We are having a surprise gender and thought we were so set on a girl name, which was [name_f]Kaia[/name_f]. [name_f]My[/name_f] husband is Scandinavian [name_f][/name_f], and older brother is [name_m]Kasper[/name_m].
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However last night we stumbled across the name [name_f]Tuva[/name_f]. It means beautiful. At first I thought it might be too far removed from where we live ( Australia) however the more I say it in my head the more lovely it sounds. The middle name we were going to go with was [name_f]Pearl[/name_f].
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I am now stuck between this name and [name_f]Kaia[/name_f]. I do love [name_f]Kaia[/name_f] but it is becoming more popular here, and [name_f]Tuva[/name_f] would really be very unique. I’ve always loved more unique names but I don’t want something “weird”.
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It is said excatly as you would think ( Too-vah) so I don’t think anyone would have issues with pronouncing [name_f][/name_f], but I would really like some feedback from those of you in AUS / NZ /Canada /US how you feel about this name? Obviously if my husband was not from Scandinavia it wouldn’t be considered.
Isnt it [name_f]Tova[/name_f] as a name, instead of [name_f]Tuva[/name_f]? [name_f][/name_f]I like [name_f]Kaia[/name_f] with [name_m]Kasper[/name_m] better.
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Its ok to have cold feet, but youre overthinking this. [name_f][/name_f]Also, I think theres celebrity kid named [name_f]Tova[/name_f] [name_f]Pearl[/name_f]
I like how Tuva honours your husband’s heritage and means each child has their own starting letter. I also think it goes better with Kasper than Kaia (which seems more surfer / beachy gal). But I need to say Tuva more as I don’t initially love it in an Aussie accent a might get Tuuuu-vah (long Too and not the soft va sound). Pretty sure it’s Lily Collins’s recent daughter’s name - but Tove. You’d have to be ready for Tuvie.
Other names I like:
Sunniva
Anya
Tindra
Ingrid “Indie”
But the more I say it, the more I like Tuva…but of course Kaia is more straightforward and familiar.
[name_f]Tuva[/name_f] & [name_m]Kasper[/name_m] are lovely together. I don’t think you have a wrong choice here [name_f][/name_f]. [name_f][/name_f]You can always take both names to the hospital and wait to meet her before making a choice [name_f][/name_f].
One my first thoughts about Tuva was an island, but it turns out I was thinking of Tuvalu. There’s also a remote region in Russia called Tuva though I doubt this would come to mind for many people.
I think it’s possible to underestimate the challenges of an unfamilar name. Tuva may be short and relatively straightforward but when a name is unfamiliar there’s no mental map of the name. It’s harder to remember and usually there’s hesitation with spelling and pronunciation. It may also attract more questions and attention.
I’m not familiar with Tuva myself (Australian as well), although I’ve seen Tove. It has a nice sound but this does seem like a potentially large pivot away from your comfort zone. Kaia seems more on par with Kasper’s (or Casper’s) popularity.
I think with any new crush it’s always worth keeping in mind that it’s untested. It hasn’t held your interest for any significant period of time. A name crush can hold the allure of a newly discovered name that fades away as the newness wears off.
Sometimes it’s a name you love the idea of that doesn’t quite translate in reality for various reasons. So it stays a name you admire and enjoy from a distance.
I’d suggest holding off making any decisions right now and letting time sort out your feelings for Tuva. You already have a solid choice in Kaia, so if you’re not sure if Tuva is quite right for your family, at least you can feel confident about Kaia. If you’re down to the last days of pregnancy – I wouldn’t advise switching. Not from a name you feel good about. I wish you all the luck!
[name_f]Tuva[/name_f] is beautiful [name_f][/name_f]- distinctive and magical but familiar too! I think the fact [name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Collins[/name_f] had a [name_f]Tove[/name_f] recently might help it feel more familiar?
I think both of your options are really nice. I love [name_f]Kaia[/name_f] and [name_m]Kasper[/name_m] together, but I like that [name_f]Tuva[/name_f] would start with its own letter and I appreciate its uniqueness. It has a pretty and straightforward sound. Can’t speak for the Australian perception or pronunciation, but I think [name_f]Tuva[/name_f] would be a straightforward pronunciation in the US, whereas I know a lot of people (including myself until recently) will mispronounce [name_f]Tove[/name_f], a more familiar spelling but again not intuitive in some areas. (I think here it would read as “stove” without the S)
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If you really like both, you could wait until baby is born to decide, but I understand trying to gather thoughts about the name before you put it into the final running or make it official. Personally I think you wouldn’t go wrong using either name. Best of luck to you.
I’m in the UK so a similar “namescape” as Aus.
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Both [name_f]Kaia[/name_f] and [name_f]Tuva[/name_f] are great choices that tick all the same boxes as [name_m]Kasper[/name_m] [name_f][/name_f]— simple, strong, on-trend, Scandi-chic.
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I echo the pp who recommended sitting with both names for a little while, if you still have some time. [name_f]Tuva[/name_f] is gorgeous and I don’t foresee any issues with it, but if it’s a newer crush and [name_f]Kaia[/name_f] is a longtime love then it might be a case of a last-minute name wobble, which is pretty common and doesn’t necessarily mean that your original choice isn’t the right one. As someone above said, there is no bad choice here!
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Personally speaking, I prefer [name_f]Tuva[/name_f]. I like that it’s a little more distinctive (Kaia being close to popular names like [name_m]Kai[/name_m] and Maya), more clearly Scandinavian while still being totally accessible in an [name_f]English[/name_f] speaking context, and that it would give each child their own initial. But this baby will have a beautiful name either way, truly!
I’m from the US. I love the name [name_f]Kaia[/name_f], so I’d probably pick that… but there is nothing wrong with [name_f]Tuva[/name_f] at all, it’s nice, has a nice meaning, and is not going to be that hard to pronounce or explain.
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I think [name_f]Tuva[/name_f] and [name_m]Kasper[/name_m] go better together as well.
I love Kaia!! Everyone I’ve met with the name has been so lovely, and I understand it’s well heard of in Denmark/other Scandinavian countries. Personally, I would stick with [name_f]Kaia[/name_f] BUT please know that you really can’t go wrong!!! Follow your gut feeling. Both are gorgeous. I do think I prefer [name_m]Kasper[/name_m] and [name_f]Kaia[/name_f].
(In the US here!) [name_f][/name_f]I think I like [name_f]Tuva[/name_f] [name_f]Pearl[/name_f] better than [name_f]Kaia[/name_f] [name_f]Pearl[/name_f], but I like [name_f]Kaia[/name_f] better with [name_m]Kasper[/name_m]! [name_f][/name_f]If you want a name that’s more heard of, I would go with [name_f]Kaia[/name_f], but I think [name_f]Tuva[/name_f] is wonderful and not at all “weird”
In the US. I read [name_f]Tuva[/name_f] correctly so I think you wouldn’t have too much trouble with pronunciation. I personally like [name_f]Tuva[/name_f] better but both are nice.
I do know several Kaia’s (I’m in the US, though), so [name_f]Tuva[/name_f] would get points for me on account of being more unique and nodding to your husband’s heritage. I love it when names have a subtle familial meaning to them. I would say that I think [name_f]Tula[/name_f] [name_f]Pearl[/name_f] or [name_f]Talulah[/name_f] [name_f]Pearl[/name_f] would flow better than [name_f]Tuva[/name_f] [name_f]Pearl[/name_f], but I guess that wouldn’t have the Scandinavian aspect to it or the same meaning. [name_f]My[/name_f] only other hesitation with [name_f]Tuva[/name_f] would be that I think it would sound very similar to too [name_f]Tuva[/name_f] as in the instrument, but I’m assuming my accent and pronunciation is very different being from south central US as opposed to Australia. Overall I think I prefer [name_f]Tuva[/name_f] because it does have meaning to you and it is one you don’t expect to come across but still sounds legitimate. [name_f]Kaia[/name_f] is a perfectly fine name as well though if you choose to go with that. I think I might be slightly less enthusiastic because I personally have so many similar names in my family tree- I’m [name_f]Cali[/name_f], I have cousins, [name_f]Kayla[/name_f], [name_f]Kiera[/name_f], [name_f]Kaylin[/name_f], [name_f]Kara[/name_f], another [name_f]Cara[/name_f], [name_f]Kimi[/name_f], [name_f]Claire[/name_f]. [name_m]Just[/name_m] a lot of K’s and A’s in our family.
Thanks so much everyone! [name_f]Edit[/name_f] to add: still a bit undecided so think we will go in with both and decide when baby comes. For middle names I’ve also thought of [name_f]Hazel[/name_f] and [name_f]Summer[/name_f]. I’m not really sure for [name_f]Kaia[/name_f] what middle to go with?
Hey [name_f]Katinka[/name_f]- thank you! I think [name_f]Tuva[/name_f] is a bit much for [name_f]Aussie[/name_f].
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We have [name_f]Kaia[/name_f] [name_f]Summer[/name_f], [name_f]Kaia[/name_f] [name_f]Hazel[/name_f] [name_f][/name_f], [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f] [name_f]Luna[/name_f] or [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f] [name_f]Hazel[/name_f] as our final two!!! Thoughts???
I like [name_f]Tuva[/name_f]! I’ve never heard of it, but with [name_f]Thea[/name_f] & [name_f]Tove[/name_f], it doesn’t seem that far our there to me. It does remind me of the french words “tu vas” meaning “you go” (ex. tu va a l’ecole [name_f][/name_f]- you go to school), but that doesn’t bother me. I like [name_f]Tuva[/name_f] [name_f]Pearl[/name_f].
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I see your recent comment about [name_f]Kaia[/name_f] [name_f]Summer[/name_f], [name_f]Kaia[/name_f] [name_f]Hazel[/name_f], [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f] [name_f]Luna[/name_f] or [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f] [name_f]Hazel[/name_f]. Personally, I don’t love [name_f]Kaia[/name_f] with [name_m]Kasper[/name_m] because of the double “Ka-” start [name_f][/name_f]- if you had a third child, would their name also start with Ka and be two syllables? For that reason, I’d pick [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f]. [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f] [name_f]Luna[/name_f] is gorgeous! [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f] [name_f]Hazel[/name_f] is a bit too colour oriented to me (Sylvie reminds me of Siler, [name_f]Hazel[/name_f] is a colour). [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f] [name_f]Luna[/name_f] gives silver moon, which I like.
[name_m]True[/name_m]- some people have been saying they think it’s soo sweet with [name_m]Kasper[/name_m] and some a bit much! So it’s hard to decide how I feel about it, but I think it’s also my husbands favourite so I’m not sure I can sway him on [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f] as much, but who knows when we meet her!
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Good point about the two color thing. I did actually think that too. [name_f]Luna[/name_f] would be one of my top names if it didn’t get randomly super popular here and [name_f]Hazel[/name_f] I haven’t liked as long so maybe [name_f]Luna[/name_f] is safer to stick with anyways
And yeah no it’s a total coincidence with [name_m]Kasper[/name_m] and [name_f]Kaia[/name_f] being similar so no I wouldn’t follow any sort of trend with the third!!!
A vote for [name_f]Kaia[/name_f] [name_f]Summer[/name_f] or [name_f]Kaia[/name_f] [name_f]Hazel[/name_f] in that case. [name_f]My[/name_f] preference would be not to repeat the KS initials unless deliberate, so [name_f]Kaia[/name_f] [name_f]Hazel[/name_f] (or I still love [name_f]Kaia[/name_f] Pearl!)
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[name_f]Sylvie[/name_f], while beautiful, feels very definitely [name_f]French[/name_f] to me so doesn’t have the Scandi feel you’re after.
