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I think it's beautiful - I can't see that it's ugly at all. Melinda sounds more common and plain to me. I love names with 'bell' sounds in them (like Annabel, and maybe Isobel except it's too common nowadays).

Melinda is definitely better than Belinda.

I find it a bit ugly. But I also grew up with a mean cousin named Belinda who has always had (and still does!) a mullet. :-/

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Belinda is okay, but I do prefer Melinda.

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I find Belinda both ugly looking and sounding. It's also nms.
I want to say Bleh-linda instead.

For some reason I can't quite explain, I really dislike the sound of this name. I'm not keen on Melinda either. It's probably the -linda ending that doesn't do it for me.

I like Melinda better, not sure why.
Belinda was a character in the Rumer Godden book, "Miss Happines and Miss Flower" (children's book), perhaps you know it?
Have never known a Belinda or Melinda. Lindas, yes, several. One spells it Lynda.

I like Belinda a bit better than Melinda. They're both nice, and refreshing to hear on a baby these days. But Belinda has more character because there are several Mel- names out there. Belinda stands out more.

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ETA: I have some distant American cousins who named their (now thirtysomething) daughter Billinda - "after" her father, Bill :-s

This message was edited 1/31/2007, 9:31 AM

I dislike the -linda ending. It makes it feel stale and dated. Also, I've met several Melindas (and one Belinda) that were pretty icky people, so it has an icky association for me.

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BTW, it just occurred to me that Belinda is reminiscent of belittle.

Heh. On the one hand it's cute, on the other, ugly... it sounds funny but it really does sum up my feelings for Belinda as well. I've spent a lot of time trying to like it, as I love the nn Bindy, but I can't quite bring myself to love it.

I can see where you're coming from. I don't like Belinda, but, at the same time, I think it's kind of funky. I like the nn Bindy, though, and I prefer it to Melinda. Interesting, you could almost whack any letter at the front of that name. Personally, I like Xelinda or Adelinda. :D

I think it's cute (edited because I had the poem wrong)

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It has character, and you don't see it very much, but everybody knows how to say and spell it. Melinda is a bit softer sounding, but both are nice.

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Do you know the Ogden Nash poem about Custard the Dragon? It starts off:

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Belinda lived in a little white house

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With a little black kitten and a little gray mouse,

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And a little yellow dog and a little red wagon,

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And a trealio, trulio, little pet dragon.

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I've always loved that poem.

This message was edited 1/31/2007, 9:03 AM

I like Melinda better. Belinda reminds me of Belly and Amelia Bedelia. IT's not back but Melinda is more pleasant to my ears. Also I like the nn's Mel, Melly, Lindy, and Melin.

I have a really bad association (my mil's gay friend who is very mean to me) but other wise I like it. I went to school with twins, Darla and Belinda

I think of the song "Pretty Belinda". I don't like it and I would choose Melinda instead.

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Belinda strikes me as really painfully ugly, myself. And also very Australian (which is not to say that those perceptions are related, 'fore I get jumped on ;).

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I'd much rather see Melinda, though it does remind me rather strongly of the main character in Laurie Halse Andersen's Speak. She was a strong character, though, so that's not necessarily a bad thing. :)

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Array

I'm not sure about it myself. It feels a little dated to me because all the people I know with the name are in their forties or fifties. If I didn't have these associations, perhaps I would think it was quite cute. I slightly prefer Melinda, but again I find it dated. Maybe it is the "linda" element.

Belinda is an ok name. Its not terrible or anything but I prefer Melinda :)