Teddy for a girl?

[AyeWhySWIM]

Quick question - which girls' names could shorten to Teddy? I think I like it. May be mad.

[MrsLettuce]

Teddy is from Edward. Edwina.

[Buttercup27]

Robbie williams named his little girl Theodore and shortened it to teddy.

[CheerfulYank]

Theodora?

Otherwise Theresa or Thea maybe, at a stretch. Frederica?

[Buttercup27]

Oops bloody auto correct it was supposed to say theodora!

[Hakluyt]

Only call a girl Teddy if you're prepared to call a boy Sophie.

[CheerfulYank]

Why?

[DitzyDonkey]

I think Teddy would be lovely on a girl. I think Lily Allen has a half sister called Teddy Rose and of course Robbie Williams has a Teddy!

[Sophronia]

Theodora
Theodosia
Theokleia
Theophania
Theophila
Thekla / Thecla
Theda
Theresa
Edwina
Eduarda
Edelmira
Edana
Ederne
Edina
Edita
Edmee
Ednah

[TheWorldAccordingToJC]

I have a teddy boy - and he's teddy on his birth certificate.

I'm not sure for a girl however ...

[Gingerjv]

I do not think i like Teddy for a gril, but it's only my opinion;-) I think only about Theodora if you want to call your daughter Teddy

[LocalVelvet]

There is a girl called Teddy on American "tween" programme, Good Luck, Charlie. I instantly thought of that cos of hours of watching don't know if you mind that....just thought you might not know, if no dcs of right age.

[ShirleyYoureNotSerious]

I don't like shortened names so I wouldn't call her Edwina or anything of the kind and then shorten it to Teddy, I'd just go for Teddy outright.

My grandfather's nickname (not shortened, but pet name), was Ted. I may be a bit biased but I love Teddy, particularly the concept of it being for a girl.

There are male and female Robins, male and female Viviens, so why not Teddy for a girl?

[florascotia]

Why not - because for the past 100 years and more, Teddy has been associated with one (male) person and the stuffed toys named after him. Even if you do go ahead and name a girl 'Teddy', it would probably be useful to know the story. You'll probably get comments about it!
www.theodoreroosevelt.org/site/c.elKSIdOWIiJ8H/b.8684621/k.6632/Real_Teddy_Bear_Story.htm

[florascotia]

PS I like Theodora. Gives you the option of Thea, Dora and Teddy as nicknames, but is nice-sounding and dignified as well.

[Hakluyt]

Would somebody explain to me why it's OK to give girl's boys names but not the other way round?

[florascotia]

Hakluyt - must say I share your feelings. Have said on other spreads that it seems like an insult to girls.... ie ordinary female names signal something secondary and inferior.

[DanaBarrett]

How lovely to have a female Teddy! Wish I'd thought of it :). I think the implication is that giving a boy a female name makes him 'more feminine' and so less of a man, whereas giving a girl a male name makes her unusual, or empowered.

[OrangeMochaFrappucino]

There is a French name for girls which sounds like Tedony, I haven't seen it written so not sure of spelling but it's lovely.

[florascotia]

Absolutely no offence intended, but, Dana, that's what worries me. Women should be/feel empowered in their own right, not because they are named after a man. There are so many fantastic past and present women to think about. Why not use their names?

[myotherusernameisbetter]

Hakluyt - must say I share your feelings. Have said on other spreads that it seems like an insult to girls.... ie ordinary female names signal something secondary and inferior.

See, I look at this a totally different way but still agree with the outcome. I think it's sad that more and more traditionally male names are being used for girls - it is marginalising boys and giving less and less that they can claim for themselves - there are millions of beautiful/strong/pretty etc. etc. girls names out there, much more options than there are for boys and rightly or wrongly, boys just can't do the reverse.

it's similar to the whole "girls can join Scouts but boys can't join Girl guides" scenario for me. It seems that equality is having girls being able to do & have everything and boys are being pushed to the side. As a mother of sons, I am probably very biased, but there you go.

[squoosh]

'It seems that equality is having girls being able to do & have everything and boys are being pushed to the side.'

Don't worry, I've just looked out the window and can confirm that it's still very much a male world.

[myotherusernameisbetter]

Don't worry, I've just looked out the window and can confirm that it's still very much a male world.

I really don't see that at all - maybe I am lucky.

OH and I were talking about that today actually, we both find it strange that some women measure success by how much like men they are...it's very sad. People are just people as far as I am concerned.

[AyeWhySWIM]

I haven't had a chance to get back here till now and didn't expect it to have been such a controversial question!! I'm well aware of the history of the name Teddy as in Teddy bears but just thought I liked it as a boyish girl's name along the lines of Frankie (which I don't actually like, incidentally!). Though it seems more soft and feminine.

The Robbie Williams link has been enough to well and truly put me off though. And the Sophie remark was just a bit random. Not the same at all. Like suggesting David or Simon for a girl!

[AyeWhySWIM]

I haven't had a chance to get back here till now and didn't expect it to have been such a controversial question!! I'm well aware of the history of the name Teddy as in Teddy bears but just thought I liked it as a boyish girl's name along the lines of Frankie (which I don't actually like, incidentally!). Though it seems more soft and feminine.

The Robbie Williams link has been enough to well and truly put me off though. And the Sophie remark was just a bit random. Not the same at all. Like suggesting David or Simon for a girl!

[Hakluyt]

"it's similar to the whole "girls can join Scouts but boys can't join Girl guides" scenario for me. It seems that equality is having girls being able to do & have everything and boys are being pushed to the side. As a mother of sons, I am probably very biased, but there you go."

Start a thread about that and I'll tell you why. There is a perfectly good, non sexist explanation, but I don't want to hijack the thread.