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I encountered this as the name of a character in the fairy tale Belle-Belle, where it borne by a lady-in-waiting. (Read here: http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/authors/aulnoy/1892/bellebelle.html) I thought it sounded cool as a name. Most people will probably think of the state, but I've been to Florida and I think it's a lovely place.
What do you think of Florida as a person's name?
What do you think of Florida as a person's name?
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While I love my home state (I don't think it's a "horrible place" like Serel Channah said below), it's really difficult for me to imagine on a person. I think the word itself is lovely and has all the trappings of a nice name, but I still can't picture it.
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I don't like it. I think of the state which has the highest rate of crime in the US first and then FloRida, the rapper second.
Its not like Alexandria or Georgia, which work because they were female names first. Florida was a place name first, meaning "flowery land" as far as I am aware.
Its not like Alexandria or Georgia, which work because they were female names first. Florida was a place name first, meaning "flowery land" as far as I am aware.
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My new son-in-law's gm is named Florida. I met her Saturday and she's a lovely woman, very genteel, very Southern. Having said that, I don't really care for it.
This message was edited 6/6/2014, 7:14 PM
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I just can't get past the connection to the state - it's all I think of when I hear "Florida". Perhaps if Florida had substantial history as being used as a given name (like Paris, for example), than it might be easier to picture it as someone's name. However, this post just reminded me that my dad has a friend who has a 5 year old daughter named Miami.
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Has anyone mentioned the 70s sitcom "Good Times" yet? That's all that I can think of.
I don't think it sounds too nice as a personal name. But then, I'm not a fan of Flora or Florence or any other name that starts with that sound.
I don't think it sounds too nice as a personal name. But then, I'm not a fan of Flora or Florence or any other name that starts with that sound.
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Are you familiar with the author Joe Hill? There is a character that goes by Florida in his novel The Heart Shaped Box. Which was pretty cool.
That being said, I don't like it as a name. It doesn't have a pleasant sound to it in general. Flor-duh. No one would say Flor-i-da, and even if they did...still not great.
That being said, I don't like it as a name. It doesn't have a pleasant sound to it in general. Flor-duh. No one would say Flor-i-da, and even if they did...still not great.
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Ha, that's kind of funny. I was surprised that it looks like several other people say it that way too. I have never heard flor da.. In California we say florid uh.
As far as the name goes it sounds like a servant in a story or something. All I think of is the godforsaken terrible state.
As far as the name goes it sounds like a servant in a story or something. All I think of is the godforsaken terrible state.
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I must say I'm quite surprised to see even two people here have such a negative opinion of the state of Florida, especially one who lives there. I myself do not have a positive opinion of it. I've been there only once in my life, and that was over thirty years ago, but I do remember I wasn't a fan of the heat and humidity and the bugs, as we were there in the summer.
But my husband had a college friend who, like my husband, attended college in The Bronx, and, unlike my husband, had grown up in The Bronx. He got married right after graduation, as did my husband and I, and as soon as he and his new wife were married they hightailed it to Florida and have lived there ever since, and that's thirty four years. They didn't want cold and snow.
And then, about six months after we were married, and we were living near Sioux City, Iowa, my husband had a married co-worker and he and his wife, like myself, were from New Jersey. I remember when they got transferred to Florida they were over the moon, oh, it was such a glamorous destination.
My stepsister, who like myself is originally from New Jersey, went to Florida at the age of eighteen to attend Rollins College and she has stayed there ever since. She thinks it's so wonderful. No cold and snow.
And then it was common in New Jersey when I was young for elderly people to either move to Florida permanently or to spend the winter there. My husband's grandparents moved there for a while, until then moving on to Arizona, and my paternal grandparents would spend winters there.
So even though I personally don't find it appealing, and have always had a vague idea that it has a high crime rate because "riff-raff" tend to migrate there, I've also always had the impression that it's generally considered glamorous and desirable.
But my husband had a college friend who, like my husband, attended college in The Bronx, and, unlike my husband, had grown up in The Bronx. He got married right after graduation, as did my husband and I, and as soon as he and his new wife were married they hightailed it to Florida and have lived there ever since, and that's thirty four years. They didn't want cold and snow.
And then, about six months after we were married, and we were living near Sioux City, Iowa, my husband had a married co-worker and he and his wife, like myself, were from New Jersey. I remember when they got transferred to Florida they were over the moon, oh, it was such a glamorous destination.
My stepsister, who like myself is originally from New Jersey, went to Florida at the age of eighteen to attend Rollins College and she has stayed there ever since. She thinks it's so wonderful. No cold and snow.
And then it was common in New Jersey when I was young for elderly people to either move to Florida permanently or to spend the winter there. My husband's grandparents moved there for a while, until then moving on to Arizona, and my paternal grandparents would spend winters there.
So even though I personally don't find it appealing, and have always had a vague idea that it has a high crime rate because "riff-raff" tend to migrate there, I've also always had the impression that it's generally considered glamorous and desirable.
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I'm surprised too. I am from Florida (I haven't lived there permanently since I graduated from HS, but I still consider it my home state) and I don't know anyone who truly hates it. I'm not a huge fan of heat and humidity, but other places I've lived have been just as bad (Memphis was probably the worst, honestly). I'm a Northern Floridian, and N. Florida is definitely a different world than S. Florida, but I love where I grew up and there's plenty I love about other parts of the state too. I've never thought of it as glamorous (I would also chuckle when people would win a trip to Florida on game shows, like it was so amazing, tropical island), but it's beautiful and interesting and fun and . . . just home.
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I have never heard people pronounce Florida with two syllables and I've lived here most of my life. It has a schwa in the middle.
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Adding to the flor-duh people here. From the midwest and thats how i've always heard and how i heard it while living in Miami. I only heard flor-ih-dah from Spanish speakers mostly.
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Really? Everyone I know says "Flor-duh" and I lived there the first 18 years of my life. Grantly, plenty of people in Northern FL have Southern accents, but everyone I know form South Florida says it that way too.
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I've lived all over the US and have heard floor-duh, floor-ih-duh, and flor-uh-duh.
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The only time I never not heard it pronounced Flor-duh is on the rapper Flo-ri-da. Interesting.
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The rapper and the state are not pronounced alike. The rapper is Flo RIE-da (like, flow rider). Florida has a short i. That I have never heard anyone not pronounce.
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I know. The ri was for rye (RIE), not rih. I say Flo-ri-da for fun sometimes, but I never thought people used it formally.
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Must be a regional thing? I live in Maryland and I don't think I've heard it not two syllables. Flor-da. I had a customer at work the other day who lives half the year in Florida. I didn't recognize his zip code so I asked where he was from amd he rolled his eyes and said "Flor-DUHHH." Which while rude is the basic pronunciation I've always heard. So...you're milage may very, I suppose.
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I'm not trying to cancel your experiences with it, I simply just have no indelible history of hearing flor-duh.
Either way, I don't think that it is a remarkably attractive name. Perhaps I would think slightly better of it if I did not so heavily associate it with the state. (Which is how I feel about Virginia, as well.)
This message was edited 6/6/2014, 11:57 PM
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It's all state to me. It might be easier to consider it as a human name if Florida the state wasn't so distinct, but it's one of those places that I'm so used to being the butt of jokes.
I get the appeal of the sound; I like some Flor- names, like Flora, Floor, and Florian. But Florida isn't for me, I'm sorry to say.
I get the appeal of the sound; I like some Flor- names, like Flora, Floor, and Florian. But Florida isn't for me, I'm sorry to say.
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I live in Florida and it's a horrible place and I only have negative associations with it.
I don't think Florida would make a good name. People will not only associate it with the state, but also with the rapper Flo-Rida, and the infamous Florida Man.
I would rather see Flora.
I don't think Florida would make a good name. People will not only associate it with the state, but also with the rapper Flo-Rida, and the infamous Florida Man.
I would rather see Flora.
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I guess you're right...I only went to Orlando and the Everglades. I didn't see much of the residential areas.
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