Hi ladies,
I need help with a name for our soon to be born daughter. Initially both my husband and I liked Helen and thought we settled on a name. Then I started leaning more towards Victoria. My dad's name is Victor and I am very close to him. Also, I had a lot of personal "victories" (work, graduate school, etc) while pregnant with her. My husband says he likes it (not as much as Helen though) and wouldn't mind it. The only thing is that one of my close friends has a 1.5 year old daughter Victoria (although they give her a bunch of nicknames and don't even call her Victoria), but no one of my friends has a daughter with a name Helen. I am originally not from the USA but a few people told me that Helen was more of an old woman's name here and it generally seems like more people like Victoria. What name do you like more? Also, we are not considering other names at this point. Thank you!
Thank you so much for you help, ladies. I think we will go with Helen Victoria like many of you suggested. That way we both like the same name and don't have to worry about the spelling and nicknames.
My daughter's name is Helene--named after my mom who's mother's name was Helen. Helen/Helene means "light" or "giver of light". I do not think it sounds old at all. It just is not used as much as it used to be.
What about Helena? (pronounced He-LAY-nah). One of my friends has an 8 year-old daughter named Helena. It's a beautiful name.
My daughter's name is Victoria and I call her Tori for short. She only hears Victoria at school and when she's in trouble. lol
Why not both - I agree, I like Helen Victoria
Victoria is an elegant, romantic name. Queen Victoria was a very strong leader.
Helen is a very sturdy capable name. Sounds like a nice old fashioned name. Helen of Troy was no one to trifle with.
My husband and I were very set on the first name for our daughter and thought we knew what her middle name would be. But the weekend before she was born, my husband had a new suggestion for that middle name.
We thought we had 3 weeks before she would be born, but right there in the labor room, we decided to look at her and decide which name fit her best. When we saw her little face we knew her name would include the new name. So The nurse placed her on my side and asked, "So what is her name?" Together we said the first name we were positive about and together said the new middle name.
When we said he name, she lifted her head and turned it towards us! We knew it was perfect.
If you don't know a lot of Victoria's, it is a "prettier" name I think. Helen is fine... You won't hear it much these days which is nice. Maybe a compromise is Helena? I happen to love that. Otherwise, given your dad's name is Victor, I'd go with Victoria. Ask your friend how she feels and explain but a 1.5 age difference should make it not a big issue. Not like it's a super unusual name your friend came up with on her own.
My grandmother was named Helene. I think it would be a wonderful name. I also understand the reasons why you like Victoria. What about using one of them as a middle name. Helen Victoria. You would have the uncommon name, and could honor your father and your achievements. I wouldn't worry about whether or not Helen is an "old" name. Yes, my grandmother was old, but we also had a student in one of the schools where I taught who was named Helen. She was definitely not old. I personally love older names.
To me, Helen is for cats and old ladies. I'm voting for Victoria.
Apparently others don't feel this way, so I'm going to amend my response to Helene or Helena.
Name her Helen Victoria. :-)
Why not Victoria Helen or Helen Victoria.
My girlfriend has a Victoria. She goes by Tori.
I don't think Helen is an old name. I think it's a pretty name. There aren't a lot of Helen's around because of the "new trend" for funky names - Neveah or Star or Success (yes, there's a girl in my son's school named Success) and a whole slew of other names.
I have a girlfriend who named her daughter Astrid and I think it's a BEAUTIFUL name and BEAUTIFUL little girl to go with the name.
Good luck!
My vote- Victoria. My daughter was going to be :Gabrielle Victoria' so I'm partial to that name. As far as your friends daughter having that name, I wouldn't see that as a problem. If it really bothers you, but you love the name, ask her. My best friend and I did that. I have 5 kids, 4 girls and a boy. She has three girls. Each one of our girls share a name. It wasn't intentional but we find it amusing now. Plus, the kids love that they have the same names!
My vote-Helen. Victoria is a beautiful name, however, too many nicknames to choose from, plus the spelling of the nicknames.... Both names are of the "older" names but everyone starts as a baby, maybe wait until she is born and see what name fits. Early congrats!
How about Helen Victoria <Last Name - two syllable last name would be a good balance if you have one>?
I have personal associations with both names. Helen is coming back into fashion (my whole life, I knew Helen as my great aunt who was a flapper in the 1920s and a wild child into her 90s. But now I know a 9 year old with that name). Victoria is also an older name to me (my sister, who hates all her nicknames) - I know only one child with that name, too.
Eta - hearing them together is jarring to my ear. Maybe just my associations - that would take some getting used to for me.
Lol!!!! I'm laughing at myself! Ruby was my flapper aunt!!! Helen was my very very strict Mormon preacher's wife aunt! Couldn't have gotten that more backwards if I tried!
Helen does sound a bit older to me, so I vote for Victoria. Both are great names though!
hands down Victoria. By a mile. What about Victoria Helen?
And no worries about what a friend named their child. We have a niece Brianna and another niece named Breanna on the same side of the family. Also 2 Rachaels in the family. It's flattering, not offensive!
I do like Victoria a lot more than Helen. Helen is a very old name but if you like it do it. Victoria is more common nowadays. Helen will be unique and unusual.
I like old-fashioned names, but really don't care for the name Helen.
Victoria is a beautiful name, and would be a beautiful way to honor your father. He'd be thrilled!
I don't prefer old sounding names, but they are making a comeback. And honestly, any name given to any child typically works (unless it's one you completely make up.
Victoria was on my list when I had my daughter 11 years ago, so I am partial to that, but why not both. Either way it could work.
The whole "nickname" argument can be valid for sure, but people will give you any nickname they want...so I never chose names based on that.
I wouldn't worry about Helen being an old name. Emma and Emily were old names too, but there are three of each in every elementary school classroom now. My son goes to school with a Helena.
I like Helen Victoria. I don't like Victoria for a first name because everyone will shorten it to Vicky or Tori.
Updated
I wouldn't worry about Helen being an old name. Emma and Emily were old names too, but there are three of each in every elementary school classroom now. My son goes to school with a Helena.
I like Helen Victoria. I don't like Victoria for a first name because everyone will shorten it to Vicky or Tori.
Me? I prefer Helen over Victoria by a mile!
Good luck!
Gamma G said it. Victoria has become common and Helen is unique. It is also a very strong name meaning light. :)
To me Victoria is a classic that has had a bit of a surge but not a huge one. I love that it as so many nickname options. Helen to me sounds old. I can't picture it on a kid...hope that makes sense.
My first thought was Helen because it was the name of my best friend's mother when I was in the first grade. But I don't really care for it on a young person...I really like Helena, Ellen or Ella though. Victoria is a strong name, I'm not crazy about it or its nickname's Vicky or Tori.
I'd go with Helena Victoria :) nickname could be Lena which is pretty
no contest - Victoria. Helen is too old fashioned and doesnt fit a young child of today not that it should matter but you could always go for Victoria Helen. Or to make Helen more modern ,maybe add a vowel on end like Helena but Victoria has lots of options to it. You will be saying this name more than you could imagine. Here in USA Helen is more associated with many generations ago. Look at meanings too we almost named our child a popular named that once we researched more meant broken nose- that was removed immediately. We also went with popular for one child and old school with another .
I happen to like them both. What we did when we couldn't deceide on our daughters name, Grace which also happens to be an old fashioned name, we put the names we liked in a hat and let our 2 year old at the time pick out the name. Her name fits her. Just remember it doesn't really matter what any of us or anyone else thinks. This is YOUR daughter and you two have the final choice. Maybe just wait until she is born and try out both names to see what fits her. Also just because a lot of people believe that Helen is a name for old women just remember they were children once too.
