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[Opinions] Dilemma (a bit of an either-or)
One of my few naming rules is "no romantic couples". Unfortunately, I'm currently head over heels for two sets of couples! Four wonderful names and I can only use two.It's not at all important that I choose, mind. Since I'm not having children for quite a while, by the time I do, I might not even like these names. But just for fun--out of morbid curiosity--answer me this: Out of these sets, which two names would you choose and why?Edmond (Eddy) OR Mercedes (Dee)?
Valerie (Vally) OR Ruth (Ruthie)?Why is the important part, don't forget it. ;) Thanks!ArrayETA: Changed the wording, which made no sense. ^^;;; Thanks for pointing it out, Lillian. :D

This message was edited 12/31/2006, 7:15 PM

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Valerie and Edmond. I think that although I do love Ruth, Valerie is just barely the winner (for today. LOL). Mercedes is alright but not something I would use, and I love Edmond. I think Valerie and Edmond sound wonderful as siblings, much better than Ruth and Mercedes, Ruth and Edmond, Valerie and Mercedes...
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The why is the same for both of my choices: I like this name better than the other one.Mercedes - I like the name Mercedes and I don't like the name Edmond especially with the nn Eddy. This choice was a bit like apples and oranges though since I'm not used to picking between names of opposite sex.Valerie - This was a tough one. I really don't like either name. I opted for Valerie since it has more nn options.I doubt that 98% of the population (heh, I originally typed "poopulation") would know these were couples, however I too apply the "no romantic couples" rule and applaud you for not ignoring the rule just because the couples aren't as obvious as Romeo and Juliet.
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I like Valerie and Ruth because both Edmond and Mercedes are NMS at all.
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Uh...It's Valerie or Ruth and Edmond or Mercedes. Because they're both couples, and that makes me a tad uncomfortable, choosing both Valerie and Ruth isn't really an option. ^^;;;Array
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Edmond simply because I really like it, and really don't care for Mercedes. Though I do personally prefer Edmund.As for Valerie and Ruth, well I suppose I'm a bit biased towards Ruth, haha. But I'm on the fence with Valerie, I don't like it, but have no good reason for that.
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I really like Edmond. Even though Mercedes is orginally part of myth, and I really like mythological names, I think of the car, and so will a lot of other people.Valerie is much nicer to me than Vally, Ruth, or Ruthie. Ruth seems kind of old-fashioned.
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Unless it would just bother you, I don't think most would "get" the connection (I didn't until I read Lillian's post, lol) so it wouldn't seem like a faux pas to the average person. :) That being said, I love Edmond (not Eddy, though) and Ruth (Ruthie as well), but I'm not overly crazy about Mercedes or (nor?) Valerie.
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I like Edmond, but I strongly dislike the NN Eddy, so I'm going with Mercedes NN Dee for the first.Of the second two, I'll take Valerie because Ruth is too Biblical for my tastes.
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I pick Edmond. Mercedes is a car, and is strange on a non-Hispanic person. Also, I hate Dee.Ruth, because Vally is hideous.
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"Hideous" is a bit strong, don't you think?You may not like it, but it has all the markings of a traditionally accepted NN. Val is often a NN for Valerie, and the -ee sound on the end is often used as a diminutive/endearing form. Sure, in sound it resembles a word, but so do Eve and Grace and Ally (alley) and a host of others. Can you really say that Ally / alley is better than Vally / valley?Edited to fix verb tense

This message was edited 12/31/2006, 7:38 PM

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Well...I've "known" Array for a long time, and know that she generally doesn't get offended at strong comments. If she told me she was offended, I would feel bad, apologize, and edit my post.Vally just reminds me of valleys, which remind me of valley girls (it probably doesn't help that I live in California). To be honest, I don't like Ally / Allie either, but I'm much more used to it than Vally since it's more common.And to be honest, I just don't think that Vally has a nice sound at all. On a person, it makes me think she'd be shallow and trashy, like a valley girl.
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Julia, Q for you.Do you know where the name of the car comes from? The man who created it named it after his daughter.Who was German. See here (she was a pretty girl): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%A9rc%C3%A9d%C3%A8s_JellinekI'm not sure why you think Mercedes would be strange on a non-Hispanic person, since it's not a name that's exclusive to Hispanic countries. As a person of German origin and a Catholic, I think it'd work fine on a daughter of mine. :)Array

This message was edited 12/31/2006, 7:34 PM

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Well, yes, I did know that...but it's still rather stuck on the name of the car on my view. And where I live, the car is associated with stupid jerks who have a higher income than IQ--they have vastly more money than brains. They feel like they can drive like total morons because they have an expensive, hot car and you don't. So there.As for the Hispanic association, it does mean "mercy" in Spanish, and is (almost) exclusively used on Hispanics. So I'd find it a little weird on someone who wasn't.But really, it's a pretty name, and (no offense meant) I'd MUCH rather see a Mercedes than a Morpheus. ;)
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I have to agree with Lilian, the connotations will be lost on most.
If I have to choose, I would go with Mercedes and Edmond... I adore the name Edmond, and Mercedes is very pretty as well. As you stated, though, you have pleanty of time! That's why I don't put combos in my signature- it could be fifteen years until I have children, and I'm sure my opinions by then will drastically change!
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Oh my God...can you make the choice between the first two any more difficult?! I like them both...can I write an arguement for both? :pI think I would choose Mercedes nn Dee. Dee is so spunky and Mercedes is extremey pretty with so many nn options should she not look like a Dee or if she wanted to ever go by something else. From what I have read of your posts, your Catholicism is important to you and is reflected in your naming, and Mercedes has the added Catholic bonus to it without it seeming overly pious. Its beautiful, spunky and unusual. Edmond on the other hand only has the one (albeit great) nn of Eddy. I can also only see Edmond on a certain type of person whereas Mercedes seems more versitile to me.Of the next two the choice is much easier for me. Hands down, Ruth. I love the nn Ruthie, it is a name that ages really well, it is timeless and classic, yet doesn't have the popularity of Sarah, Elizabeth or Katherine. It ages really well. Valerie will inevitably be Val which I really dislike (although I do like Vally). Val fits into the ugly old man names to me like Al, Cal, Bob, and Mal (okay Bob is random but it reminds me of Bob :p), which aren't the best association for me on a little girl.
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Wanting to be clear (+ edit)You said choose two names from "each of these sets." Each set only has two names! Unless we're including nn's?Without letting you answer (!), let me press ahead with my answers.I think both sets are perfectly usable on sibs. I don't think many people in the world, Array darlin, are going to recognize that Edmond and Mercedes match as a (famous? only to us? and V fans and other literary eggheads?) romantic couple, and I frankly think Eddy and Dee make a precious sibset. For the same reason, I highly doubt many people will recognize Valerie and Ruth as a romantic match - especially not straight people. It just doesn't occur to them/us (we are them, KWIM? ;p). Vally and Ruthie are also a perfect sisterly match. I just don't think you have anything to worry about, you V fanatic you, unless your children grow up attending annual V-cons right from the cradle.ETA: I'm such a dunce, I didn't say I'd go with Mercedes and Valerie. Sorry. ;p

This message was edited 12/31/2006, 7:37 PM

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