Hortense

Even after much study of French, I had no idea that this name was supposed to have a French pronunciation. It's actually a nice name with the French pronunciation that I learned only moments ago via this site. But I guess my point is that people with this name don't only have the majority of English speakers who will butcher the name in a most unpleasant way, creating a vulgar sound in English, but this name is just not common enough for even some Francophiles to know that this name is prettier than it looks. That's unfortunate. Pronounced the French way, it manages to sound gentle and sophisticated at the same time. It will take some moxy for parents who don't live in France to want to use it, though.

Rare name which never was popular and even while it sounds unusual and looks interesting, I think, Hortense is great name, has some history and elegance!

I'm not a fan. I'd say that Hortensia is nicer but even then it sounds too stuck up.

In French it sounds better, but since I live in the United States, I still wouldn't use it because of the first syllable in English.

Literally one of THE WORST names in existence. So hideous that I wouldn't even give this name to a warthog.

Yuck. Absolutely disgusting name.

Hey everybody, I'm a 19 year old girl who is named Hortense. A lot of people made fun of my name like a lot of people on here. Does it hurt me,? No! Not one bit. Know why? Because I don't need you to tell me who I am if you only know my name and not my story.

The comments are mostly from English speakers here. I love the sound of the name when pronounced in the correct French way! I enjoy words and their soundings - I was just sitting here and the word Hortense came in to my head for some reason:) Then I thought, I think the French would say `Ortonsse`. It is a beautiful language!

My name is Hortense and I'm from France. I moved to Canada a few years ago and I always had a hard time communicating my name to people. I didn't and I still don't know the better way to pronounce it and it frustrates me to see people not understanding it. It's actually an okay name when you say it in a French pronunciation but it's pretty rare. It means 'gardener' in English and is the other name for the flower hydrangea (which is in my opinion a grand mother's flower but-). It's hard to carry a rare name because you feel different but sometimes being different is a good thing too. I hope you'll come to appreciate my name.

The French pronunciation is quite nice.

Whore tense. Enough said.

Even if the pronunciation of this name is pretty, the spelling just kills it. I think a good alternative is Ortannes.

The only reason I sort of like this name is because of the Guardians of Ga'hoole character.

I think "or-tawns" sounds like a Tolkien monster. Or Hortense is, well, quite difficult to like.

I don't care how this name is pronounced. I think it's just plain ugly!

I'm probably one of the few people who likes this name. I think it's beautiful pronounced "or-TAWNS." To me, it brings the image of a strong woman.

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In the children's book series "Guardians of Ga'Hoole," a spotted owl's name is Hortense. She becomes a hero, and many owlets from the region she was born in are named after her (including some males), even though she hated her name.

The name is beautiful if pronounced the correct way, or-TAWNS, not HOR TENSE.

Hortense sounds like a name of a troll who lives under a bridge in some fantasy land or something you'd name a cow. It's pretty horrible.

Awful, heinous, ugly. I'm sorry - it is!

This is a horrid name. Who would EVER impose such a name on a child?