Thank you so much! That is how I said it in my mind in my generic British accent. Though I don’t think I said it with as much of a glottal stop.
I also like Slytherins, too… Plus they have pretty awesome names in general…
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I think of my friend’s name, Ecclasia!
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I’ve never seen [name_f]Bridget[/name_f] [name_m]Jones[/name_m]’ Diary so I didn’t make that association.
It does remind me of the word perpetual but I don’t think that’s necessarily negative?
I can see the other words but they weren’t my first thought.
I didn’t know about the connection to the saint until I looked it up, but I’m not Catholic so I can’t say whether that would be many people’s thought.
It sounds like it would be some lesser known [name_m]Roman[/name_m] goddess name to me.
It’s true that it is a bit Slytherin-y. I’m a Slytherin though so that doesn’t bother me. 
She may have to repeat her name for people to understand just because it’s so rare.
But with the nn [name_f]Petra[/name_f] to fall back on I don’t see it as a huge problem.
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I think of the words “perpetual” and “puppet,” but it doesn’t bother me. It seems like a nice name to me, and I don’t have any other associations. I think this could potentially lead to the nn [name_u]Pip[/name_u], which is always a plus in my book! 
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Here’s how I say all those words 
(per-PET-ual, per-PET-uate, PET-ulant, in perpe-TU-ity, per-PET-ua)
I hope I didn’t put you off with my Slytherin-y comment! It’s just one of those rare, refined, aristocratic, Latinate names that gives me definite [name_u]Harry[/name_u] [name_m]Potter[/name_m] vibes. It’s crisp and clean and a little austere to me.
I do love [name_f]Petra[/name_f] for short though – inspired! 
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My first association is [name_f]Perpetua[/name_f] the martyr. I remember reading her autobiographical accounts of her imprisonment in a Western Civ course at my community college a couple of years ago, and that was the first time I’d ever encountered the name before, so it’s stuck in my mind. She was a very strong woman of faith, apparently, and very brave, so it’s not a bad association by any means!
I like the name a lot, honestly. It’s really been growing on me the more I see you talk about it! The pronunciation seems pretty straightforward to me, so I don’t see that being too big of an issue. I say it just like @katinka, sans the British accent. 
Oh, and I love [name_f]Petra[/name_f]!
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I’m not sure if you see this @hyacinthbucket. Perhaps it’s my strange brain but I hear [name_u]True[/name_u] in [name_f]Perpetua[/name_f]? So I think [name_u]True[/name_u] could be a nickname? I think it is up there with [name_f]Prudence[/name_f]? So to me it sounds like a reserved name almost. I quite like it.
Other names which to me sound like a similar vibe are
Eugenia
Fairuza
Osma
Priscilla
Petunia
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I also relate that name to the word perpetual (and as a violinist myself, I also think of “Perpetual Motion” which is also a term that refers to a consistent fast rhythm). I had never heard of the name, much less have I met anyone with it! Here is my recording of your words and also the name [name_f]Petra[/name_f]!
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I love [name_f]Perpetua[/name_f]! It’s very unique but has a great sound. I associate it with [name_f]Constance[/name_f], maybe because of the words “perpetual” and “constant”. I imagine it pronounced as “per-PETCH-you-uh”. [name_f]Petra[/name_f] is also a lovely name! [name_f]Hope[/name_f] this helped. Best of luck!
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This is my first association - I think of Perpetua cheering on Bridget when she calls out Daniel Cleaver to be honest! In terms of Christianity, Perpetua and Felicity are martyrs and jointly are saints of mothers/expectant mothers, among other things, which I think is sort of a sweet connection. I’m not entirely familiar with Perpetua and Felicity’s story beyond the basics, but I thought that may be a good fact to mention?
I say Perpetua the way you do as well, but I agree, I don’t know how to explain how we say it lol.
I also think Petra and other mentioned nicknames (True, Pip, even Pippa) can help to disassociate from the negative feel it might give off. I agree though, it does sound like a Harry Potter name (certainly not a negative imo though!)
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as an American, I would say per-PET-u-a
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I say [name_f]Perpetua[/name_f] the same way you do, but maybe with a little less emphasis on the first syllable? I think you emphasize the second syllable enough for [name_f]Petra[/name_f] “PET-ra” to work as a nickname.
I don’t think of the word “perpetuate” when I hear this name. [name_f]My[/name_f] first thought is the saint. But to me, “perpetuate” connotates stubbornness, tradition and stoicism (Metal [name_m]Ox[/name_m]?) instead of something negative. I love [name_u]Konstantin[/name_u]/Constantine and the “constant” meaning for the same reason.
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As a Catholic, my first thought is the early Church martyr St. [name_f]Perpetua[/name_f]. She was an incredibly strong, brave, and kind woman, who stood up for what she believed to be true. She is the patron saint of mothers and expectant mothers as @leafsgirl44 said, which is a sweet connection. I don’t think that many people other than Catholics would likely think of the saint first when hearing this name. [name_f]Perpetua[/name_f] brings to mind qualities like perseverance, steadfastness, and fortitude.
I pronounce it the same way you did, as [name_m]Per[/name_m]-petch-u-ah
[name_u]Pip[/name_u] and [name_f]Pippa[/name_f] are both adorable potential nicknames!
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I think of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a comedic group.
I think of nuns in general and of [name_m]Monty[/name_m] Python though I don’t know why.
I also think of perps.
So I am not a big fan! (Not that I have anything against nuns)
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I don’t know much at all about the saint, but I would assume that the parents of a [name_f]Perpetua[/name_f] were hardcore Catholics.
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This is an interesting angle to explore. I might hazard a guess that the suggestions of a dark or solemn undercurrent primarily come from name’s similarity to the word ‘perpetrator’ and the abundance of short, sharp plosive sounds. It needn’t be a conscious association to have an effect on the way we receive the name.
I don’t personally have any prior associations to the name itself and haven’t heard it used anywhere. [name_f]Perpetua[/name_f] does come across a bit cold to me visually and aurally. It feels more word than name. I think the unfamiliarity of the name in combination with the strong lexical links makes the name seem intellectual and more impersonal. The syllabic stress makes little difference to me.
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Agreed. You can perpetuate values and ideals, too. And this is the exact reason [name_u]Constantine[/name_u] remains so high up my list.
Definitely good to mention. I have looked into both a bit, I love the connections between these names considering that my other biological child is a F3l1x.
These are qualities I’m aiming to capture in the name to some degree. 
If it had put me off it, we wouldn’t still be here with her on my shortlist. I agree I get slightly austere vibes but I’m a slightly austere person so I can see that working.
Sounds like an interesting course. I’m glad the name is growing on you.
Hmm, I hadn’t made the connection to my mind yet with perpetrate, perpetrator.
I think that taking into account everything everyone is saying here, my image of the name does capture some warmth, but a warmth that is hard to capture. I sort of see her like a single taper candle (again, could be greatly religious or spiritual in connotation, but doesn’t have to be) burning in a dark, drafty room. The name is rather bright and warm, but a tall spiky warmth with little room for movement or flexibility. She has both capacity for darkness and light in her. Unadorned and straightforward, yet also ancient, a tad fanciful, and stubborn in both the best and worst of ways. I still quite like her.
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I meant to mention this on your Babybucket post. I love [name_f]Perpetua[/name_f] and [name_f]Petra[/name_f] on paper, but aloud they sound… incomplete? Awkward? I pronounce [name_f]Perpetua[/name_f] like perpetual and perpetuate… “per-pe-CHOO-uh,” but it seems like it should be a soft t sound instead. Like [name_f]Imogen[/name_f], I’d like the name more if I ever felt confident saying it!
That being said, I still love the name and agree with @katinka that Perpetua nn Petra is inspired!
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Me too lol. I do like it but because of that association, it’s always kind of comical to me.
That and [name_f]Oona[/name_f]! “[name_m]Just[/name_m] stir it, [name_f]Oona[/name_f]!”
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