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Help[Opinions] Re: French?? How is the name Elodie perceived in France?
in reply to a message by Cait
Thanks! My daughter's name is Elodie (she's two months old). We just liked the sound of it. Now that I know more about the name, I've been curious about other Elodies. It's good to know you have a positive perception of the name as not many people I've met where I'm from do (the United States/Midwest). I appreciate your comments.
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I'm curious. How do you pronounce your daughter's name? The French way (ay-lo-DEE, for lack of a better phonetics system), or like melody without the "m"?
Also, where did you learn about the name?
~ Cait
Also, where did you learn about the name?
~ Cait
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Elodie
Do you like Elodie pronounced only the French way? Or do you like it pronounced like melody? I've posted (as Nova) and polled recently on this site about this name because, despite my initial infatuation with the name, I've been considering changing my daughter's name. So many people (friends/relatives) are confused or just don't like the name Elodie. I need to give this some serious thought, so all opinions are welcome. Thanks!
Do you like Elodie pronounced only the French way? Or do you like it pronounced like melody? I've posted (as Nova) and polled recently on this site about this name because, despite my initial infatuation with the name, I've been considering changing my daughter's name. So many people (friends/relatives) are confused or just don't like the name Elodie. I need to give this some serious thought, so all opinions are welcome. Thanks!
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Pronunciation, and...(m)
I only like it pronounced the French way. Elodie has nothing to do with the word (or name) melody, and I prefer it pronounced correctly. However, I can understand why you pronounce it the way you do, because that's what makes sense with American pronunciation.
I'm glad you're giving your daughter's name serious thought. As I said, I like Elodie, but if it's unusual enough where you are that you think it could cause problems for her in later life, you might be justified in changing it. However, I'd caution you not to change it because of so called "peer pressure". It's one thing for a name to really inconvenience a child (names like Napoleon, Launcelot, or Eadwig) and another thing entirely for people just to not like the name. Much of their reaction probably stems from the fact that they've never heard of the name before. I commend you for doing some research on the name before you gave it to your daughter, and I think if you want to keep it, you're fully justified in that, too.
You should note, though, that as Siri said, Elodie doesn't mean "marshy white blossom". You can click the link on the name to read about its true etymology.
Also, just to clarify the rules of the site: We're happy to have you here and posting, but please remember to use only one username. In the post below you mention that you've used both Tana and Nova. Please see the Board Rules, in particular #2.
Good luck with your decision on your daughter's name!
~ Cait
I only like it pronounced the French way. Elodie has nothing to do with the word (or name) melody, and I prefer it pronounced correctly. However, I can understand why you pronounce it the way you do, because that's what makes sense with American pronunciation.
I'm glad you're giving your daughter's name serious thought. As I said, I like Elodie, but if it's unusual enough where you are that you think it could cause problems for her in later life, you might be justified in changing it. However, I'd caution you not to change it because of so called "peer pressure". It's one thing for a name to really inconvenience a child (names like Napoleon, Launcelot, or Eadwig) and another thing entirely for people just to not like the name. Much of their reaction probably stems from the fact that they've never heard of the name before. I commend you for doing some research on the name before you gave it to your daughter, and I think if you want to keep it, you're fully justified in that, too.
You should note, though, that as Siri said, Elodie doesn't mean "marshy white blossom". You can click the link on the name to read about its true etymology.
Also, just to clarify the rules of the site: We're happy to have you here and posting, but please remember to use only one username. In the post below you mention that you've used both Tana and Nova. Please see the Board Rules, in particular #2.
Good luck with your decision on your daughter's name!
~ Cait
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Thanks for the well-articulated advice, Cait. And I'm sorry about the user name change. Thanks for clarifying. I'll only use Tana, as this is what my password is linked to.
I had noticed that this site doesn't give the meaning of "marshy white blossom" too. I had wondered if it was an oversight, but perhaps this site is more of an authority on verifiying name origins than I had thought. I'm quite willing to believe that the other name books and web references may be mistaken, but I wonder, where then does this marshy white blossom thing come from? I had wondered if the flower was a water lily.
Your point about peer-pressure is well-taken. I think for me if Elodie had been my 1st choice name and I'd always loved it, then I wouldn't care what others think. But there are so many names I loved that DH didn't love, that I think I may have compromised a bit too much in the end. That said, I do think Elodie is a pretty name and while it may take some Americans a while to get used to the sound of it, a few have really liked it. (Not that it should matter so much what they think, but I don't want my daughter to, as you say, be inconvenienced by it.)
Cheers!
I had noticed that this site doesn't give the meaning of "marshy white blossom" too. I had wondered if it was an oversight, but perhaps this site is more of an authority on verifiying name origins than I had thought. I'm quite willing to believe that the other name books and web references may be mistaken, but I wonder, where then does this marshy white blossom thing come from? I had wondered if the flower was a water lily.
Your point about peer-pressure is well-taken. I think for me if Elodie had been my 1st choice name and I'd always loved it, then I wouldn't care what others think. But there are so many names I loved that DH didn't love, that I think I may have compromised a bit too much in the end. That said, I do think Elodie is a pretty name and while it may take some Americans a while to get used to the sound of it, a few have really liked it. (Not that it should matter so much what they think, but I don't want my daughter to, as you say, be inconvenienced by it.)
Cheers!
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We pronounce it like melody without the "m" and call her Ellie for short. I did know about the French pronunication before we decided to name her, as I did do a little reasearch on the name after I'd discovered it. Since I had studied French for a while I liked its origins.
I heard about the name in the Cool Baby Name Book (Rosenkrantz et al). Also I had a friend named Elody. But these aren't why we named her Elodie. DH and I couldn't agree on a name. On the day my daughter was born (we had a homebirth) I noticed the name on my older daughter's toy: a set of nesting blocks. There was a picture of a bookstore with a bunch of literary characters and the bookstore was called "Elodie's Bookstore." I asked DH if he liked it (we are both writers) and he did right away! I took it as a sign that this was her name! The meaning of marshy white blossom and foreign riches sounded just right.
I heard about the name in the Cool Baby Name Book (Rosenkrantz et al). Also I had a friend named Elody. But these aren't why we named her Elodie. DH and I couldn't agree on a name. On the day my daughter was born (we had a homebirth) I noticed the name on my older daughter's toy: a set of nesting blocks. There was a picture of a bookstore with a bunch of literary characters and the bookstore was called "Elodie's Bookstore." I asked DH if he liked it (we are both writers) and he did right away! I took it as a sign that this was her name! The meaning of marshy white blossom and foreign riches sounded just right.
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Elodie doesn't mean marshy white blossoms.
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Just wondering what your source is for knowing it doesn't mean that. Are you going by the definitions on this site or do you have another source as well. Thanks for any information. And do you have any idea why a Greek meaning for Elodie would be given in some sources, if none exists? Thanks.
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Thank you for your help. I'll check on the name meaning board. I agree about the slew of misinformation about names.
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Yes.
The majority of baby-name books and baby-name sites are incorrect. This is something that is known by most people interested in the meanings of names. Second, I only use this site for meanings. It has a few mistakes, but nothing compared to a baby-name book or a baby-name site. I've yet to pick up a baby-name book and not find three or four errors in five minutes. Third, Elodie in no way seems Greek to me. If you're truly interested in finding out the "correct" meaning of the name, then I'd check over at the facts board. There you have a slew of etymologists, including one who is Greek. Having gone to school and what not, they're great with deciphering name meanings.
Siri
The majority of baby-name books and baby-name sites are incorrect. This is something that is known by most people interested in the meanings of names. Second, I only use this site for meanings. It has a few mistakes, but nothing compared to a baby-name book or a baby-name site. I've yet to pick up a baby-name book and not find three or four errors in five minutes. Third, Elodie in no way seems Greek to me. If you're truly interested in finding out the "correct" meaning of the name, then I'd check over at the facts board. There you have a slew of etymologists, including one who is Greek. Having gone to school and what not, they're great with deciphering name meanings.
Siri
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