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Josephine vs Josephina
I recently mentioned to my parents that I like the name Josephine. They think it sounds like an old lady, especially with SO's last name. I still really like it, but I was wondering if Josephina sounds a bit more youthful? I like it equally as much.
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Meh, old-lady-shmold-lady! Josephine is delightful. I want to like Josephina, but it seems to be trying a little too hard. Josephine is a favourite of mine and all her nicknames make her feel pretty youthful to me: Jo, Jos, Josie, Phi ("fee"), Phine ("feen"), Phinie, Seph, Sephie, Eph, Ephie, "Jeen", "Jeenie". Heck, even Jeph or Jephie!

This message was edited 4/30/2014, 11:28 AM

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I don't think Josephine is old lady. I don't think Josephina sounds any more youthful. I like Josephina more, but then I'm not a big fan of Josephine to begin with. I think the extra syllable improves it.
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Josephina is inconveniently long and looks unconvincing. Josefina looks better but would have pronunciation issues. I much prefer the lively Josephine.
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Josephina does not sound more youthful. Josephina might even sound older than Josephine.
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Josephina sounds like too much. It also sounds kind of cranky to me - like it'd really carry if screamed. I heartily prefer Josephine, which I really like.
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Josephina doesn't sound any more youthful than Josephine does. Josephine does have a sense of oldness to it but definitely not old lady. I really like it. Josephina gets a bit too frilly.
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I prefer Josephine. I think it just sounds nicer than Josephina.
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The only Josephine I know is 7, so it isn't old lady to me. She's called Josie. I want to say Josephina like Josefina.
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Josephine sounds more youthful to me. Probably because I associate Josephina with two of my great grandmothers who were both named Josefina and born in 1877 and 1880, while Josephine is quite common for people my age here (Sweden).
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I actually think Josephina sounds older. Not sure why.
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Although I definitely don't think Josephine is overwhelmingly evocative of an old lady (though I don't think that's a negative quality), I prefer Josephina.
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