traditional girls' names

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-29-2003
traditional girls' names
18
Tue, 02-06-2007 - 5:28pm
I am torn between two girls names-- Elisabeth and Madeleine-- and have posted here numerous times with regard to mn options, etc. Here's the thing, I keep hearing from people that Madeleine is too popular and that I should go with Elisabeth, but when I check popularity rankings, Elizabeth is #12 and Madeline is #60 or something. I realize those aren't the spellings I prefer, but they are the ones you see more often these days and ultimately, when her Kindergarten teacher calls out "Elizabeth" it really only matters how many girls look up/respond. So, I guess my question is, do these boards skew our perceptions about popularity? Are the same names popular on these boards and in real life? Where does that leave me in my naming quandry?

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iVillage Member
Registered: 01-12-2007
Thu, 02-08-2007 - 5:24pm

First of all, I love both names. Madelyn is on my top 10 list so I would vote for Madeleine over Elisabeth.

Are you planning on using a nn for either name? If so, which name do you like the nn better from?

Maybe you should just have twin girls so you can use both names!

I would rely on the SS ranking as to what name is most popular. The troule is there are many more ways of spelling Madeleine than Elisabeth so Madeleine is probably getting a lower ranking. Both are pretty popular and at this point I would go with the name that you really love more OR wait until you see your little angle and then decide if she looks more like a Madeleine or Elisabeth

I think that these boards can skew your preception of popularity as propbably not many of use for the SS dept which has the first hand info

I really do think that Madeleine and Elisabeth are popular names outside of this board and I say this because I am on other boards and those names are thrown around alot. I would have to say that I mostly see Elisabeth as a mn and not a fn.

Good luck - either name is precious!

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-11-2006
Fri, 02-09-2007 - 10:32am

Hi - I'm not sure if you've made a decision yet, but I just wanted to say that I'd choose Elisabeth over Madeleine. The reason: I hear "Maddie" (for Madeleine/Madelyn/Madison) and now the similar "Addie" (for Adelaine/Adeline/Addison) constantly here in New England, and that makes it seem as though Madeleine might be a bit overdone (as previous posters mentioned).

However, both are nice, traditional, safe names for your daughter, so you really can't go wrong with whatever you decide!

Good luck!

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-01-2003
Fri, 02-09-2007 - 12:38pm

Elizabeth is seen as popular because is IS - like you said #12 on the SSA list - and also because it's all all-the-time popular - it's been around forever - there are always many of them in every age group at any given time

Madeline - regardless of spelling - was kind of not around much let's say from the 60s through early 90s - then made a slight comeback - it's lower on the list at the #60 - but the HUGE problem is there are tons of Maddie's - whose real names are Madison, Madelyn and Madeline

me, I wouldn't use either of them - but forced to choose would go with Madeleine

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-11-2007
Sun, 02-11-2007 - 12:48am

Hi
I am a Kindergarten teacher and I have taught for 32 years not all K though. I have a more positive response to the name Elizabeth. Just a thought but you might like to know this ..... when my teaching partner sees a name spelled in a nontradional way she thinks the parents are uneducated and do not know how to spell!
I do think you save your child some stress in life by giving them a normal name that is spelled in a traditional way. Like it or not it does have bearing on some people's impressions.

Best wishes,
Louise

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-29-2003
Sun, 02-11-2007 - 5:11am
Madeleine is the traditional spelling.
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-14-2005
Mon, 02-12-2007 - 9:48am

What are you talking about? Elisabeth and Madeleine ARE the traditional spellings. They may not be the most popular spellings, but they are just as established if not moreso.

I agree that's it's best to use traditional spellings rather than kreativ made up spellings. But it's not like she wants to name her daughter Allyzabeth or Maddylyn.




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iVillage Member
Registered: 11-01-2005
Mon, 02-12-2007 - 5:31pm

My perception of Madeline's popularity comes from the grocery store, shopping malls, etc. where I hear countless people calling after their little girls: "Madeline" or "Maddy" (same goes for Abigail/Abby).

Elizabeth is a traditionally very popular name and not really limited to one generation or another. While I know many, many Elizabeths, I only ever knew one who went by her full name. All the others were Libby, Liz, Betsy, Beth, etc. So, your daughter could choose any number of nicknames when she's older, if she likes.

AJ, enjoying life with C.

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