Merrill & Gladys

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-08-2006
Merrill & Gladys
9
Mon, 05-08-2006 - 3:38pm

New to the group - just wanted input on a few names. Everyone I tell them to thinks I'm crazy - but I think I'm on to something. (also, I haven't gone into middle names very much yet) Last name is Shuttleworth.

Girl:
Merrill May (**Merrill is my grandfather's name, but I love it for a girl, could be Mae instead of May or a different mn all together!**)

Gladys or Gladyss
Carly
Sawyer (this is my mother's maiden name, love it! but it seems to be getting popular?)

Boy:
Harold (baby's father's decesed grandpas name)
Sawyer (baby's dad thinks Sawyer Shuttleworth is a mouthful)

Thats all for now! WDYT???

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-29-2003
Mon, 05-08-2006 - 3:55pm

I don't think Merill is a great idea for a girl...but I do love:

Merilee!

Don't care for May/Mae with it (double initials just are too much!) but it would be pretty with a lot of names. Gladys is just too far out to ever be in and Sawyer isn't feminine at all. Might be ok as a mn. Don't care for Harold, but you could do it (Harold Sawyer) and call him Harry (very cute!) I think I'd do that before giving him fn Sawyer.

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-08-2006
Mon, 05-08-2006 - 4:16pm

Really no on Merrill? What if it was more like, Meryl (Meryl Streep). Merilee sounds too much like my dogs name Marli.

I also think Sawyer can be feminine - I know a little girl named that, and her sister is Brier (Bri-ar?) which I also love.

Would def. call Harold - Harry, Harold Sawyer is nice, good idea.

Come on . . . Gladys is good :(

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-29-2003
Mon, 05-08-2006 - 4:23pm
I think we just have different ideas about girls names. Maybe someone who is more apt to use an ambisexual name can give you better guidance. But no, I don't like Merrill or Gladys for a little girl.
Avatar for haarlasr
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Mon, 05-08-2006 - 4:38pm

FWIW, our teenage neighbor is named Meryl, and she's one of the nicest, most responsible girls I've ever met. She does well in school, is amazing with the neighborhood kids, is athletic -- an all-around great person. I don't know that I thought Meryl/Merrill was a great name before, but after meeting her, it has given me a wonderful association. Also, your DD could use the nn Meri/Mary if Merrill seemed too grown-up or formal for her.

Gladys isn't really my style, but it is nice, and I see it along the lines of Helen, Eleanor, Beatrice, etc. that are making a comeback. This one could work!

Carly is cute as a nn, IMO, but I don't like it as a full name. I don't know that it ages as well for a grown woman. Maybe Caroline or Carolyn instead with the nn Carly?

Sawyer is not really my style either, but it's nice, too. I see it more as a boy name, though, if that makes a difference to you. FWIW, I don't know a single child named Sawyer.

It's very hard for me to picture Harold on a young boy, but I seem to be seeing Harry a bit more, so it could work. I'm not sure about Harry Shuttleworth, though -- something about it seems a little tease-worthy.

Good luck making a decision!
Stephanie

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-07-2006
Mon, 05-08-2006 - 5:13pm

I know a girl named Merrill and it suits her perfectly. Sometimes she's called Mer or Mel. I like it!

Gladys is one of those names that I think a lot of people can't imagine on a little girl these days. I felt the same way about Beatrice, but I recently met an adorable little 3 year old Beatrice and the name is now one of my favorites! Gladys is definitely old fashioned but those names are certainly coming back! I've met little Ellas, Emmas, Evelyns, and Amelias. I think Gladys could be adorable on a little girl. It feels similar to the more popular Carys.

Sawyer is nms for a girl. Since it's a family name, I wouldn't mind it on a boy, but it's still not my favorite. It would be cute on a little boy, but it feels playful and young to me and I therefore can't see it on a grown man. I'm not sure if it's getting popular, but if so, I would assume it's getting popular for boys rather than girls.

I only like Carly as a nn. I like it as a nn for Caroline or Charlotte. It just feels cute and I think it's nice to have a stronger, more grown up full name.

Harold isn't a name I would have thought of for a little boy, but it could grow on me. I think if I saw a cute little boy named Harold, I would think it was adorable. Harry seems to be another more old fashioned name that's making a comeback and could be a cute nn.

Good Luck!

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-14-2005
Mon, 05-08-2006 - 5:42pm

Girl:
Merrill May -- I really like Merrill. I think it's definitely unisex, or at least works well on a girl. I think Merrill Mae is really cute, but the double initials thing might be too much.


Gladys or Gladyss -- I don't know about this one. It just seems SO old fashioned. I know a lot of those names are becoming quite popular again (Beatrice, Eleanor, Ruby, Hazel, etc) but Gladys just doesn't sound very pretty to me.

Carly -- love this as a nickname, but I think it's too "cutesy" on it's own. She'll need something more mature to fall back on as an adult. I LOVE Charlotte, Carlotta and Caroline. A friend of mine has a Carlyn nn Carly and that's grown on me quite a bit.

Sawyer -- Hmm, I definitely love this name. I never really considered it on a girl, but I kind of like it. People will definitely assume she's a boy -- this is not a unisex name -- but if that doesn't bother you, I think it's a definite possibility. I love using family names, and Sawyer is really cute. It could also work really well as a middle name for a girl if you are worried that it's becoming too popular. Caroline Sawyer Shuttleworth



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iVillage Member
Registered: 12-08-2004
Mon, 05-08-2006 - 5:49pm

For a girl, I prefer Meryl rather than Merrill. Meryl Mae would be my choice.

For a boy, I love that Sawyer is your mom's maiden name, but Sawyer Shuttleworth is quite a mouthful. Harold Sawyer would be nice, and maybe you could call him Harris?

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-14-2003
Mon, 05-08-2006 - 6:22pm

I really like Sawyer for a boy ... not for a girl though. I don't think Sawyer Shuttleworth is too much.

I know a 2yo girl named Merrill. I only know it as a girls' name. I didn't care for it at 1st but it's growing on me. I like it best of your girl names. And, yes, I prefer Mae over May.

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-05-2004
Mon, 05-08-2006 - 6:35pm

Welcome to the board...I can't believe you mentioned Merrill!!! I was just thinking this morning while watching the Today Show why you never hear the name Meryl!! (They showed a clip of a movie featuring Meryl Streep). I think she's one of the greatest actresses and am surprised more Meryls haven't been named b/c of her...now about your names...

Girl:
Merrill May - I prefer the Meryl spelling and I prefer the Mae spelling.

Gladys or Gladyss - I just can't get the image of an older woman out of my mind - my grandma has a bestfriend Gladys who she plays cards with.

Carly - I like Carly and think Carly Mae would be nice. OR OR OR even better. How about Caroline Mae (nn Carly)???? OMG, I love that one. b/c I think Caroline is so classy and Carly is such a cute nn for it.

Sawyer - not for a girl

Boy:
Harold - nms
Sawyer - like this. I've seen it here and there on polls on this board, but not sure how much it's actually being used. I don't know of any other than the one on Lost, so I'd say it's still fairly uncommon (atleast in my area) However, I do think with your last name that it is quite mouthful and might look for something different and use it as a middle name.