Ok Berries. I want to talk about [name_f]Ida[/name_f] as a potential girl name.
Now, we are currently pregnant with a boy that we are 99% sure we’re naming [name_m]Viggo[/name_m] [name_m]Edmund[/name_m], but my husband and I have gone back and forth about the name [name_f]Ida[/name_f] for years.
To start off, it is one of my husband’s favorite names. He thinks it’s so cool and vintage. He would pronounce it Eye-dah. Like most American’s would, I imagine.
It’s a family name for me. One of my Norwegian Great-Grandmothers name’s was [name_f]Ida[/name_f]. She, however, would have pronounced it EE-dah. Which I think I actually prefer.
If we ever used it, we would likely go with the EYE-dah pronunciation because is the only way I’ve ever heard it said in the US and I wouldn’t want to make my child’s life TOO unnecessarily difficult. At the same time, can I really I’m honoring my Scandi heritage and my great-grandmother if we don’t pronounce it EE-dah?
Give me all your thoughts please! Not just on the pronunciation, but on the name itself as well!
I am always surprised that it isn’t used more given that [name_f]Ava[/name_f], [name_f]Ada[/name_f], and [name_f]Isla[/name_f] are all very fashionable, and old lady names are super in. Why do you think that is? [name_f]Do[/name_f] you know any little Idas? I think [name_f]Ida[/name_f] is definitely ready for a revival, but tell me what you think!
I love [name_f]Ida[/name_f] with both pronouncing, maybe Eye-duh slightly more, possibly as I’m more familiar with it. It’s sweet, vintage but feels wearable and fresh!
In regards to the pronunciation, do you like the american pn? If you do, i think it’s a good way to honour her heritage while also having her own spin on the name
I totally agree that it feels vintage but still fresh! While I think I prefer the EE-duh pronunciation, I do still like the Eye-duh one! Thank you for you thoughts! Maybe we will use it someday!
[name_f]Ida[/name_f] is a beautiful underrated name, and [name_m]Viggo[/name_m] and [name_f]Ida[/name_f] would be a wonderful sibset!
In regards to pronunciation, I would go with the one that you prefer. Because there are 2 distinct ways to say it, it will be mispronounced some of the time no matter which one you chose. Friends and family will always get it right and that’s the main thing. I say this as someone who has a name with 2 distinct pronunciations and the way I say my name is not the common pronunciation where I live. Its really not an issue for me.
I adore [name_f]Ida[/name_f]! I had a great aunt named [name_f]Idalia[/name_f] [name_f]Mabel[/name_f] (swoon) who went by [name_f]Ida[/name_f] or Mabe. I think because it sounds similar to some popular names it fits perfectly, wouldn’t be questioned but still has a distractive edge as its not actually a popular name! Next to [name_m]Viggo[/name_m] it’s lovely too(congrats btw!).
I think using the name [name_f]Ida[/name_f] is fine to honour your family, it is the same name however maybe just pronounced differently. To use the most common pronunciation for your area would be easiest in the long run. However, you always have to go with what you love!
I do find [name_f]Ida[/name_f] (EYE-duh) to be extremely dated, and I just cannot imagine it on a young person though I assume this to be because I’ve only ever seen/heard EYE-duh on elderly women myself. That said, when pronounced EE-duh, while still vintage, [name_f]Ida[/name_f] actually feels quite fresh and I can definitely see it working on a child/young adult. I think this is because it’s not the common pronunciation that I’m used to, and perhaps too, because it’s more akin to the currently popular [name_f]Evie[/name_f]/ending-in-ee type names.
I definitely prefer the EE-duh pronunciation myself, though I think EYE-duh would work very well for you too. [name_m]Boaz[/name_m], ([name_m]Viggo[/name_m]) & [name_f]Ida[/name_f] sound great together as siblings, regardless of [name_f]Ida[/name_f]'s pronunciation. I also think that EYE-duh still honours your ancestor, as it’s the same spelling, just blended with your current/her own English-speaking heritage.
Honestly, I don’t think it would take too much for you/her to correct pronunciation of her name if you do decide on EE-duh (just a quick correction and most would then have it down), but if the idea of that does bother you, then EYE-duh would work just fine.
The only [name_f]Ida[/name_f]'s I know are 50+, so it’s not a name that rings young and modern to me. However, if you go for it, your daughter will own it and make it young!
If you’d like to use the pronunciation to honor your great-grandmother, my opinion is go for it. To anyone who really will know your daughter, they’ll get how to pronounce it once you tell them the first time, and it will be a non-issue. Many people have pharmacists, dentists, clerks, and telemarketers pronouncing their names wrong, and need to correct them - or don’t - since most of the time it doesn’t really matter what one person calls you once.
That being said, either pronunciation sounds like it could work for you, and even if you don’t use the one that honors the heritage, the name and spirit are there.
I like [name_f]Ida[/name_f], I think it’s vintage and sweet - ready for a comeback! I actually never know if it’s EYE-DA or EE-DA when I see it written somewhere, so I think it will be pronounced wrong either way! I wouldn’t go with what’s more popular, just which one you prefer. I do prefer EYE-DA (probably because I like [name_f]Isla[/name_f]) but EE-DA is pretty too.
[name_f]Ida[/name_f] is fun! For some reason it’s not really a name that I ever think about. I think that maybe it’s a tad clunkier than [name_f]Ava[/name_f], [name_f]Ada[/name_f], [name_f]Isla[/name_f] etc. And that’s why it’s not as common. But of course that’s a good thing. It does have a cool vintage almost flapper girl vibe. But also sounds really smart. I don’t know any little Idas; just one in her 30s. I would say it eye-duh. I think that it still honors your great grandmother just the same. Ee-duh is pretty, but would definitely get mispronounced. And that would just be a pain. [name_f]Ida[/name_f] & [name_m]Boaz[/name_m] or [name_f]Ida[/name_f], [name_m]Viggo[/name_m] & [name_m]Boaz[/name_m] are awesome together.
I [name_u]LOVE[/name_u] [name_f]Ida[/name_f], beautiful, vintage, short and sweet. Really wanted to use it, but my partner doesn’t like it and said it sounds like “I’d a…”, and the current popularity of [name_f]Isla[/name_f] put me off as I thought they were too similar.
Still think it’s stunning, and have heard of one baby [name_f]Ida[/name_f] in another online Mum group.
I think eye-duh pronunciation could absolutely still honour your family - it’s the same name, just pronounced English/American way.
If I saw [name_f]Ida[/name_f], I’d be inclined to pronounce it EE-duh. I’ve never heard the EYE-duh pronunciation.
It’s not something I’d use myself, but I think it’s a nice name. Makes me think of [name_f]Ida[/name_f] Rubenstein, who was a famous 20th century ballerina. There is a beautiful portrait of her by [name_m]Valentin[/name_m] Serov.
We’ve just had a baby boy and our family is almost certainly complete, but our girls name this time around was probably (maybe! I’m indecisive, ha) [name_f]Ida[/name_f].
I think it’s still definitely an honour name even if it’s pronounced a different way - and I agree it’s usually sensible to go with the dominant pronunciation where you live to save you and your child constantly explaining. Our baby boy is [name_m]Nathaniel[/name_m] and it’s tied in to my husband’s great-great-grandfather but his would have been the Hebrew spelling which is slightly different - I think it still counts for sure!
I love that [name_f]Ida[/name_f] has so much history but is easy to spell and pronounce and underused compared to [name_f]Ava[/name_f], [name_f]Ivy[/name_f], [name_f]Amy[/name_f] etc. It’s a great name!
I quite like [name_f]Ida[/name_f], however I’ve never met anyone young or old with this name. I understand your pronunciation dilemma - it’s a hard question. In this case, I feel like I’m leaning towards EYE-dah because that is the most familiar pronunciation to me (Australian), and also how most people would say it, as you’ve pointed out. I do thoroughly understand you wanting to pronounce it the other way though given the sentimental feelings and connection to your heritage. I don’t see either as wrong or right though.
For me, [name_f]Ida[/name_f] is one of those old-lady names–like [name_f]Ethel[/name_f], [name_f]Thelma[/name_f], [name_f]Edna[/name_f], [name_f]Mabel[/name_f], and [name_f]Gertrude[/name_f]–that should stay in the past. it’s probably a generational thing. Time and distance have most-likely softened these names for younger people. But I am of an age where many of my friend’s mother’s and grandmother’s had these names (my best friend’s grandmother was [name_f]Ida[/name_f]) and to me they just sound so harsh and unpretty.
I love [name_m]Viggo[/name_m] and [name_f]Ida[/name_f] together too! Thank you for your perspective on the pronunciation. My sister has a name that is not phonetic in [name_u]America[/name_u] (or many countries, lol!) and I should ask her thoughts on it as well.
I like [name_f]Ida[/name_f] and I also have wondered why it’s not used more with all the [name_f]Ada[/name_f], [name_f]Isla[/name_f] etc around. I do prefer [name_f]Ida[/name_f] to those. I think the Eye-da pronunciation is the best way to go in the US. I think I prefer the Scandinavian pronunciation though. Possibly best only used in Europe. I like the medieval name [name_f]Eda[/name_f] (related to [name_f]Edith[/name_f] and [name_m]Edel[/name_m]) which is a way to get the other pronunciation in the US. I think either pronunciation, and the other alternative [name_f]Eda[/name_f], all make a fine reference to your relative.
This reminds me of the very southern (USA) little girl who was excited about having a new baby brother. But… her mother mentioned, what if it’s a sister?
The 3 year old was so shocked she put her little hand on her cheek and exclaimed…“Well I declare!” Except being VERY southern, this came out as I-duh-clay-ah.
Her mother burst out laughing and said… OK, if it’s a girl we’ll just call her [name_f]Ida[/name_f] [name_f]Claire[/name_f]!
Still makes me laugh!
