She was not named in the bible but was called the stepdaughter of Herod Antipas and the daugther of Herodias so it is the same woman. The historian Josephus does name her. I don't think this makes the name unusable though. There have also been saints by this name.
Nice try at being funny but St. John pronounced sinjin is a traditional English name and not something I made up. As an example you might remember the novel Jane Eyre in which there is a character named St. John. You can see the name come up in English birth announcements sometimes.
There isn't one 'real' pronunciation. It's different in different languages. My name is Magdalena and I'm from Poland so I use the Polish pronunciation, mahg-dah-LEH-nah.
I think they are both silly. More faux - pretentious than actually pretentious. Some people act like when choosing a literary name there are only 5 in existence they could actually choose form. I don't think they say, 'we are well read and intelligent' and instead scream, 'we were forced to read a book in high school once!'
Although I agree it sounds a bit feminine I would cringe to see this name on a girl. It's completely masculine to me and quite handsome as well. Probably not the best choice these day because again it does sound feminine to most people.
I've never met a Camilla. I think it's a beautiful name.
I think I forgot to put Nausicaa on my list. Beautiful name.
My brother is named Albert. He's in his 20s now and has never had any problems with his name. Go for it!
I think the name is lovely and certainly usable at least in the middle spot.
I love names from operas. Right now my faves are Lakme, Thais, and Semiramide.
Oops, didn't mean to post 3 times. Was trying to log in because I thought my post wouldn't show up otherwise.
She was not named in the bible but was called the stepdaughter of Herod Antipas and the daugther of Herodias so it is the same woman. The historian Josephus does name her. I don't think this makes the name unusable though. There have also been saints by this name.
Nice try at being funny but St. John pronounced sinjin is a traditional English name and not something I made up. As an example you might remember the novel Jane Eyre in which there is a character named St. John. You can see the name come up in English birth announcements sometimes.
There isn't one 'real' pronunciation. It's different in different languages. My name is Magdalena and I'm from Poland so I use the Polish pronunciation, mahg-dah-LEH-nah.
I think they are both silly. More faux - pretentious than actually pretentious. Some people act like when choosing a literary name there are only 5 in existence they could actually choose form. I don't think they say, 'we are well read and intelligent' and instead scream, 'we were forced to read a book in high school once!'
Although I agree it sounds a bit feminine I would cringe to see this name on a girl. It's completely masculine to me and quite handsome as well. Probably not the best choice these day because again it does sound feminine to most people.
I just posted them in that contest thread. This is not even a complete list.
I have so many.
Girls:
Thessalonica - this was the name of one of Alexander the Great's sisters
Sparta - the name of a nymph from Greek mythology but nobody would realize that
Philadelphia - again nobody would know that this started as a woman's name before the city was founded
Hero
Iphigenia (I might use this)
Agrippina (would probably use it)
Kilminta - love it but is starts with kill
Mercedes
Pilar
Maria da Glora
Bienvenue - legit French name but most people will only think of the word
Dieudonnée - to French and over the top
Touissante - too French and too obscure
Hortense - I would never do that to a child but I have a positive association with this name
Theodolinde - so clunky
Polyhymnia - might use this
Jocasta - might use this one too
Thais
Ankhesenamun - my favorite ancient Egyptian name
Elgifu
Tanaquil - sounds like a medicaton
Semiramide - Italian form of Semiramis, lots of pronunciation issues
Tranquilina
Ptolemais - feminine form of Ptolemy
Euriant
Pompeia (maybe I would use this)
Nausicaa
Ryngałła - virtually impossible to pronounce in English
Januaria / Janvière - Polish and French forms, first sounds made up second has pronunciation issues
Gertrudis - too clunky but I have a soft spot because of the character in Like Water for Chocolate
Mnestra - too out there
Messalina - bad conotations although there were also saints by the name
Boys:
St. John (pronounced sinjin) - to over the top and nobody would get the pronunciation
Agamemnon - over the top
Longinus / Longin - might use this
Ajax - love it but it's a brand of cleaning products in America
Agenor - might use this
Cato - too many moder cultural references overshadow the ancient figure but I might use the Polish form Katon in the middle
Sejanus - love the sound but it ends in anus
Orestes - sounds like arrest these, love the Italian form Oreste as well
Pertinax - too much and some kind of product name in some countries
Winwaloe - way too obscure
Rama - probably not culturaly appropriate plus it's a word meaning gate in my first language
Indra - again not culturally appropriate
Napoleon - maybe in the middle
Guilford/ Guildford - couldn't bring myself to use a random surname as a name
Lytton - ditto
Actor - nobody would know this is a legit Greek name
I have so many.
Girls:
Thessalonica - this was the name of one of Alexander the Great's sisters
Sparta - the name of a nymph from Greek mythology but nobody would realize that
Philadelphia - again nobody would know that this started as a woman's name before the city was founded
Hero
Iphigenia (I might use this)
Agrippina (would probably use it)
Kilminta - love it but is starts with kill
Mercedes
Pilar
Maria da Glora
Bienvenue - legit French name but most people will only think of the word
Dieudonnée - to French and over the top
Touissante - too French and too obscure
Hortense - I would never do that to a child but I have a positive association with this name
Theodolinde - so clunky
Polyhymnia - might use this
Jocasta - might use this one too
Thais
Ankhesenamun - my favorite ancient Egyptian name
Elgifu
Tanaquil - sounds like a medicaton
Semiramide - Italian form of Semiramis, lots of pronunciation issues
Tranquilina
Ptolemais - feminine form of Ptolemy
Euriant
Pompeia (maybe I would use this)
Nausicaa
Ryngałła - virtually impossible to pronounce in English
Januaria / Janvière - Polish and French forms, first sounds made up second has pronunciation issues
Gertrudis - too clunky but I have a soft spot because of the character in Like Water for Chocolate
Mnestra - too out there
Messalina - bad conotations although there were also saints by the name
Boys:
St. John (pronounced sinjin) - to over the top and nobody would get the pronunciation
Agamemnon - over the top
Longinus / Longin - might use this
Ajax - love it but it's a brand of cleaning products in America
Agenor - might use this
Cato - too many moder cultural references overshadow the ancient figure but I might use the Polish form Katon in the middle
Sejanus - love the sound but it ends in anus
Orestes - sounds like arrest these, love the Italian form Oreste as well
Pertinax - too much and some kind of product name in some countries
Winwaloe - way too obscure
Rama - probably not culturaly appropriate plus it's a word meaning gate in my first language
Indra - again not culturally appropriate
Napoleon - maybe in the middle
Guilford/ Guildford - couldn't bring myself to use a random surname as a name
Lytton - ditto
Actor - nobody would know this is a legit Greek name