English Girl's Name: Portia

Log in / Sign Up

List of Forums + New Post Recipe Box Usergroups Following My Posts Bookmarks

Private Messages Advanced Search Rules New User Guide FAQ Advertise Contact Us

Forum -> Pregnancy & Childbirth -> Baby Names

Previous 1 2

View latest: 24h 48h 72h

Dina_B613

Wed, Aug 06 2014, 7:46 pm

I love this name!! It sounds so refined, and I think of Shakespeare Wink

Dolly- What do you mean "unacceptable for a Jewish woman?" Who made u the decisor? It's not Jezebel, Timnat, or Kristina.

Barbara

Wed, Aug 06 2014, 7:49 pm

Dolly Welsh wrote:

Perel

Among English speakers, Pearl.

On the schoolyard, Pookie (?)

(Portia won't do for a Jewish woman.)

And Pookie will?

Honestly, Dolly, where do you come up with this type of excrement?

I think its a lovely, if unusual, name.

Dolly Welsh

Wed, Aug 06 2014, 7:52 pm

OK, scratch Pookie.

As for the associations with the name, the whole thread is explaining that in a lot of detail from various angles. I am agreeing with them.

Dolly Welsh

Wed, Aug 06 2014, 8:00 pm

Pelia

Does that mean "miracle"? OK for Pesach, Pesha?

Dolly Welsh

Wed, Aug 06 2014, 8:12 pm

Pesha being "Pesach" you might go for the season, Aviva.

PinkFridge

Wed, Aug 06 2014, 9:15 pm

zaq wrote:

I don't like it. Portia did, after all, personify "moral Christianity" triumphing over the "evil Jew". Ick. (Sorry, the antisemitism cancels out any credit for feminism.)

Not to mention that it sounds like Porsche, which, being a German auto company, also has negative associations.

And on a totally different tack, in Noo Yawk City and vicinity she'd be called Pawsha, a cute name for a pet carrier shaped like a car, but not so much for a girl.

Mercedes is a feminine car name. German though, right....

Dina_B613

Wed, Aug 06 2014, 11:47 pm

Mercedes was just a name before it became a car name..

shiffycc

Thu, Aug 07 2014, 12:12 am

I have no opinion of the name...If you like it, of course you should name your child that. But I want to let you know that I had a friend who wanted to use the name until she found out that it means pig or pork in italian(I think). It's spelled differently, but she didn't think that was a good name for a Jewish girl. I'm not saying I know what I am talking about, just recommending that you do your research and make sure you are happy with all aspects of the name.

Ruchel

Thu, Aug 07 2014, 4:19 am

Pesha isn't Pessach. Pessach is a boy name.

Portia: http://www.behindthename.com/name/portia

invisiblecircus

Thu, Aug 07 2014, 7:07 am

shiffycc wrote:

I want to let you know that I had a friend who wanted to use the name until she found out that it means pig or pork in italian(I think).

The closest Italian word meaning pork is "porco" which neither looks nor sounds very similar.

In any case, I would not worry about what a name means in another Language unless you have some association with that Language or country or are likely to in the future.

Personally, I don't like the name Portia because it reminds me of the car and more, because I once taught a girl with that name who was, lets say, a difficult student and I would not be able to get past the association!

However, if you like the name, I would say go for it, it doesn't matter what other people think.

abbyatoms

Thu, Aug 07 2014, 9:38 am

Portia was my husband's grandmother's name. Hebrew name Perel. So there.

Scrabble123

Thu, Aug 07 2014, 9:59 am

There are many anti-Semites with a variety of names, including David.
That it may possibly come from the Latin word for pig is a larger concern, but is probably not asur.

PinkFridge

Thu, Aug 07 2014, 10:49 am

amother wrote:

Like the sound of the name. The attitude as it portrays as well, but so not like the "anti Semitic vibes people are getting " and the possible claim that it means pig. Relative was Pesha.

Did she have a legal name?

amother

Thu, Aug 07 2014, 11:49 am

PinkFridge wrote:

Did she have a legal name?

Paula

Ruchel

Fri, Aug 08 2014, 11:47 am

Portia's root is pork in latin afaik

Page 2 of 2

Previous 1 2