What's in Greta's name?

Okay, so Andrea on Eventing-A-GoGo had a cool posting on what the meaning was behind her horses' names. GoGo' name was wicked. Totally James Bond-worthy ("The name's Fatale: GoGo Fatale." Duh-duh-daaaaah-dum!) So I thought I'm post some past and pondering about Greta's name. Afterall, this is her blog. Our blog. Oh, I don't know anymore!

Greta's registered name is Penelope. She is by Pehrsson (a Swedish Warmblood, who sounds like he was quite the shi-bang in his career) and out of Mite Oh Been (a QH mare, sounds more like the English-type QH based upon her pedigree). Her former owner called her a very honest name: Goose. Goose because Greta has a long neck. And she's white. And also, I'm sure, because she's quite an opinionated and goofy lady. It was a cute name.

Though I still despise both names. Goose? Cute, but poor Greta! Identity crisis! And Penelope? Makes me think of that movie with the girl who had a pig nose. And it just sounds like a pig's name to me anyway. Maybe because I had a friend who had a potbelly named Penelope. Regardless....

I wanted something that began with "G", for familiarity's sake, and something more appealing to me. Greta is not a name I would have normally picked: when I first heard she was a mare, my initial names were classy ones like Elizabeth, Mary, Jane, Georgiana (I still like that one, "Greta Georgiana"). But that doesn't mean that I didn't like it. It was cute and girly. But not fahncy.

Upon meeting Greta though, those classy names I had in mind just didn't seem to fit. I now also had to urge to play upon her Swedish ancestry (yah, yah) and still find a names that began with "G". My grandmother suggested "Greta", but I was a bit unsure. Went home, did some research, and bam!

According to several sites, "Greta" is a shortened version of the other Swedish name "Margareta" which is derived from the name "Margaret," derived the from the Latin word margarita, supposedly from the Greek margarites meaning "pearl", likely ultimately a borrowing from Sanskrit (margriti?) Complicated, but perfect! Greta's white, like a pearl, and she is my wittle jewel! Plus, it's a pretty cute name. Greta it was!

So Greta is a definite, there's no changing that. But I've always liked to play around with show names (I have some pretty good ones, I think, if anyone needs ideas) so I've always considered some show names for Greta, if I didn't do just "Greta".

• Greta Georgiana
• Amalthea (since she reminds me of the unicorn from The Last Unicorn, one of my favorite movies and books)
• Eidlewiess (pretty German name)
  
• Elizabeth Bennet (from another one of my favorite books and movies, Pride and Prejudice)
• Trésor ("treasure" in French, also the name of a nice-smelling perfume)
• Yvaine (from Stardust, one of my other favorite movies... I think it's a book too)

Any particular favorites you see in that list? Any others you can think of? Anything related that doesn't have to do with Greta? (your horses are important too!)

Thanks to everyone for the comments. Do y'all find it annoying when I respond to everything? I just feel this obligation to do so.

And the top two pictures are from Saturday, when we moved Greta. I love the one of her dragging me around the place!! She hasn't done it since, which is good.