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HelpRe: Adelaide Sue Mona
in reply to a message by PJR
Ada isn't a natural nickname for Adelaide IMHO because the initial A sound is different. Naming her Adelaide and calling her Ada is like giving her two different names, to me. Addie Mona is not nearly as smooth as Ada Mona, either.
Sue makes a cool middle name for a three-syllable first name. I sort of prefer a longer middle name for Ada Mona, though - Ada Susan Mona, sounds like someone famous.
- mirfak
Sue makes a cool middle name for a three-syllable first name. I sort of prefer a longer middle name for Ada Mona, though - Ada Susan Mona, sounds like someone famous.
- mirfak
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Replies
@mirfak
I felt the same way as you regarding Ada (with a long "a" sound) not seeming like a natural nickname choice for Adelaide. Then I was surprised to see that it is actually written as a pet name for Adelaide and Adele on many baby name sites and shows the long "a" sound. So I felt somewhat justified. Then I thought how Evelyn has nicknames of Eve and Eva. idk...still thinking!!!
Thanks for input! :))
I felt the same way as you regarding Ada (with a long "a" sound) not seeming like a natural nickname choice for Adelaide. Then I was surprised to see that it is actually written as a pet name for Adelaide and Adele on many baby name sites and shows the long "a" sound. So I felt somewhat justified. Then I thought how Evelyn has nicknames of Eve and Eva. idk...still thinking!!!
Thanks for input! :))
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"Ada" as a Nickname
I see your point about the differing "A" sounds at the beginning of Adelaide and Ada but, for me, the "-aide" sound of Adelaide is much more prominent, when the name is said aloud, than is the sound of the initial "A", thus leading very naturally to "Ada" as a nickname.
There is traditional precedent for nicknames coming from the ending sound(s) rather than beginning sound(s) of names; take Elizabeth with nicknames "Beth", "Bess", "Bette", "Betty", "Betsy" / "Betsey". How Margaret became "Peggy" and Sarah became Sally, I'll personally never get, but Adelaide "Ada" is no stretch for me. :)
I see your point about the differing "A" sounds at the beginning of Adelaide and Ada but, for me, the "-aide" sound of Adelaide is much more prominent, when the name is said aloud, than is the sound of the initial "A", thus leading very naturally to "Ada" as a nickname.
There is traditional precedent for nicknames coming from the ending sound(s) rather than beginning sound(s) of names; take Elizabeth with nicknames "Beth", "Bess", "Bette", "Betty", "Betsy" / "Betsey". How Margaret became "Peggy" and Sarah became Sally, I'll personally never get, but Adelaide "Ada" is no stretch for me. :)
This message was edited 4/15/2015, 1:15 PM
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I guess if, in your experience, people named Adelaide often get called Ada, then it would seem natural to you. I can only speak for myself. I'm not offering my opinion just to put down the idea. I'm offering it because presumably at least some people share it, and one might wish to know about that if one were naming a child. Maybe I'm in a tiny minority.
The trouble I have is that the origin of Ada from Adelaide has been sort of lost, and I think of Ada as an independent name not an affectionate nick, and the -a ending isn't the usual form of more-familiar variants or diminutives in English. I think Adelaide was originally AH-delaide and Ada was Ah-da, and both names seem to me like they would have come separately from another language. It doesn't seem likely to me that the AY in Ada derived from the AID part of Adelaide.
The nickname doesn't come associated with the name, like Bess from Elizabeth does. I feel Sally for Sarah is very artificial today, as well. Peggy has been tied to Margaret for so long that the naturalness of it has been lost, but if you know that Peggy "is" a nick for Margaret (as I do) it comes off more natural to you. I'd understand if someone said they thought Peggy for Margaret was artificial. I have never seen Ada as a "nickname" for Adelaide, so it's not natural to me. :-)
The trouble I have is that the origin of Ada from Adelaide has been sort of lost, and I think of Ada as an independent name not an affectionate nick, and the -a ending isn't the usual form of more-familiar variants or diminutives in English. I think Adelaide was originally AH-delaide and Ada was Ah-da, and both names seem to me like they would have come separately from another language. It doesn't seem likely to me that the AY in Ada derived from the AID part of Adelaide.
The nickname doesn't come associated with the name, like Bess from Elizabeth does. I feel Sally for Sarah is very artificial today, as well. Peggy has been tied to Margaret for so long that the naturalness of it has been lost, but if you know that Peggy "is" a nick for Margaret (as I do) it comes off more natural to you. I'd understand if someone said they thought Peggy for Margaret was artificial. I have never seen Ada as a "nickname" for Adelaide, so it's not natural to me. :-)
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I can't say I've ever known an Adelaide personally, much less heard of one called "Ada". I think your point is valid and I certainly didn't take your comment as an effort just to put down an idea. But "Ada" does actually sound natural to my ear, despite having no real-life example to offer and despite it being a well-known stand-alone name. Presumably, some other folks in the world might hear it/feel it as I do, too. Perhaps I ought to have addressed my comment directly to the OP. My apologies if you felt attacked; wasn't my intention. :)
This message was edited 4/15/2015, 2:19 PM
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Thanks, and sorry, I don't think it was you. I'm really irritable lately.
I think it's likely most people would agree with you that it works. I guess it only counts when there's actually a person named that way, though.
I think it's likely most people would agree with you that it works. I guess it only counts when there's actually a person named that way, though.
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@Tiggs
Great points! Helps to justify even more!!!
Thanks:)
Great points! Helps to justify even more!!!
Thanks:)
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