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Help[Opinions] Joan
I love Joan. Rarely does a day go by that I do not admire the name. It doesn't work well with just my last name, but if my partner wanted to hyphenate, it could break up the long o sounds (my last name begins with a long o vowel, preventing me from short listing).
I'd be more apt to use Joan than Jane.
Joan Eleanor (so medieval!)
Joan Matilda (ditto!)
Joan Imogen
Joan Susanna
Joan Elizabeth
Joan Isabel
Joan Isabella
I'd be more apt to use Joan than Jane.
Joan Eleanor (so medieval!)
Joan Matilda (ditto!)
Joan Imogen
Joan Susanna
Joan Elizabeth
Joan Isabel
Joan Isabella
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I also like the medieval sound and vibe! And tennis-playing suburbanites from the Betjeman era.
If I had to rank names, it'd be first Joanna, then Joan and Joanne nowhere really. Which is odd, come to think of it, since I far prefer Anne to Anna.
Joan Louise is a good one. Joan Patricia too - very tennis-party. And I know Joan-Ida, who just goes by Joan. Her Ida is pronounced with an EE, not an IE. Maybe Joan+vowel might be worth examining: Joan-Alice or Joan-Amy, Joan-Ellen or Joan-Elize, Joan-Olga? If you're heading for ln hyphenation, perhaps not, but otherwise it could work.
If I had to rank names, it'd be first Joanna, then Joan and Joanne nowhere really. Which is odd, come to think of it, since I far prefer Anne to Anna.
Joan Louise is a good one. Joan Patricia too - very tennis-party. And I know Joan-Ida, who just goes by Joan. Her Ida is pronounced with an EE, not an IE. Maybe Joan+vowel might be worth examining: Joan-Alice or Joan-Amy, Joan-Ellen or Joan-Elize, Joan-Olga? If you're heading for ln hyphenation, perhaps not, but otherwise it could work.
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I love Joan and Joan Elizabeth is one of my favorite combos!
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Every single one of your combos makes me want to smile. They are all gorgeous.
I'm always amazed at Joan, June, and Jane for being so similar in sound yet completely different in feel and vibe and gravity. But I would probably choose Joan over the other two as well.
I've been thinking about Joan Evangeline lately, but I like all yours much better. Eleanor, Matilda, and Isabella paired with Joan make me think of old Plantagenet era queens, while Susanna and Elizabeth are a little more Puritanical (this could just be because Joan Allen played Elizabeth Proctor in The Crucible film alongside Susanna Walcott). Joan Imogen is just magical.
I'm always amazed at Joan, June, and Jane for being so similar in sound yet completely different in feel and vibe and gravity. But I would probably choose Joan over the other two as well.
I've been thinking about Joan Evangeline lately, but I like all yours much better. Eleanor, Matilda, and Isabella paired with Joan make me think of old Plantagenet era queens, while Susanna and Elizabeth are a little more Puritanical (this could just be because Joan Allen played Elizabeth Proctor in The Crucible film alongside Susanna Walcott). Joan Imogen is just magical.
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Joan
That's my MIL's name. I like Joanna, but Joan just sounds very plain and workaday to me. I guess because it seems unfashionable now. Joan Rivers... and the spelling bugs me in the same way that Sloan does. Moan, groan, Joan. Count my vote for Jane, Jean, Joanna, but not for Joan.
Best combo on that list is Joan Susanna.
That's my MIL's name. I like Joanna, but Joan just sounds very plain and workaday to me. I guess because it seems unfashionable now. Joan Rivers... and the spelling bugs me in the same way that Sloan does. Moan, groan, Joan. Count my vote for Jane, Jean, Joanna, but not for Joan.
Best combo on that list is Joan Susanna.
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:0)
You just made my morning. Joan was my favorite aunt's name and I'd love to see it used again. She was named after her grandmother, Johanna. But in the 1920s Joan was considered the more updated, stream-lined (and therefore Art Deco) version of the name. As you say it also has medieval associations. It's so rich, association-wise. And the nickname Joanie is so cute.
Joan Eleanor -- I picture Eleanor of Aquitaine and her daughter Joan. Fantastic imagery and the flow is lovely.
Joan Matilda -- Again, gloriously medieval. Nice flow too.
Joan Imogen -- Love both names, but the repeated "j" sounds so close bother me. Plus, they both end in an "n." Joan Imelda would flow better, and dance a jig along the way. Joan Imogen is still a nice combo and I'd be thrilled to me one. But I think you have better options for the middle name.
Joan Elizabeth -- Solid as a brick house. It will wear like a woolen coat -- forever.
Joan Isabel -- Prefer Joan Isobel. Again, I'm back to medieval dreaming . . . .
Joan Isabella -- A tad too frilly for meat-and-potatoes Joan.
May I try a few? How about:
Joan Valentine -- My aunt's combo. Born on Feb. 13th. ;0)
You just made my morning. Joan was my favorite aunt's name and I'd love to see it used again. She was named after her grandmother, Johanna. But in the 1920s Joan was considered the more updated, stream-lined (and therefore Art Deco) version of the name. As you say it also has medieval associations. It's so rich, association-wise. And the nickname Joanie is so cute.
Joan Eleanor -- I picture Eleanor of Aquitaine and her daughter Joan. Fantastic imagery and the flow is lovely.
Joan Matilda -- Again, gloriously medieval. Nice flow too.
Joan Imogen -- Love both names, but the repeated "j" sounds so close bother me. Plus, they both end in an "n." Joan Imelda would flow better, and dance a jig along the way. Joan Imogen is still a nice combo and I'd be thrilled to me one. But I think you have better options for the middle name.
Joan Elizabeth -- Solid as a brick house. It will wear like a woolen coat -- forever.
Joan Isabel -- Prefer Joan Isobel. Again, I'm back to medieval dreaming . . . .
Joan Isabella -- A tad too frilly for meat-and-potatoes Joan.
May I try a few? How about:
Joan Valentine -- My aunt's combo. Born on Feb. 13th. ;0)
This message was edited 6/4/2014, 12:34 PM
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Great list!
:)
:)
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Thanks!
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Re:Joan of Arc, the name Jeanne d'Arc is reasonably common where I live, though not on anyone under age 60.Some women are called the full name, some have it shortened to "d'Arc".
I find it a romantic name. :-)
I find it a romantic name. :-)
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Really? How cool. Thanks! :0)
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Slightly off-topic
How are you pronouncing Etheldreda? I visited a St Etheldreda's (where Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon celebrated their wedding) last year, and have no idea. Is it eh-thel-DREE-da? Eh-THEL-dre-da?
Either way, it works well with Joan. So does Augusta.
How are you pronouncing Etheldreda? I visited a St Etheldreda's (where Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon celebrated their wedding) last year, and have no idea. Is it eh-thel-DREE-da? Eh-THEL-dre-da?
Either way, it works well with Joan. So does Augusta.
This message was edited 6/4/2014, 4:29 PM
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Etheldreda
Neat! How was it?
I fell for the name when I read a book about all of Henry's children, the illegitimate ones as well as the legits. He had a daughter Etheldreda, which must have sounded old fashioned even then. ;0) In the book it says that she was named after that very saint whose church / chapel you visited. How tacky for him to have named her after a place where he married / celebrated his marriage to Catherine, right?. But that was his style, I guess. Anyway, she did get a very cool name.
I have no idea how to pronounce Etheldreda. Just going off of my very, very limited understanding of early English, I'm saying "eth-el-DRAY-duh." I'm also guessing it turned into "AH-dray" and then more modern "AH-dree."
But if anyone has better informaiton I'm very pleased to learn more about the name. Early English pronunciation is fascinating -- the Great Vowel Shirft and all . . . .
Neat! How was it?
I fell for the name when I read a book about all of Henry's children, the illegitimate ones as well as the legits. He had a daughter Etheldreda, which must have sounded old fashioned even then. ;0) In the book it says that she was named after that very saint whose church / chapel you visited. How tacky for him to have named her after a place where he married / celebrated his marriage to Catherine, right?. But that was his style, I guess. Anyway, she did get a very cool name.
I have no idea how to pronounce Etheldreda. Just going off of my very, very limited understanding of early English, I'm saying "eth-el-DRAY-duh." I'm also guessing it turned into "AH-dray" and then more modern "AH-dree."
But if anyone has better informaiton I'm very pleased to learn more about the name. Early English pronunciation is fascinating -- the Great Vowel Shirft and all . . . .
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I really hate Joan. I really hate it. I can't think of a more graceless name. Plain, clunky, boring, unpleasing, awful, think of a negative adjective and I will think it describes Joan.
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agree
blah
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While I don't really love Joan, I would totally appreciate meeting a little baby Joan! Of your combos, I enjoy Joan Matilda and Joan Susanna best. Nice list, by the way!
For what it's worth my name is Jodi and my maiden name is Loe.wen, so I had the long o thing going on. I got very few comments on it and it never fazed it. Yeah, it's a bit O heavy, but it was never a big deal.
Do you like June as an alternative?
For what it's worth my name is Jodi and my maiden name is Loe.wen, so I had the long o thing going on. I got very few comments on it and it never fazed it. Yeah, it's a bit O heavy, but it was never a big deal.
Do you like June as an alternative?
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LOVE Joan! Joan Eleanor and Joan Isabel are my favs of the ones you listed.
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Joan calls to mind, for me, not the medieval period, but the 40s and 50s. It hasn't quite made it back to freshness for met yet. (Though I do like Joanie.)
I like other names of that era more, like Sally, Margaret, Helen, Ruth, etc. I just hear "moan" with Joan.
But it's ok. It's got a little, like, "I don't care what you think, Isabella, you frilly princess. I am Joan. I wear black and I like modernist design" so that's cool.
My fave is Joan Imogen, but Joan Eleanor and Joan Matilda are also nice. I'd think I would want to pair Joan with something softer like Susanna or Isabella, but when I see it happen it seems... mismatched somehow.
I like other names of that era more, like Sally, Margaret, Helen, Ruth, etc. I just hear "moan" with Joan.
But it's ok. It's got a little, like, "I don't care what you think, Isabella, you frilly princess. I am Joan. I wear black and I like modernist design" so that's cool.
My fave is Joan Imogen, but Joan Eleanor and Joan Matilda are also nice. I'd think I would want to pair Joan with something softer like Susanna or Isabella, but when I see it happen it seems... mismatched somehow.
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What she said.
Plus groan.
Plus groan.
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I am a big fan of Joan, and out of the combinations you've listed, I love Joan Eleanor, Joan Matilda and Joan Elizabeth.
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