Is Sophie a REAL enough name?

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-29-2003
Is Sophie a REAL enough name?
12
Sat, 12-16-2006 - 3:06pm

I ask this knowing that yes, Sophie is a full-fledged French name (the counterpart to Sophia) and it is on my husband's long, very French family tree. But it seems so much like a nickname that I would hate my daughter to always secretly (or not so secretly) wish she had a more formal name. I do not want to use Sophia (as we have a very French last name and to me, that disconnect doesn't make sense) plus Sophia is so popular now. Sophie is close, I know, but it is the version I would choose, for many reasons.

My other choices are more "formal": Elisabeth, Madeleine, etc. But Sophie is winning in the poll and we do have a very nice French family mn to go with it...either Audet or Chabot, which I think would make it more formal, at least on documents/wedding invitations, etc. What do you guys think...do I need to get over my very WASPish need for a formal-sounding name and go with pretty little Sophie or let it go?

Preference???
Sophie Audet (pron Oh-day)
Sophie Chabot (pron Sha-boh)

My dh really likes Sophie, at least for the moment. I think he likes girl names that end in that "ee" sound and generally, I don't. I'm a consonant-ending-sound girl, usually. My name is Jane and my dh is named Peter. For those of you that don't know, my dd is named Charlotte Gray. HELP!

Pages

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-29-2003
Sun, 12-17-2006 - 4:49pm
anyone?
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-26-2006
Sun, 12-17-2006 - 5:17pm

If Sophie is what works - go for it! I think that Charlotte and Sophie will make a great pair. Personally I like Sophie more than either Elisabeth or Madeleine. In regards to the middle name I love how Sophie Audet sounds and looks - very chic! Good luck.

Not that you really asked for suggestions, but you could always go with a formal french name that has an "ee" sounding nn:
Adeline, nn Addie
Camille/Camilla, nn Cami or Millie
Emmaline, nn Emmy
Lissette, nn Lizzie

But I am sure you have thought about this, Sophie is great and you have 2 really good options for the mn - I just happen to like Audet more :)

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-17-2006
Sun, 12-17-2006 - 5:21pm
Yes, I think Sophie can definitely stand alone.

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-29-2003
Sun, 12-17-2006 - 6:24pm

No, we won't find out the gender. We're surprise people! I actually have been working on my list for a while. We were pregnant in the summer but I miscarried. Then waited the 3 months they advise before getting pregnant again. Now, I'm 12 weeks along but we've had some serious complications so I've been on bedrest (which took me away from the name game for a while). Now, I'm feeling better and am allowing myself to think about it again. My list is (all mn's are family names):

Girls:
Bronwen Chabot
Caroline McCord
Elisabeth Audet
Elisabeth Lindley
Madeleine McCord
Sophie Audet
Sophie Chabot

Boys:
Henry Walter (deceased grandfathers names)
John McCord, nn Jack
William Calhoun
Luke Calhoun

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-09-2005
Sun, 12-17-2006 - 8:02pm

I love Sophie. I definately see a distinction between full names and nicknames, but Sophie to me is a full name. In fact, I dislike it as a nn for Sophia because I find them very seperate. It is a full name to me, and I love it for you. Sophie Audet gets my vote, it is beautiful.

-Nikki


                             
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-28-2006
Sun, 12-17-2006 - 8:23pm
I am very partial to the name Sophie as I named my oldest dd Sophie. No one has ever asked if it was a nickname. Good Luck with your name search
Cheers
Jen
Photobucket
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-31-2003
Mon, 12-18-2006 - 1:05pm

I LOVE the name Sophie, and it is definitely a real name.

My favorite of your choices I love the second one, it flows really well, and sounds lovely and sophisticated.

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-14-2003
Mon, 12-18-2006 - 3:28pm

I LOVE the name Sophie it is on my list for #2 if we have another girl as well. I agree with the PPs it is a name on its own. And I don't like it being used as a nickname for Sophia either.

I like Sophie Audet from your MN options. H&H pregnancy!

Lilypie Kids Birthday tickers

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-17-2006
Mon, 12-18-2006 - 3:59pm

I love using family mns.

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-03-2006
Mon, 12-18-2006 - 4:24pm

I really like the name Sophie even though it is not as formal as the others, but I tend to go with less formal names. Out of the two I absolutely would choose Sophie Audet. I think it sounds very feminine and pretty.

Best of Luck!
Kara

Pages