The name Persephone - problems?

[patternedcarpet]

For our first dd we are thinking of the name Persephone. I'm liking the nickname Seffy and dh likes it too.

I may be overthinking this, but I worry that the pronunciation won't be universally known and may cause embarrassment to those who don't.
There is also the problem that it will be seen as pretentious or poncy. I used to think this and wondered if this is still the case?

Ok, so what do you think?

[number2please]

i think people will know how to pronounce.

personally i think it is a bit posh sounding and not very 2010.

everyone has their own opinions though but personally do not think it is a pretty girls name like others out there.

[shonaspurtle]

I think it's pretty, and as someone whose name is by no stretch of the imagination spelled phonetically, I can assure you that people will not be embarrassed if they mispronounce it.

As long as you're fine with some people (although I think most people will be ok) not spelling/pronouncing it correctly, then go for it.

[SpawnChorus]

Well, it was our top choice if DC3 had been a girl (except we would have gone with Percy for short). I do suspect that it might be becoming one of those rather-more-commonplace-than-you'd-expect names. That said, it's a really lovely name, so if you're not bothered about it not being v unusual then go for it!

[piratecat]

god no, sorry, you did ask!!!

[dalek]

I love this name but unfortunately DH hates it so it didn't become DD's name although now that she is nearly 10 and loves greek mythology she wishes it WAS her her name. I say go for it - even if some people can't pronounce it to start with they'll soon learn.

My dd's name is quite unusual and at first my mum said she would never learn to say it properly - but of course she pronounces it perfectly now.

One of my friends named her daughter Imogen and she had the same with people telling her they couldn't pronounce it - and this was only 13 years ago

[shoobidoo]

I love Persephone! Seffy is a cute nickname.

I'm sure people will know how to pronounce it, especially after being told once (which they probably won't need).

[bigstripeytiger]

I think its a lovely name. You would only have had to have heard it once to know how to pronounce it.

[Bicnod]

I have loved this name since I was little and my dad read me Greek myths and legends. It is my fantasy DD name (no way DH would ever go for it).

Seffy is lovely as a nickname.

[vanloadtovenice]

I love it! And not really so different pronunciation wise to Hermione, which everyone 'gets' now.

If you don't go for it, you may regret it!

[imahappycamper]

I came across a class of children who had been told by their teacher that it was pronounced "Percyphone".(hmm)

[Strawbezza]

A girl I was at school with was called Persephone, most people called her Percy-phone. Afraid she was nicknamed Perce by the rest of us kids, not Seffy.

[LampostMadeMeBald]

the nn thing gets me every time - like the parents really think - they chose the nn.

crazy people

i don't like the name.

[thisxgirl]

It is a beautiful name with a sweet nickname but I do think you will encounter a few raised eyebrows and lots of misspellings/mispronunciations, even from surprising sources like teachers, as already mentioned. It depends on how much that would bother you.

[BrigitteBardot]

I like the name but I am put off by the fact that she was the queen of the underworld. So it has negative connotations for me.

[BlueBumedFly]

Oh goodness me no. Thought it was a boys name.

[RHL]

No one should mispronounce such a classic name. Just unfortunate connotations with the underworld!!!

[mejon]

One of DD's friends is called Persephone. She is know as Fifi.

[LadyCressida]

Love it, love it! At the mo if I have a girl I'm using it as a middle name though as I'm not quite brave enough to use it as a first name, for the same reason as you are worried, that I wouldn't want my daughter to be called Percy-Phone all the time. Like Vanloadtovenice says though, people do 'get' Hermione now. In Malorie Blackman's book Noughts and Crosses, the main character is called Sephy, but guess it's just not as popular as Harry Potter to ensure everyone has heard of it!

I love the nickname Sephy and I've also heard Pear used as a nickname which is cute.

[Kingsroadie]

Just wanted to resurrect this thread - OP I have recently called my first baby Persephone. So obv I love it. and I know some people won't, but we all have different tastes.

We call her Persephone mainly or Sephy. Yes, it is unusual and people will comment on it quite frequently but usually in a nice way. I have had lots of people tell me it is a very pretty name (having not heard of it before).

Yes, some people do call her Percy-phone - I correct them. They don't seem embarrased so I wouldn't worry about that. But these are always strangers - all the people we know have pronounced it correctly.

As has already been said, she was taken to the underworld. It was my favourite greek myth when I was a little girl. Persephone is the daughter of Zeus and Demeter (goddess of harvest). Hades fell in love with her and took her to the underworld. She was miserable and so was Demeter so she stopped tending the crops and let them all die (autumn/winter). Persephone was also upset and refused to eat but Hades persuaded her to eat 6 pomegranate seeds. Zeus ordered him to return her to thr surface as everyone was hungry due to no crops (spring and summer rsulted). However, as she had eaten in the underworld she had to return for 6 months of the year. So yes, she is queen of the underworld but also goddess of spring and summer.

God sorry what an essay! One further thing, not everyone will like your choice of name so would you really care if you thought they thought it was pretentious? I don't - but then I have named my daughter Persephone - sorry to resurrect and for the essay!

[blogpage]

Would the Percy-phone thing bother you?

[Rockbird]

Lovely name. People seem to manage Penelope ok, it's along the same sort of lines. Really, most adults should be able to manage it and if they don't a quick correction would do it.

[loobylu3]

I don't think it is the prettiest Greek name to be honest (I do love lots of Greek names). It is also a bit of a tragic story, although, I guess a lot of mythological stories are!

I also think she is v likely to end up being called 'Percy' which you probably wouldn't like.

[twosofar]

Love names from Greek mythology - Persephone is beautiful. I also love Antigone and Phaedra.
Couldn't care less if people think it's pretentious...maybe they should read more books and watch less Jeremy Kyle

[MarianneD]

I think Persephone is a beautiful name - I say go for it!

[usualsuspect]

You may think you can chose the nn but really you can't ...