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[Opinions] Re: Names That Are in Danger Of Extinction
Adelma: like Hedwig, not in general English usage anyway
Adolf/Adolph (obviously): does this apply to German-speaking places too?
Almond: eh?
Arthurine: maybe OK in its home countries
Barney: word name = minor fight/riot. QED
Beryl: a jewel name, and they're fashionable.
Bess (like): nn
Beverly (like): dated, OK, and I prefer Beverley
Biff: nn only, surely?
Bob: maybe, but not Robert or Robin?
Burt: or Bert?
Carol/Carole: Carol is OK but close to Karel; doesn't need an -e
Chuckie/Chucky: nonsense!
Cindi/Cyndi: just these spellings, or Cindy as well?
Debby: but not Deborah?
Delmar: lnfns are fashionable
Dick/Dickie: nn
Diggory: guilty pleasure for humans; better for rabbits or moles
Dimple: nonsense!
Dorinda (not bad): dated but OK
Dot: nn
Doug: nn
Darlene: greatly prefer Arline or Arlene
Fifi: strictly for poodles
Flo: no to Flo but Florence is fine
Fran: nn
Gale: or Gail? A good alternative nn for all the herds of Abby = Abigail people
Gaylord: seriously dated, and it shows
Geri/Gerri: nn
Hilda (like): meh; prefer Hilary but not Hillary
Glynn (ok): passable
Hedwig: apart from a fictional owl, has it ever been used in English on any scale?
Helga: used in English?
Herb/Herbie: nns; what about Herbert?
Hermina/Hermine: used in English?
Hester: prefer Esther, but it's OK
Hortense (sounds better in French): unfortunate if given an English pronunciation, but who would?
Kathie: probably set for a come-back, as a welcome alternative to Katie, Katy and Kate
Kermit: frogs only
Kirstie (ok): nn for Kirsten, which is fine
Kitty: same as Kathie above
Leigh (ok): I prefer it to Lee for girls
Lucretia: heavy and clunky
Lurline: awful; Lurlyn is much better but still not good
Madge: nn
Marge: nn
Melba: toast?
Merle: if Pearl, why not Merle, Myrtle (see below), Bertha and Bert?
Midge: nn and pesky insect
Myrtle: fashionable plant name; unfashionable -yr- sound
Nan: nn; alternative for Gran(dmother)
Nedda: prefer Hedda
Nedra: just another geographical name, this time also fictional. Meh.
Nimrod: not the best biblical namesake; OK for gun fanciers
Oprah/Orpah:Oprah is a one-owner name, and Orpah ... Orpah the Gawper? No, thanks.
Oralee/Coralie: Aurelia is quite pretty and Coralie is very pretty. Oralee/Orally is not advisable.
Paddy/Pat: nn
Pam:nn
Pansy: suffers from being dated slang for an effeminate man; some people still mind about such things
Patti: nn
Peg: nn
Philander: not advisable
Prudy: nn
Prunella: sounds like a fruity cure for constipation
Sal: nn
Sandi (Ok as a nickname) Quite so. Like Sal, Peg etc, etc. Whoever compiled this list should have done a better job.
Shirley (ok): dated, but pleasant
Tammi: nn
Terry: better than Terence
Trish (ok): nn
Velva: familiar to me as a male name, made famous by Professor Velva Schrire, head of cardiology at UCT Medical School when the first human heart transplant was done there. His nn was Val. I've never seen it used anywhere else.
Verlin/Verlyn (ok): never seen it; too much like vermin
Vernice: worse than Bernice!
Vickie: nn; also my good friend's full name. Good if you don't want to risk Tory as a nn for Victoria
Welcome: more likely in Africa than elsewhere
Wilkie: lnfn?
Willie: nn

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