I choose
Gertrude (though I prefer
Ermintrude; it's softer.) I wouldn't use it because of teasing and the sound isn't great, but it's kind of cool, it's Shakespearean, and it has a history.
Gretchen is like
Gertrude - the sound isn't great but the style is cool. Actually I probably prefer the sound of
Gretchen to the sound of
Gertrude, but it feels less like a real-person name in Britain. If I could say as a diminutive, though, I would probably choose
Gretchen as a nickname for
Margaret (though it would be sad to give up
Meg. Maybe
Meg as a general nickname and
Gretchen for a pet name at home.)
Greer is NMS at all, PLUS the sound is bad. I know it's not, but it feels trendy and modern.
*
"That cynicism you refer to I acquired the day I discovered I was different from little boys."
This message was edited 6/23/2019, 10:16 AM