Agnes

I don’t associate it with being old fashioned although that might be because I associate it with Agnes from Despicable Me.

I have never liked the name Agnes. I find it to be old-fashioned, harsh, and boring. There is nothing feminine or soft about it, and it doesn’t flow well. The nicknames Aggie and Nessie are hideous as well. One positive thing about Agnes is that it’s internationally well known, easy to spell and pronounce.

Hideous old lady name.

Fell in love with this name after watching Despicable Me, there’s something so endearing about a little girl with a ‘clunky old lady name’.

My great Gran's name, I really like this name.

I don't love this name, but I do really like it. I think it should make a comeback.

This is my cat's name. It sounds like an old lady name and it's ugly lol.

I get why people think this is a 'grandma name'. Maybe it's because of the 'ag' sound. Once, someone said my name sounded like an old lady's name. I'm proud of Agnes, though. I think it's a timeless, classic, unique name that is much more than just a generic old name.

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And in school, I've been taking French, so we had to take a French name on the list. Agnes was on there and I chose my own name. I still think Agnès is great, although the pronunciation sounds a little like 'onions.'

I like this name. It's so elegant, classic, beautiful and a lovely name. ❤❤.

I respect this name because it belongs to a saint, but have never liked the sound of it. The first time it called my attention was in the novel Agnes, by Anne Brontë. With all due respect to St. Agnes, I'd prefer to name a daughter Agatha, Barbara, Lucy, Felicity, or Cecilia instead, but I wouldn't mind if the father decided to choose Agnes.

I like the name fine, but I honestly can't picture a baby with this name.

I want to like this name because it's different but it just doesn't sound pretty enough.

My favorite name at the moment! You could say that I'm a huge Agnes fan. I love that it has so much history, and the fact that you never really hear it anymore. Also, old women were children once too. It sounds like it's a little rude to say that. Also, Despicable Me is a wonderful association, and part of my childhood. I think the name Agnes is intriguing. It has sort of a mysterious dark side, all while sounding sweet, happy, and kind. Agnes is not for everyone, this comment section made that clear. You guys can take your Emma, Mia, Isla, and every other very popular name (which I don't mind at all. Popularity doesn't matter to me, but still. All are exceptionally beautiful names either way). Me, I like being unique. Agnes is perfect for me.

Such a noble, gorgeous name. Absolutely love it. It's such a cute middle or first name for a girl, kinda has 40s vibes, but it's such a soft name... meaning lamb? Adorable. And the association with the saint is a pretty cool bonus, but also it sounds different than a lot of other girls names.

Ah, one of those old lady "ugly" names that I absolutely love. I'll take it with a side of Mabel, Gladys, and Doris. I think all these names are lovely.

A refined and stately name that would be worn just as well by a woman of 25 as by a little girl. When people say a name is an old lady name, it means the name is not in over-use. It is irrelevant that a name had a hayday in another era, since a name doesn’t make a person look or seem old... it’s entirely irrelevant.

Rare in these days. Has a lot class! Agnes is a beautiful name and can't even compare with some trendy ridiculous names. I like Agnes! Good name!

It sounds like a name for a girl with blonde curls and blue eyes, definitely not an old lady name.

Pretty, but my only complaint is that it seems to not be suitable for old ladies.

Pretty.

Agnes has grown on me, and I love it as a first name. It sounds vintage and stately to me. However, I don't like the nicknames.

Funny how everyone associates it with old ladies. Maybe this name is a little “vintage” now because it was popular in the 1800s, but I never associated it with an old woman. Quite the opposite! I associate it with St. Agnes, who was twelve or thirteen when she was martyred. This name has always sounded cutesy and young to me, for that reason. I quite like it, and a future daughter of mine will definitely bear this name.

Sounds painfully old fashioned, I can’t imagine anyone under the age of 90 with this name.

I like it. But all I can think of is Agnes Crumplebottum, from the Sims (I like the Sims).

Hello my name is Agnes! I’m highly offended by some of the comments on here. I used to not like my name that much, but now I’m really proud of it. I was named after my aunt and many people in my family have this name. Y’all need to stop being so damn rude and saying “Yuck,Yuck,Yuck”. Anyways, what I do appreciate is the people that said Aggie is a cute nickname because that is my nickname.

My name is Elizabeth Agnes, and I think it is a very refined and elegant name for any age.

It's alright as a first name, but I think I'd prefer this as a middle name. Also, this would be nice on a cat, lol.

I don’t really understand the yucky or “Old lady” association. I’ve always associated this name with St. Agnes, who was young and pretty and is depicted with a pure lamb at her side.
Anyways, I love this name. It has a nice meaning and to me, a nice association. Definitely a name I’m keeping in mind for a future child.

That name deserves a proper resurgence.

Contrary to a previous comment that made a statement on the harshness of this name’s sound. I must confess that I would politely beg to differ. The name Agnes, at least from my perspective, is a lovely, phonetically pleasing name
that adds an image of gentility to the respective bearer of this timeless classic. Agnes would definitely debut
“perfectly” for an infant and stretch forth all the way till the ripe old age of an individual’s latter years.
If you are searching for a classic that commences with an ‘A’ and combine that with a good dose of history, then this name may be the select prize for you and your delightful progeny.

I’m in the minority, but I don’t like this name. Too harsh!

Agnes is such a pretty name. My favourite nickname is Aggie. I don't really like Nessie, but it's not terrible and might grow on me. If I ever have a daughter, I would definitely name her Agnes, either for her first or middle name. Here are some good Agnes combinations:
· Agnes Matilda
· Agnes Elizabeth
· Elizabeth Agnes
· Lily Agnes
· Agnes Lily
· Agnes Olivia
· Olivia Agnes
· Mary Agnes
· Agnes Pearl.

Agnes is a pretty name.

Loving this name lately. It sounds so gentle and beautiful and would be adorable on a baby. Agnese and Agnessa are still very nice names.

I do prefer the name of the saint's sister, Emerentiana of Agnese/Agnessa. But Agnes is also pretty. Aggie is ugly though.

I like Agnes so much. It's just so classy and elegant. And yes, old fashioned, but in the case of this name I see it as an advantage. It's definitely not a wonder to me that people in Sweden like it so much. Maybe because I'm not from an English-speaking country and I don't know any old ladies called Agnes, I see this name as fitting a woman absolutely any age. It's really nice for a little girl too. Nicknames Aggie and Nessie are cute. I strongly associate this name with a singer and composer Agnes Obel and with Agnes Grey from Anne Bronte's novel and Agnes Conway from Wingless Bird by Catherine Cookson.

I actually love this name, even the English pronunciation. I prefer it to my actual name (even when I told my mom and she said "But you already have an old lady's name!")

Agnes is an extremely pretty girl's name. Not too common anymore, and I do not understand why! Some people are biased... but I think it has a great sound. Goes great as a middle name and with other personal names. For example, "Mary Agnes, Cecilia Agnes, and Rose Agnes", etc...

I have had the honor of being named Agnes by my father, who wanted uniqueness in the names of his daughters and giving us girls the same middle name. (uniqueness and unity)

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Who knew that this name would be a blessing to me! Wherever I travel across the globe, the name helps me make connections.
For example, in Spain, Latin America and France... I am Ines, In Italy... Agnese. I am traveling to Wales, I wonder what my name will bring up? Makes me feel cosmopolitan when I hear my name in different accents.

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It is not glamorous, dramatic or popular. It is not for everyone, yet if you embrace uniqueness... this is the one to pass on.

Nessie is the name of the Lochness Monster, so ya, that nickname is out of the question. But otherwise it's a cute name.

I like this name! I find it a noble and unique female name.

I don't really like this name, but I suppose its French pronunciation is okay. I'm just not a fan of the "ag" sound.

Ugly. And sounds like an old woman's name.

What's with the "yuck yuck yuck" nonsense? It's OK to say that you hate it, but "yuck yuck yuck"? Not good. Anyway, I dislike this name.

I think this name is really pretty. I'd use it.
It reminds me of the character Miss Marple for some reason (character's first name Jane). She was clever and stylish. I think this name is ready to be resurrected from old lady to cute, cool, clever little girl.

I love this cute, vintage name! And it is not popular like Alice and Charlotte.

We called our daughter Agnes. We wanted a name that's distinctive yet familiar & a name that works internationally and isn't too hard to spell. Yes, it was a bit of a leap of faith as it did grate slightly on the ear to begin with. But it works & people love it. It's a strong name & the shortened versions (Ags, Aggy, Taggy) are all fab.

I think it's a sweet, underused name which deserves a revival. Not a "yuck" name as others have mentioned. It's a strong name that is charming on a little girl and lasts a lifetime.

Yuck Yuck Yuck Yuck.

My Grandma is called Agnes, so I tend to think it rather old fashioned. However she has always been known as Nan, which is a Scottish nickname for Agnes.

I really like this name for a little girl. My husband vetoed it, and said it sounds like "haggis", the big meanie.

My name is Agnes and I love it. I usually get comments about it whether it's "That's a nice name" or "You don't hear that name very often".

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So I love my name and wouldn't change it. :)

I think this is a strong, amazing name for girl to have. :)

I think this is such a beautiful name: clunky cool. The nickname Aggie is my favourite, but Nessie is very sweet too. I certainly think it can work wonderfully nowadays, especially after that spunky little Agnes on Despicable Me.

Perfect name for a Catholic nun, due to the meaning, history, and the harshness of the way it sounds. I can't think of a better name to suit a nun.

The name Agnes was given to 121 baby girls born in the US in 2012 :)

I like the name Agnes! I wouldn't name my daughter it, but I think it would be cute to see a little girl with it. It also reminds me of the little girl from despicable me, which is probably why I like it :) also, the French pronunciation is very pretty, they say it ahn-YES.

I love the name Agnes, it's so vintage and pretty! I think a lot of people would be pleasantly surprised to meet a little girl named Agnes. Aggie and Nessie are cute nicknames :)

When I think of Agnes, I think of a sweet, lovable girl who always smiles.

No, it's too grandma-ish. It belongs in the year 1920 and it should stay there. I try to put the stress on the second syllable, but that doesn't make it any better. Nessie is almost cute as a nickname, but it's not enough to redeem the name.

I really think this is gorgeous. Old fashioned, yes, but very pretty.

I think that the French pronunciation "ah-NYEZ" is prettier; the English pronunciation is so harsh. "ah-NYAY" would also work.

I love this name! It's very pretty and graceful. And I agree with few of you: it IS time for some old-fashioned names to make a comeback. This is the name of a character in a story I've written, which is set in the late 1500s. :P

This name has got to make you think "grandma" name without a doubt. I think it also has a hint of "nun" to it, meaning it's also a perfect name for a nun. The meaning of the name just adds to the idea. I do not like the sound of it either, it's unpleasing.

OK, People. Let's cool it with the yuckies. I know there has to be more originality on this website. :p Anyway, this name is cute and rare at this time in history. I think it's one of those names that most people just skip past because it is so dated, but I would personally take advantage of that if I were in a position to be bestowing a name upon a child. And aren't older names coming back into style? Agnes has history, style, grace, poise, and beauty. Need I say more?

Personally, I like it. It sounds like an angel.

I always used to hate this name because I thought it sounded like an old lady's name, but I must admit that ever since I saw the movie Despicable Me with the adorable little girl named Agnes, the name has been growing on me. I wouldn't mind using it on a little girl.

I don't have a problem with how it sounds. Agnes actually sounds a bit pretty to me. And I could care less about it being "old-fashioned"- it's classic, not dated. It's just that the religious background is too strong for me.

Apparently, Nessa can be a nickname for Agnes.

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I like it. I like its classic-ness. Not sure how usable it'd be in real life, but I do definitely like it for a character in a story.

Agnes sounds ugly and masculine. The nickname "Aggie" is cute, but it's just not enough to save this name. I guess if I met a lovely girl called Agnes I'd like the name more but I've only saw one girl called Agnes and she was really nutty.

I really like this name and always have. I have to admit though that it does seem rather old fashioned to me. While I would have disregarded it for this reason several years ago, I think I will embrace it all the more for the same reason now. Many "old fashioned" names are coming back and I believe this one surely will too. I think the "g" sound is just fine in it. There are many beautiful names with this g sound (Gabrielle, Guinevere, Gretchen, etc.) I wouldn't hesitate to use this name!

I think Agnes is a nice unusual name. I don't understand all this nonsense about 'YUCK YUCK YUCK'. It can sound a bit hard if it is pronounced with too much emphasis on the 'ag'.

A sweet name that is sure to soon rise in popularity in English speaking countries.

Yuck!

"Yuck yuck yuck!"? How immature can you people get? It's a name. You can say you hate it (and hate is a strong word), or that it sounds disgusting, but is it necessary to type yuck three times in all caps?
Anyways, I like the pronunciation "ANN-yay", but otherwise no, just no.

Depending on the pronunciation used, Agnes comes off to me as a name that can be pretty or "ugly" so easily. The English pronunciation sounds a bit old-fashioned, but the Swedish one delivers a refreshing name that stands out just enough from the sea of girls with soap opera princess names.

Wow. Lots of negative comments about this name. O.O

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It's never really sounded that "old lady"-ish to me because I've almost always associated it with the young Saint Agnes. I still like the way it sounds, anyway. XD

I hate to offend anyone who likes this name, but Agnes, whoever said yuck yuck yuck (in my opinion) is right. It sounds like an old lady's name.

My maternal grandmother's name was Agnes, though she generally went by Nessie. Nobody seems to be able to stand this name, but pronounced and used properly, it is actually quite pretty.

This name is ugly in English. It sounds pretty in other langugaes. In Swedish, for instance, this name is pronounced as ''ahng-nes'', with the 'a' pronounced like it's pronounced in 'ah', and with the 'ng' sound insyead of just the 'g'. I wouldn't use such a religious name, but it's not a bad name, except in English. It would be better if it was pronounced a bit more like in non-English spekaing countries. You might check out The Mystery Jets' song Alas! Agnes from 2005 and listen to how it's pronounced in it. That would be much nicer.

Agnes, although not contemporary, is a sweet, pretty, yet understated name. It's easy to pronounce (unlike all those Niamhs and Aoifes), it doesn't have many English variants to be misspelled (Cameron/Kamryn, Reese/Reece/Rhys), it isn't overused (you'll have three Emilys and Madisons in a kindergarten class), yet it has a beautiful meaning (either "chaste" or "lamb") and has a regal grace without being too "aristocratic" (like Alessandra or Ariana).

I don't like this name. This name is better for grandmas (no offense).

I feel like I should like this name, but I really hate the hard "g" sound. The nicknames are cute, though. Especially Nessie.

I don't like this name, I hate the pronunciation. I like the the nicknames, Aggie and Nessie are cute.

Agnes was my paternal grandmother's name. The story she always told was that her parents wanted to name her Bridget. Her father said that was a good Irish name (they were Irish). But the woman who was to be her godmother insisted on Agnes. She said, "If you name that baby Bridget I'll drop her down on the altar rail and walk out of the church." So Agnes it was. I always thought, "Man, Grandma, you got the raw end of that deal" as I had always considered Agnes an extremely ugly name. But then I was not aware of the French pronunciation which indeed makes this name very pretty. Nessie, though, just makes me think of the Loch Ness monster as that is a nickname for it.

Although I'd never personally use this name, I've really come to appreciate Agnes after reading the story behind it.

I love this name. It's uncommon and strong and refined, and it would be terribly refreshing to see it on a little girl, instead of so many Taylors and Madisons and Ashleys.

This is one of the ugliest names I've ever heard. I feel sorry for anyone who's named this. Yuk yuk yuk is right.

My grandmother's name was Agnes and she hated it so much she had it changed to Nancy. And she was born in 1912 so it would say it has never been a particularly pretty name, even back then.

I'm an Agnes, so I'm quite sad to hear that some people don't like it. I've always been the only Agnes but a lot of Swedish girls are being named it now. Mixed feelings. I think Agnes is a lot prettier in Swedish, we say "ang-ness"

In my opinion, the name is not "yuck, yuck, yuck". I think it's actually sort of pretty, and the nicknames Nessie and Aggie are cute.

Agnes is a character in Charles Dickens' classic "David Copperfield." I associate the name with her character and love it. It's in my top 20. It's also the name of my father's aunt who died at 14. I love this name so much, it's so pretty.

I like all of the other pronunciations, other than the English one, as they said, it is YUCK YUCK YUCK!

I think it is a beautiful, stylish name. I like both the English and Polish form of this name. In Polish Agnes is Agnieszka pronounced like agh nyeh shkah. It has beautiful nicknames.

For a character, I could see it with the nickname Aggie. But I would never use it as a name for a real person.

Agnes is a gorgeous name, I absolutely adore it. I have a soft spot for Ag- names. Aggie is an adorable nickname, as is Nessie. ♥

I think Agnes (a darling name in itself) would sound indescribably refreshing on a young girl. =D I'm also quite fond of Nessie as a nickname. ♥

I don't like the way it rolls off my tongue, but I think Nessie is such a cute nickname.

Nessie is a cute nickname for this.

It turns me off.

Agnes is my maternal grandmother's name, and I am considering it for my daughter. If not for her first name, it will certainly be one of her middle names. I love the nickname Aggie, which my grandmother always used, and Nessie is nice also. I think Agnes is a beautiful, strong name.

Very old fashioned. And that's all I'm saying.

Yuck yuck YUCK!

I agree with yuck yuck yuck.