Hello! My husband and I are not expecting yet but we’re working on it and so, like many hopeful parents, we are all abuzz with baby name ideas. I am having real trouble landing on any baby girl names that I like because of those darn baby name rules. I know they exist for a good reason, but the one that is really throwing a wrench in the works is the rule that you should not choose a name that sounds like the last name. For example, [name]Mary[/name] Beady or [name]Casper[/name] Hamner. Our last name is Mirasolo. When you say it, there is just a natural pause that occurs between the [name]Mira[/name] and the Solo. [name]Mira[/name]-solo. Unfortunately, it makes me feel that not only are names that end in that “oh” sound off limits, but also names that end in that “uh” sound. Names like [name]Sara[/name] and [name]Serena[/name] (two of my favorites).
Am I overreacting or should I continue to steer clear of those a-ending names regardless of how much I love them?
No, I don’t think you need to avoid all names ending in /a/. It depends on the specific name, so I think you should just decide on a name-by-name basis. [name]Sara[/name] Mirasolo isn’t bad, but the repeating ‘ra’ plus /s/ sounds are a little distracting. [name]Serena[/name] Mirasolo does not have the best flow either. I think an easy-to-pronounce, uncomplicated name is best with the four-syllable Mirasolo, so that the name does not become a tongue twister. I like these that end in /a/:
Thanks! That makes me feel a little better. I thought [name]Serena[/name] Mirasolo sounded kind of lyrical but then I thought, gosh, am I just thinking that because I adore the name? I’m pretty attached to it.
I don’t like matching end sounds, but I don’t think the midpoint sound of your last name is a problem. I said it out loud and while there is a slight pause between syllables, [name]Mira[/name]- and -solo do not sound like separate words when said at a reasonable pace. I do think [name]Serena[/name] works better than [name]Sara[/name], because -na is more different than -ra and [name]Sara[/name] is pushing a rhyme-y feeling, while [name]Serena[/name] sounds completely fine.
I think they sound quite lyrical with your last name. Very lilting. I would avoid longer names as a previous poster suggested since it seems to get more rhyme-y with multiple syllable names (i.e. [name]Arabella[/name] Mirasolo is pushing it for me, though that could be the repeated internal ‘ra’ sound.)
I agree that it depends on the individual name. [name]Serena[/name] Mirasolo is pretty and I think it’s because the middle of the name offers different sounds than the surname. The name [name]Sara[/name] has nothing to offer that Mirasolo doesn’t have. `
I am really liking [name]Serena[/name] Mirasolo!
I don’t like the 2 syllable [name]Sara[/name] as much- but it’s OK.
[name]Serena[/name] is 3 syllables where [name]Mira[/name] is 2 and Mirasolo is 4.
I actually really like the way the ‘a’ ending give the name a nice repetition.
If you were to use another ‘a’ ending name with 2 syllables and the same starting letter I think it would be to much: eg [name]Mia[/name] Mirasolo- but the ‘a’ and the repeat of the ‘r’ in [name]Serena[/name] make it pleasing to my ear.
