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[Opinions] Bernice
What do you think the appeal of Bernice was, when it was popular?Also, how do you think it compares other forms of the name (Berenice, Berenike, Pherenike, Veronica, etc)?

This message was edited 5/1/2020, 12:31 PM

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I don't know what the appeal of Bernice is. It's a name of two syllabic extremes - hard/soft, phonetic/unusual, short/long. I much prefer Berenice. The extra syllable balances the name out nicely.
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Veronica is a longtime like of mine. I don't think she has ever been my absolute favorite, but she has always stuck around. She's powerful.The French pronunciation of Berenice, BEHR-en-ees, appeals to me - but not the listed English pronunciations. I don't like Berenike or Pherenike at all. (Nike is an athletic brand to me, and it's mainly what I hear.)Bernice is cool, like French Cool - in the same Lost Generation vein as Maxine or Larue (which literally means "the street," it makes me laugh how trendy that name once was). In fact, I totally buy Bernie & Max as flapper sisters!However, there actually was a Bernice I went to high school with, she was a year younger (or two, don't really remember). Anyway, she actually was something of a Mean Girl, so the people on her bad side referred to her as "Bernie the B*tch" behind her back. So whenever I hear Bernice, I think of Bernie on a girl, and then... that phrase. So it's unusable for me - as is Berenice.
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Maybe the meaning and the fact it’s a Biblical name? Not sure. I’ve always liked it for some reason though, even as a kid I liked it. Bernice is certainly my fave form of the name.
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Same.I think it sounds strong too. I like both Berenice and Bernice.

This message was edited 5/3/2020, 4:24 AM

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The only Bernice I've ever known was 'named after' her father, whose name was probably Bernd but once he'd moved to South Africa he became Bernhard: it was all a bit vague, her parents' marriage broke up ... she was known as Bernie, and so I think was he. Perhaps they didn't realise that the names weren't related, perhaps the resemblance was all they wanted, perhaps they dodged Bernadette as being too Christian.I don't enjoy spondees, usually. I do like Bernard as a boy name, but that's where it stops. Veronica is probably the best of the rest: Berenice etc are very long and not attractive enough. Veronica is badly let down by its possible nns: Vera? Ronnie? Nickie?
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I think "ber" was a fashionable sound at the time (see: Bertha, Albert(a), Wilbur, etc.), and maybe the "ice" ending added a dose of continental sophistication...?I like the name, though I prefer Berenice.
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