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[Opinions] Paris, Ireland & Holland
If you had to choose one for a child, which would it be and why? Boy or girl?Please refrain from saying you wouldn't choose any. I'm not interested in that.How would you rank them, from best to worse? Do you like any of these names?Thanks. :) **Starfish and coffee, maple syrup and jam/Butterscotch clouds, a tangerine, and a side order of ham**
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I'd go with Holland for a girl. Unlike Ireland, it sounds like a name, and unlike Paris, it's not ditzy. Holland > Paris > Ireland, though I don't particularly like any of them.
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The subject line looks like an advertisement for a cruise.1. Paris, boy (but would also be my first pick for a girl)
2. Ireland, girl, like Erin and Eir / Holland, unisexI used to think Paris was too much of a vain pretty boy name (the way Adonis, and to some degree Page, seem) for either gender, but it's grown on me a little, I think because I like Peregrine "Perry", Faris / Farris / Ferris, and Parisa. Hollis has grown on me as a masculine name recently, as well, somewhat; I used to feel that was exclusively feminine.I don't like names that end with "land" on principle; they seem dehumanizing. I like Ireland a little more probably...it's green, and Holland is beige...but Holland makes me think of a song ("The Death of Ferdinand de Saussure"), so maybe it's a tie.If I were naming a pet, I'd probably pick Holland, because it'd sound comically stuffy on an animal, sort of like Wynnstan would.

This message was edited 4/2/2021, 11:12 PM

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Paris is slightly "within the rules," unfortunately for this hypothetical, and I would pick it, and sort of for that reason. I really dislike Ireland and Holland, mostly phonetically. I think -land names are straight up dumb. I like Paris more on a boy, hypothetically.Paris
Ireland
HollandMy favorite tacky city name is Memphis.
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I'd probably pick Holland (unisex). The nickname Holly would make it more girly but the first thing I think of with Holland as a first name is a male character. Paris is definitely the worst. On a girl it sounds rich and snobby and obnoxious, and on a boy it's a little better because of the Iliad but it makes me think of Tom Paris from Voyager, who is annoying. Ireland is okay. I've seen it on a girl before, and I think it sounds fairly girly even though I'd expect place names ending in -land to be boy names.
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I'd go with Holland "Holly" for a girl. I kinda like all of these as GPs for a girl with Holland being first and Paris being last =)
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Paris. As in the story of Helen of Troy. Because it was a human name once!I really don't enjoy place names on people. Holland is particularly ludicrous, but if used on a girl it could tweak into Holly. Ireland doesn't seem to have a nn form that doesn't include Ire; very bad idea. So, from best to worst: Paris; then Holland, nn Holly; and finally Ireland.
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Paris g.
Second choice - Holland b.after that
Holland g
Ireland g
Ireland b
Paris b (hate it)Paris g is familiar to me (I've met a couple of them) and I kinda like it.
Holland just sounds so first-namey, I don't love the land thing but it seems easy to accept as a person's name. Sounds like Harlan and Holly. Ireland isn't quite so first-namey imo. It's a pretty word, it just sounds a lot more nation-ish to me than Holland. It does remind of Irulan (eer-oo-lahn) from Dune, so some slight appeal there. When I see Irelynn, though, it puts me off Ireland even more.
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I would choose Pairs because I love how it sounds. I can only see these names on a girl. I love all of these places, so nothing against them, I just like the way Paris sounds a bit more. If I were to us an alternative, it would be Carys.Oh, and I love Lydia, Savannah, and Bristol as place names for girls. I find those really pretty.
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Oops, I made a typo for Paris..."pairs".
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I'd choose Holland, a branch of my family came from there and I think it has a friendly but clever sort of spirit to it. Plus, I like the actress Holland Taylor, I love her mature glamour. I'd use it for a girl or a boy, I think it works well on either. The only thing that would worry me is people using "Holly" as a nickname, which I'm less crazy about. Holl would be good, but not Holly. "Dutch" would be my pet name of choice :)Paris would be my second choice, and Ireland last.
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Paris is the only one that sounds like a name to me, probably because it doesn't include "land," so Paris it is. I would use it on a girl, lest anyone think I was honoring the Paris of the Iliad.In ranking Holland gets #2 because it can at least give you Holly. There's a big gap, though.

This message was edited 4/2/2021, 10:27 AM

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