# What First Names Suggest...er... Qualities Other Than Physical Beauty? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 19, 2008, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-first-names-suggest-er-qualities-other-than-physical-beauty/460578 "2008-08-19T18:33:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-first-names-suggest-er-qualities-other-than-physical-beauty/460578/81 "2008-08-20T15:01:40Z")
[QUOTE=Beware of Doug] Jessica? It’s Hebrew. Beautiful. Anyway, beats Zipporah or Hagar all to hell. [/QUOTE] [QUOTE=elmwood] Jessica sounds more “legitimate” to me, like a ripple of the late 1960s-late 1970s Jennifer fad. The rest sound like strippers. [/QUOTE] Yes, I made a mistake putting Jessica in that list I actually like the name Jessica and it would have been a contender if I had had a girl. But then I like the name Jennifer too. My post was supposed to be typical stripper names. I still don’t know how I got Jessica in there. ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-first-names-suggest-er-qualities-other-than-physical-beauty/460578/82 "2008-08-20T15:26:25Z")
My mother was a Helen, and my paternal grandmother was Mabel. My maternal grandmother was born Anna Gunhild Christine Erickson, and spent her life going by Gunhild. Emily I like, as well as Virginia. Gretchen always make me think of a St. Bernard before I picture a human female. My female name list: Helen Mabel Gunhild Gretchen Phyllis Mildred Ethel For dudes, Melvin and Maynard. ---
**Author:** ![Skara\_Brae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Skara\_Brae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skara_Brae)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-first-names-suggest-er-qualities-other-than-physical-beauty/460578/83 "2008-08-20T16:34:11Z")
Has no one mentioned Ruth, yet for old lady’s names? It was my grandmother’s name - truly biblical. I was also taught by a nun named Laetitia,which now always brings to mind a black habit and choir practice after school… ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-first-names-suggest-er-qualities-other-than-physical-beauty/460578/84 "2008-08-20T16:58:15Z")
[QUOTE=Neidhart] Farrah is an Iranian name. I wonder where Mr. and Mrs. Fawcett ran across it. [/QUOTE] Her birth name was “Ferrah.” That’s even more obscure. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-first-names-suggest-er-qualities-other-than-physical-beauty/460578/85 "2008-08-20T17:15:49Z")
My Grandmas’ names were Dorothy and Lillian, both of which are old-lady but not necessarily fugly. Lillian seems to be making a small comeback in the wake of Lily’s popularity. May I be self-centered for a moment and ask what your impression of Gwendolen is? I love it but I can see it on the border of old-fashioned or connoting less than beautiful. However, they seem to use Gwendolen/Gwen for sexy characters?! ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-first-names-suggest-er-qualities-other-than-physical-beauty/460578/86 "2008-08-20T17:42:37Z")
> [@](#): > > My female name list: > > Helen… Helen? As in, Helen of Sparta? The face that launched a thousand ships? What possible association could drive that one out of your mind? Back to “Emily”, to me, it means that librarian in a Hollywood movie who would be hot if she took off her glasses, except they casted a total babe for her, and she’s actually even hotter with the glasses. Very definitely a librarian, though, and while I view that as a huge plus, I understand that there are some who don’t. One of my grandmothers was named Cecilia, and it’s a pretty enough name, but when your first association is with an 80-year-old woman, it doesn’t scream “beauty”. But then I started reading Piled Higher and Deeper, and one of the main characters is the similarly-named Celia, and it really changed my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Skara\_Brae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Skara\_Brae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skara_Brae)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-first-names-suggest-er-qualities-other-than-physical-beauty/460578/87 "2008-08-20T17:45:20Z")
[QUOTE=gigi] May I be self-centered for a moment and ask what your impression of Gwendolen is? I love it but I can see it on the border of old-fashioned or connoting less than beautiful. However, they seem to use Gwendolen/Gwen for sexy characters?! [/QUOTE] Gwendolyn always brings to mind Oscar Wilde’s \*The Importance of Being Earnest \* (Oooh! Another old fashioned name - and people were fighting over it!), and I usually picture a blond girl with her hair in ringlets. YMMV, though 😃 ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-first-names-suggest-er-qualities-other-than-physical-beauty/460578/88 "2008-08-20T17:50:16Z")
[QUOTE=Chronos] Helen? As in, Helen of Sparta? The face that launched a thousand ships? What possible association could drive that one out of your mind? [/QUOTE] My modern day connotation is a rather prissy woman that drinks prune-juice highballs. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-first-names-suggest-er-qualities-other-than-physical-beauty/460578/89 "2008-08-20T18:10:49Z")
Ursula. And even though it is making a strong comeback, Olivia still sounds like an older woman’s name to me. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-first-names-suggest-er-qualities-other-than-physical-beauty/460578/90 "2008-08-20T18:31:14Z")
There are some names that work fine independently, but when combined they are disasterous. Such as’ John Wayne’. John and Wayne alone are just fine, but no child should ever again be named ‘John Wayne’. John Wayne Gacy followed shortly by John Wayne Bobbit destroyed any hope that name had. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-first-names-suggest-er-qualities-other-than-physical-beauty/460578/91 "2008-08-20T18:34:44Z")
[QUOTE=amarinth] Ursula. [/QUOTE] Ursula makes me think of the sea witch from “Little Mermaid.” The name “Charlotte” makes me think timeless–as in, it could be a name from back in the day, a name of grandmothers, etc., as well as a name for little girls and younger women. ---
**Author:** ![taxi78cab](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47c2d/32.png) [@taxi78cab](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/taxi78cab)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-first-names-suggest-er-qualities-other-than-physical-beauty/460578/92 "2008-08-20T20:09:03Z")
Erastus Sherman Cornelius Mina ---
**Author:** ![Ultraviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/c77e96/32.png) [@Ultraviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ultraviolet)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-first-names-suggest-er-qualities-other-than-physical-beauty/460578/93 "2008-08-20T20:39:16Z")
I know a woman (who is quite lovely, actually) with the unfortunate name of Renelle. However, the worst name ever, no debate is Hedwig. What do I win? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-first-names-suggest-er-qualities-other-than-physical-beauty/460578/94 "2008-08-20T20:41:09Z")
[QUOTE=Skara\_Brae] Has no one mentioned Ruth, yet for old lady’s names? It was my grandmother’s name - truly biblical. [/quote] Still somewhat common among Jews. In the Jewish community, you’ll also encounter less-common names for baby girls such as Hadassah and Aviva. > [@](#): > > I was also taught by a nun named Laetitia,which now always brings to mind a black habit and choir practice after school… I think it sounds African-American, in the same league of post-Arab-influenced sounds-kind-of-made-up-but-now-standardized Afrocentric names as Shaniqua and Roshanda. [QUOTE=gigi] May I be self-centered for a moment and ask what your impression of Gwendolen is? I love it but I can see it on the border of old-fashioned or connoting less than beautiful. However, they seem to use Gwendolen/Gwen for sexy characters?! [/QUOTE] Sounds a bit medieval to my ears, kind of like Guinevere. Which probably means that Dopers will unanimously proclaim that they **iove** it. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-first-names-suggest-er-qualities-other-than-physical-beauty/460578/95 "2008-08-20T20:44:39Z")
FWIW, here’s what the author Freaknomics predicts will be the most popular baby girl names in 2015. There’s a few current “old lady” names in the mix, such as Eleanor, Grace, and Sophie, but none of the classics like Ethel, Gertrude, Agnes and the like. Annika Ansley Ava Avery Aviva Clementine Eleanor Ella Emma Fiona Flannery Grace Isabel Kate Lara Linden Maeve Marie-Claire Maya Philippa Phoebe Quinn Sophie Waverly ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-first-names-suggest-er-qualities-other-than-physical-beauty/460578/96 "2008-08-20T21:01:04Z")
[QUOTE=Ultraviolet] I know a woman (who is quite lovely, actually) with the unfortunate name of Renelle. However, the worst name ever, no debate is Hedwig. What do I win? 🙂 [/QUOTE] I don’t know about that. I have a cousin named Glenella who was named after her dad and grandmother. Her mother was…wait for it…Wahella. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-first-names-suggest-er-qualities-other-than-physical-beauty/460578/97 "2008-08-20T21:26:27Z")
[QUOTE=Skara\_Brae] Gwendolyn always brings to mind Oscar Wilde’s \*The Importance of Being Earnest \* (Oooh! Another old fashioned name - and people were fighting over it!), and I usually picture a blond girl with her hair in ringlets. YMMV, though 😃 [/QUOTE] I’ll have you know that’s it’s Gwendol **e** n Fairfax. (Our family would read plays out loud before going to see them and I got to be her, naturally.) Gwendolyns are merely variant pretenders to the throne. 😉 Blond girl in ringlets, eh? Maybe when I was two. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-first-names-suggest-er-qualities-other-than-physical-beauty/460578/98 "2008-08-20T21:37:03Z")
[QUOTE=elmwood] FWIW, here’s what the author Freaknomics predicts will be the most popular baby girl names in 2015. There’s a few current “old lady” names in the mix, such as\*\* Eleanor\*\*, Grace, and Sophie, but none of the classics like Ethel, Gertrude, Agnes and the like. [/QUOTE] HEY! I am not an old lady. Not yet. Soon, maybe. But not YET. Waverly? Ever? Seriously? Yuck. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-first-names-suggest-er-qualities-other-than-physical-beauty/460578/99 "2008-08-20T21:57:05Z")
[QUOTE=elmwood] FWIW, here’s what the author Freaknomics predicts will be the most popular baby girl names in 2015. There’s a few current “old lady” names in the mix, such as Eleanor, Grace, and Sophie, but none of the classics like Ethel, Gertrude, Agnes and the like. [/QUOTE] According to the Baby Name Wizard site (linked to earlier in the thread, and really quite cool), the Freakonomics guys’ research left a bit to be desired in the baby names section. As the blog points out, a bunch of those names or their variants were and are top 10 names and Freakonomics research “predicted” the present - not the future. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-first-names-suggest-er-qualities-other-than-physical-beauty/460578/100 "2008-08-20T22:03:36Z")
[QUOTE=Mr. Moto] I don’t know whether I’d verify your preconceptions or defy them. I do know that I’m about the only Elmer below retirement age I’ve ever met, even if it is only my middle name. [/QUOTE] Elmer is OK, compared with Herman. My middle name, and I am actually the Third. Pretentious, old-fashioned, and stupid, all in one birth certificate. My grandmothers’ names were Erna and Gladys. These are now irrevocably old-fashioned ladies’ names. My wife’s family is no better - Clive, Marvin, Stashu (sic? - they called him Uncle Stanley), and virtually every woman is named Mary. Regards, Shodan [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-first-names-suggest-er-qualities-other-than-physical-beauty/460578.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-first-names-suggest-er-qualities-other-than-physical-beauty/460578.md?page=6)