the standard short form of Margaret is Margie, with a g rather than a j, and I can't stand it.
Deborah, like Margaret, has a nn problem. The name itself is fine: good rhythm, good sound, good history, and who wouldn't enjoy sharing a name with a tough old lady who sat under a tree and judged Israel? But Debby ... is quite a powerful deterrent. Deb is fine, but Debs isn't. Complicated name.
Helen Rosamond
Helen Georgina
Helen Suzanne
Margaret Belinda
Margaret Lucy
Margaret Lyndall
Deborah Joy
Deborah Florence
Deborah Mary
Helen delights me! Light and dancing and warm and open. From what little I know, it seems less liked in the US than Ellen, which I find dowdy and pedestrian.
Margaret is a joy. Timeless, austere but radiant, the only issue is the nn question. I don't enjoy Maggie; Meg does nothing for me and Megan does less; Peggy is cheerful and bouncy but doesn't seem to work any more. And here in South Africa the standard short form of Margaret is Margie, with a g rather than a j, and I can't stand it.
Deborah, like Margaret, has a nn problem. The name itself is fine: good rhythm, good sound, good history, and who wouldn't enjoy sharing a name with a tough old lady who sat under a tree and judged Israel? But Debby ... is quite a powerful deterrent. Deb is fine, but Debs isn't. Complicated name.
Helen Rosamond
Helen Georgina
Helen Suzanne
Margaret Belinda
Margaret Lucy
Margaret Lyndall
Deborah Joy
Deborah Florence
Deborah Mary
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