Message: "Geraldine?" - Behind the Name

[Opinions] Geraldine?

by Amphelise (Chrisell)

10/27/2010, 4:59 AM

The feminised names post below got me thinking about Geraldine. I've always had a soft spot for it, and it has almost enough retro charm to make a comeback (maybe another decade, but I'm sure it'll come).

What do you think of it? And assuming that any variation of Gerry is out, what would you use for a nickname?

#Geraldine

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- Alcyone

10/27/2010, 6:48 PM

It's pretty. I don't think that it necessarily needs a nickname, but I'd probably go with Gera.

- New_Chloe

10/27/2010, 10:17 AM

I knew a young Geraldine!

I worked with one. She was a young girl of Filipino heritage, very beautiful, with long, long raven hair past her waist. We called her "Ger" for short.

I like Ger pretty well, but something like Dina ("deena") or Didi could be cute... hmm, that's a tough one.

- Pie

10/27/2010, 10:04 AM

I love it. It has a brisk and sprightly feel. I don't like any of the nns I can think of enough to use them, though.

- Wordsmith

10/27/2010, 7:59 AM

I love Geraldine! It's so starchy.

I've yet to settle on a pleasing nickname, for I strongly dislike Geri / Gerry.

- Aine (poetic_freedom)

10/27/2010, 7:54 AM

I don't like it. I find it clunky and ugly and I don't think it will be coming back anytime soon. I also find it a very cold sounding name.

Allie or Dina would be the best of a bad bunch of nicknames IMO. Actually, Dee could work and I quite like Dee as a nn.

- Davidica

10/27/2010, 7:54 AM

I don't care for it but that's just me. Popular in a decade? I dunno... She's a little too clunky to be "retro chique," imo.

This message was edited 10/27/2010, 7:54 AM

- queenv (guest)

10/27/2010, 7:16 AM

I had a friend of this name back when I was in middle school. She was an overweight, not all that attractive girl, and the name always makes me think of her. She always said that she was given the name because her mother had prayed to St. Gerard when she was pregnant with her, to implore him to see to it that she had a healthy baby, due to the fact that she had previously had two miscarriages. For that reason, it always makes me think of Catholicism, though I don't know that it IS a particularly Catholic name. My friend didn't have a nickname, she was always called Geraldine.

Okay, so that's a personal association, and not really a great one, but of course I'm the only one who would have it. What do I think of the name when I can free myself from the association? I think it's clunky and ugly, and I don't think that I feel that way just because my friend was...well, you know. I *think* that I would feel that way even if I had never known her.

The nickname Geri is very unfortunate. If I had to have a nickname, I'd prefer Dina.

- Llewella (penguiny7)

10/27/2010, 6:51 AM

I've always thought there was something charming about it, too. It's sweet and smart. I don't like Gerry as a nn, but can't think of anything that I would like much. I don't like Dina. Gigi? I don't really like that, either.

- abbasdaughter

10/27/2010, 6:32 AM

It's a likable name. I immediately think Gerri as a mn (to distinguish her as a girl), but if you don't want that... Ral... Ralz... Ralzie.

- Anneza

10/27/2010, 5:04 AM

It is nice; I knew a silly one and taught a bright and beautiful one. Possible nicks could be Allie or Dina. Coleridge pronounced it to rhyme with whine, which is also a no-no.

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