[name]How[/name] important is flow to you between the first and middle names? I think it’s an added bonus if they sound good together, but if the middle name has family meaning/history, I think it’s okay if they don’t work as well… I guess? I keep telling myself that first and middle names aren’t used together all that often, unless the intention is to use them that way.
The reason I ask is that we’re pretty sure we want to use [name]Giovanna[/name] for the middle name (family meaning). However, most of my favorite first names are also 2-3 syllables ending in -a.
Top two are [name]Eliza[/name] and [name]Tessa[/name]. [name]Eliza[/name] [name]Giovanna[/name] and [name]Tessa[/name] [name]Giovanna[/name]. Doesn’t sound great.
Other favorites are [name]Lucy[/name], which would probably sound the best, but it’s probably my least favorite ([name]Lucy[/name] [name]Giovanna[/name]) and [name]Clara[/name] (not that great, plus [name]Clara[/name] sounds very singsong-y with our last name, K***er).
[name]Just[/name] wondering how you all feel about this!
I wouldn’t have “bad flow” just with two names I like, but I think I would if the reason to honor family, or meaning, like you said. I agree. But, on the other hand, the names you mentioned don’t actually sound too bad with [name]Giovanna[/name]. I think it will be fine, beautiful names!
another thing I just thought of…if [name]Giovanna[/name] is so important to you, why not use it as the first name? It’s actually my favorite of the names you mentioned (but [name]Tessa[/name] is a close second)
Personally, though [name]Lucy[/name] doesn’t have the clashy -a ending, [name]Tessa[/name] has a much better feel with [name]Giovanna[/name]. I think [name]Lucy[/name] and [name]Giovanna[/name] clash style wise instead of flow wise, and I’d vote style is more important than flow. I also think [name]Tessa[/name] [name]Giovanna[/name] sounds fine as long as the last name doesn’t end in a.
Good question. I think 9 out of 10 people would mispronounce it (we’re going for the Italian pronunciation which is more like three syllables: [name]Jo[/name]-VAHN-nuh), and I grew up with a name that was always mispronounced, so I kind of want to avoid that for her. Also, as much as I like it, I’m not sure I want something so heavily Italian in the first name spot, although DD will be half Italian.
very good point, and now that you mention it, [name]Giovanni[/name] has been thrown around in my head for a boy, which in my family is pronounced [name]Jo[/name]-vanni. I have to say, I saw [name]Giovanna[/name] and immediately thought 4 syllables, even though I only pronounce [name]Giovanni[/name] with 3 and it is almost the same name…
I hear you! [name]Even[/name] growing up Italian, I still said it with four syllables until I actually studied Italian for a year in school. My grandfather was [name]Giovanni[/name] but Americanized it as [name]Johnny[/name]. [name]Giovanni[/name] was our plan for the boy middle name until we found out it’s a girl.
It doesn’t sound bad with four syllables, it just sounds wrong to me ever since learning the “right” way.
[name]Tessa[/name] [name]Giovanna[/name] sounds good to me
I think people forget that names are heard way more than they are seen. I went to school with a Hispanic boy named “jo-vanni”; it wasn’t until the end of the school year when yearbooks were handed out that I learned his name was spelled [name]Giovanni[/name]. It’s more likely that [name]Giovanna[/name] would be misspelled than mispronounced
If it sounds horrible, then no way. But those names have a good flow. The flow is mostly a different amount of syllables in all names ([name]Alice[/name] [name]Rose[/name] Matulla not [name]Alice[/name] [name]Ava[/name] [name]Rosa[/name]) and if it still doesn’t sound right but i love both names, I’ll still consider it.
I agree with this. However, I think [name]Lucy[/name] [name]Giovanna[/name] is adorable and it’s a shame it’s your least favourite.
[name]Tessa[/name] [name]Giovanna[/name] sounds awkward to me, as does [name]Eliza[/name] [name]Giovanna[/name]. If the [name]Giovanna[/name] had a four syllable pronunciation those combo’s wouldn’t sound too bad or as singsongy as they do.
When I started reading your post I was bracing for a terrible combo, but I actually really like [name]Eliza[/name] [name]Giovanna[/name]. (I thought 4-syllables, but I almost like it MORE w/ 3)
It sounds more Italian/exotic/rhythmic … if that makes sense?
[name]Lucy[/name] is losing its appeal to me mostly because of its huge increase in popularity, and the fact that I’ve seen it on lists of names predicted to continue rising dramatically. I hear you that the other combos seem awkward, but I think [name]Giovanna[/name] is important enough to me to overlook it…
Yeah, I’ve heard worse in terms of flow, but I kind of know what you mean with the exotic sound. Very different from my son [name]James[/name] [name]Joseph[/name], but I think my concern is more with the first/last name flow (which is fine with my top favorites) than first/middle at this point.
The flow isn’t so bad in the names you listed. I think [name]Tessa[/name] has the nicest style/flow blend. I don’t think [name]Lucy[/name] flows particularly well with it. I’m all for family mns, so I agree with you: if the name is special that is much more important than flow. An entire name will virtually never be said together. Good luck!