I'd love the names Hermione and Adele... but..

[jojocastles]

Because of Harry Potter and the singer I'd be worried they'd be too associated

Are there any names you feel that about? How do you feel about those names?

Would you name your child a name even if it had a strong association like that?

[ksheja]

I think the association of Hermione to Harry Potter is much stronger than that of Adele to the singer - because while neither name is common, Hermione is more unusual. Adele/Adela has a very long history and I have other associations with the name, and would definitely use it. I do think the singer is bringing it to people's attention and that it's getting more popular. I don't like the name Hermione, but I might use it if it were my favorite name.

Also, note that even before the singer Adele, Ad- names were getting more popular - Adelyn, Addison, Adeline, Adelaide, Ada - so Adele fits in with all of those. There are no other names like Hermione - so the association with Harry Potter is even stronger.

I would tend not to name a child a name that belongs to a celebrity or famous character if it were so unusual that everyone would make that connection.

[catloverd]

I don't associate Adele with the singer, but I defiantly associate Hermione with Harry Potter. Hermione stands out because it's an unusual name and it happens to also be the name of a very popular character in a very popular book/movie.

My favorite name is Luna, but I don't really worry about it being associated with Luna from Harry Potter since Luna wasn't a huge character and the name is becoming more common.

[diana_m]

I, too, love Hermione but I definitely associate it with Harry Potter. With Adele, I don't immediately associate the name with the singer. You could separate the name from the singer even more by spelling it Adelle, if you're open to changing the spelling. You could even nn her Ellie to create a distinction.

Along those lines, if you really want to use Hermione as a first name, maybe she could be called by a nickname like Minnie.

If you love a name enough, you should find a way to use it. With Hermione, I might consider it as a middle name, rather than a first name.

My "guilty pleasure" name is Priscilla. My DH and family's immediate association is Priscilla Presley (big Elvis fans), so I don't think I'd use it as a first name b/c I don't like that association. However, I would consider it as a middle name.

[sari]

Honestly, I agree with other posters.

Ad- names are becoming quite popular, so
An Adele won't stand out as much or be associated
with anything as much as a Hermione.

However, Hermione will be associated with Harry
Potter. Hermione is actually one of my favorite
names for that precise reason. There are worse
people and characters for future children to be
associated with.

And, with both Adele & Hermione, there are
several nicknames that can be used if you
want to really get rid of any associations.

(ie. Adele- Addy, Dell, Elly; Hermione- Minnie, Ione, Mia, Maya)

[jeska]

I'll be the voice of dissent - I couldn't care less about the HP or singer associations. Both these names were around long before the current pop culture phenomenons, and they're perfectly valid and lovely names.

I'd go for either of them, myself.

[agirlinred]

There are much worse associations than Hermione Granger and Adele. Both are lovely names and I think you should use them if you love them. I can see Adele rocketing up the charts over the next few years.

[catloverd]

I just wanted to add that if the association bothers you to the extent that you'd slap someone when they say "like after Harry Potter" or "like the singer" then I wouldn't use either.

The associations aren't bad, but if it upsets you to that extent then I would avoid it because most people will do that if you name your kid Hermione because the name stands out, maybe not for Adele.

To me Hermione wouldn't be the end of the world because I love Harry Potter, but I can NEVER use Bella because I would slap anyone who said "like in Twilight" because I hate that book!

It really depends how comfortable you are with the associations.....

[nicole_1024]

I love the name Shiloh for a boy, but now everyone thinks of Brangelina, and now they think it's only a girl's name.

[catloverd]

I love the name Shiloh for a boy, but now everyone thinks of Brangelina, and now they think it's only a girl's name.

I think of the movie, Shiloh, but the dog was a girl in that movie too... so I always saw it as girl because of that... my cousin also named her female hound Shiloh after the movie.