Name Help is a series at Appellation Mountain. Every Saturday, one reader’s name questions will be discussed.
We’re relying on thoughtful comments from the community to help expectant parents narrow down their name decisions. Thank you in advance for sharing your insight!
Becca writes:
My husband and I have always loved the name Josie for a girl. Now that we’re having one, we need a little more help.
We don’t like Josephine but I do like Joseline , pronounced Jo-se-leen. However, I know people would say it like Jocelyn so we may just go with Josie. Do you think the mispronunciation is worth the longer name to use if she wishes?
Our other dilemma is a middle name. We both love Josie Rocket. A rocket is the symbol of the record label that brought us together.
Personally, I am a little worried about people’s responses, even though I like it. I do like word names, though, and have considered:
- Josie Liberi, from my home state’s motto– “Montani Semper Liberi,” “Mountaineers are always Free”
- Josie Coyote, also meaningful to me but the same problem as Rocket.
- If we choose a more traditional middle name, I’d like to honor my grandma, Elaine. I’ve thought of Josie Elise or Josie Elle.
Any suggestions?
Please read on for my reply, and leave your thoughtful suggestions in the comments.
Hi Becca –
Congratulations on your daughter! It can be tough when you almost-kinda-sorta have the perfect name chosen, but you’re not quite there.
It sounds like there are two questions. First, to use a formal name for Josie, or to just go with Josie on your daughter’s birth certificate.
Let’s have a quick poll, because I tend to favor formal names – but I don’t think it’s necessary in this case:
As for the question of which formal name. I expected there to be tons of options, but when I really mulled it over, there aren’t as many as I expected. Josephe seems confusing. Joanna and Jolene take away the ‘s’ sound and making Josie feel like a stretch. Josette is kind of fabulous, but I’m not sure it’s quite your style. Josefina and Joselina are a little bit frillier than the other names on your list.
I think that leaves Joseline, which I have no trouble spelling and pronouncing – though I expect you’ll run into the occasional headache.
While I tend to favor formal names, I think this might be one of those moments when it’s best to skip it. You love Josie – and agree on Josie. It sounds like that’s not the case with any of the formal versions of the name.
So despite my usual bias towards formal names, I’d vote for just Josie.
Now, on to the really rich part of this post – to use a bold middle name, or to play it safe?
Let’s take a look at your options. I’ll add a few of my ideas into the mix, too:
Josie Elise, Josie Elle, or something other form of Elaine – All good options, any of which would make a solid name for a daughter. And yet, my sense is that you would prefer to choose a bolder middle name. There are plenty of good reasons to do this, and with a familiar first name like Josie, I think you’re free to be really bold.
Josie Laine – Before we get to the bold, here’s one that’s sort of in between. Drop the ‘E’ from Elaine, and you have the sleek, modern, but not too out there Laine. Safe, but not quite conventional.
Josie Liberty – If you like the idea of honoring your home state but hesitate to use the Latin, the English form has some history as a girl’s given name. Josie Free or Josie Freedom are options, too, but they’re almost as out there as Liberi while moving farther from the original inspiration, so I don’t know that there’s any point in choosing one of those over Liberi – unless you love the sound.
Josie Coyote – Now, let’s look at the bold choices! I don’t love singsongy sound of Josie Coyote. When I say it, the ‘o’ sounds make it feel more like a name for a fictional character than a real girl. I wouldn’t say this rules it out – if Zooey Deschanel can have Elsie Otter, you could have Josie Coyote. But I don’t think it’s the best option on the list.
Josie Liberi – I really love this one. I think the rhythm works beautifully. It’s a nod to your heritage, but it’s not as obvious as passing down your name. I suppose you could also name her Josie West, or find another name that refers to your home. But Josie Liberi is just plain genius.
Josie Rocket – And yet, I’m inclined to encourage you to use Josie Rocket. It has to do with the story of how you met, then it’s even better. And many of the ideas that Pharrell expressed about the name Rocket – how it relates to achievement – make the name feel more like a modern virtue choice than anything else. Yes, it’s a cool name. But it also sounds like a name that feels right to you – and that, more than anything, is what matters.
Readers, do you agree that Josie Rocket is the go-to name for their family? Or would you suggest something different – another middle, or maybe another formal name for Josephine?
I don’t know the middle names of most of my coworkers or of most of my kids’ friends. If they use Rocket, Josie could just use R. or tell people it’s a family name if she doesn’t like it. I could even see her preferring Rocket in her teen years.
I like Josie and Joseline. I’d also suggest Josefa. Rocket is great.
Josie is a cute name for a girl, but I’m thinking of all the adult women I know and there are quite a few of them that I just can’t picture with a name like Josie. A relative of mine is ‘just Jenny’ and I think she would have preferred to be a Jennifer, even if she were always known as Jenny to her family. My sister is very glad to be Catherine rather than Cathy because Cathy is now a dated-sounding nickname whereas Catherine is more of a timeless classic. I’m not categorically against the use of nicknames as given names, but Josie is one that is just TOO fun, spunky and cute for my taste, and I think some women would find it really doesn’t suit them.
Josiane is an option that I don’t think has been mentioned, and I think Josie could work as a nickname for Jocelyn. If you do choose to go with Josie as a first name, I’d suggest choosing something a little less whimsical than Rocket as a middle name so that if your daughter hates Josie she has other, non-cute options available.
Yeah, my mother has a formal first name only because the priest told her father that the cute, trendy nickname name they wanted to give her was “not a Catholic name,” and they still went with a cute short nickname middle name. The nickname + middle name SCREAMS 1950s.
Her family still called her exclusively by the cute nickname but as soon as she was an adult she switched to the full version and a different, less cutesy nickname for it, and has said that she’s so thankful for that priest intervening, so that as an adult professional she isn’t stuck constantly explaining that her name really is legally just a dated, childish nickname that was trending 60 years ago.
Debbie Sue?
Your comment got me to wondering if the “surprising middle” name will also have a shelf life and date those who have one as being born in the late 20-teens?
Haha BINGO!
She does not like Debbie at all, less still with Sue attached, and she has gone by Deborah professionally and Deb with friends since she was old enough to make her own call. Her mom is the only one who still uses Debbie.
I also have a male relative who *is* legally a Ricky, and he’s gone by Rick ever since he was an adult.
Adorable nicknames for kids don’t always wear well in to adulthood.
😉
Your dilemma feels quite close to what I’ve been pondering over my already-named younger daughter’s name.
Does Josie stand alone well? I vote yes. People are doing it. I know 2 Josephines who are always called Josie and one ‘just’ Josie. I think that Josie can be stripped down to Jo to sound more serious if necessary.
And a question I keep asking myself (and I’d love to see Abby cover!) is why can’t a Josie introduce herself as Josephine in certain situations? Or even use it on a resume? If an on-paper Josephine can go by Josie her whole life without explaining how she got to it, why can’t the opposite happen? I had a conversation at the park with a father of an Eli the other day. He said he can always say he’s Elijah whenever it suits him. There are so many names where I love the ‘nickname’ but not the formal name, so why put a name you don’t like on the birth certificate?
But I get wondering if you’re doing your child a disservice. I’ve scoured the Internet looking for people with given nicknames who have spoken about whether they like it or not. And my husband’s old coworker just happened to have the same nicknamey name as my daughter, so we asked her her opinion and she said she has never wished for a formal version and she calls herself a ‘true ___’ as in your Josie would be a TRUE Josie among the Josephines. Interesting concept.
We also gave our daughter an unconventional yet more conservative than Rocket middle name and that is what I’m regretting more. I want her to have options and she will never go by her middle. It’s more complicated than this with our particular dilemma but I think I want her to have a middle she can fall back on, even though she’ll grow up in a works of Poppys and Ellies, and even though she can tell people a formal version of her name when she darn well pleases.
Josie Rocket is adorable. I love the meaning. But as someone mentioned above, I’m not sure I’d want to wear it everyday and that’s a test I use myself.
You make a really good point here. If my name were Elizabeth, but my nickname is Liz so permanently that I introduce myself as Liz, my business cards and name plate on my desk say Liz, etc…. then why can’t a Josie decide that her nickname is Josephine, and begin using it in the same way Liz does?
Could you do Josieleen or Josielene ? A more deliberate spelling of the name you like? There are Darleen’s and Darlene’s. Or even josielena? Then she can be Lena If she likes too. I feel like the second of those three reads most clearly the pronounciation you liked (Josielene) it also looks quite feminine.
As for Rocket I say go for it (although I am a big lover of Liberty but that’s only because I associate it with Liberty London). I think middle names can mean something special to you and it’s such a beautiful strong noun with a lovely association. I know brothers named Rok and Kit and I personally feel Rocket is less ‘out there’ than Rok 🙂 I always regret not giving my first child the middle name Behr – and he thinks it would have been pretty cool!
I definitely suggest going with Josie as the stand alone name. My name is Abby, and I have never once wished to be Abigail. People worry that it will be a pain to explain, but it isn’t. “Nice to meet you Abby. Is it short for Abigail?” “Nope, just Abby.” And then the conversation moves on.
I’m with the majority here who thinks Josie Rocket is wonderful! All these worries about resumes and wedding invitations? First of all, maybe she will love her middle name and proudly display it on her documents. And if she doesn’t, why can’t she just be Josie R. Thompson on her resume? I don’t know why Rocket would get any more snickers than a kid with family names like Eugene in the middle name spot
If you are looking at longer names for Josie, there’s also:
Joselle
Joscelind
Another idea to get to Josie is to use a ‘Jo’ name as a first name and a ‘See’ name as a middle. Example: Jolene Semper. (This would Incorporate part of your Montana motto, too. Love that Semper means ‘always’. It kind of reminds me of True.)
My gut feeling is that if a person has a sensational middle name, a more traditional first name would be a boon to them. Now having typed that, I realized that my own girls have VERY nontraditional first and middle names… *laughing* so what do I know?! (They love their names, too.)
Let me ask this: if Josie Rocket is THE name, what would you name her siblings? Valor Hawk? Ellie Brio? Monty Cosmos? Sally Vesper? What is the long-term vision? If you read that list and think, “YEAH! That really works for us!”… you’ve found your name! If you read it and think, ” Wellllll, maybe NOT,” you two have some decisions to make.
Either way, best wishes to you all! Very happy for your family!
Excellent advice, The Mrs.!
Good advice but I think “Sic Semper Tyrranis” rules out Semper
My two cents for what they are worth…my parents thought they were naming me an uncommon name when they named me Emily after a 1940’s song. Growing up I had Emily’s everwhere and I loved it. As an adult, I moved to a different state and I don’t really find that many Emily’s any more. My parents gave my brother an uncommon but known first name with a classic middle in case he ever wanted to go by his middle. My brother however loved being one of just a few with his name. My parents were lucky that our names worked for each of us, but you really can’t know how your child will feel. I think your best test is something Abby has mentioned in the past which is to ask yourself if you wouldn’t mind having that name yourself. If your answer to Josie Rocket is “YES!”, then go for it. If it’s not, then maybe reconsider your selection.
I think Joseline Rocket is great and you can call her Josie Rocket but she can fall back on Joseline as an adult if she feels like she needs it.
My parents named me a nickname name and I really would have much preferred a formal name that would have “grown up” with me.
I love Josie Rocket! And Joseline seems intuitive to me if you do want a formal name. As you can see from the comments and your own ambivalence, you know the name is daring and what its potential downsides might be. But rather than letting those downsides be a worry, I’d ask yourself what the downsides are of NOT USING the name you love or even of softening it for merely “potential” consequences. We can’t predict what resumes conservative businesses and Harvard Law will look at in 20 years-my hope is that they’ll look at something more than her name. But you can know every day that you wanted Rocket and didn’t do it and that would be sad.
Not to mention she can put R on her resume 🙂
And leave her middle name off her formal wedding invitation and ceremony if she ends up having either….