See the results of this poll: Do you like Zara?
Respondents: 43 (This poll is closed)
- Yes : 33 (77%)
- Indifferent : 8 (19%)
- No: 2 (5%)
I like [name_f]Zara[/name_f] a lot! I think we both have the same dilemma–I want to love it, but I really just like it. I love how international it feels (it has Persian–I think?–origins, but with its royal use with [name_f]Zara[/name_f] [name_m]Phillips[/name_m], it seems very European/English and both exotic and stately). I love how unusual it is, but simple to spell and pronounce. It’s feminine, but not really frilly. It’s just a great name all around. It’s always been on my radar, but never on my actual list, which I think says something about whether I’d ever actually use it or not. I’d love to use [name_f]Zara[/name_f], but I really doubt I ever would. I think it’s more one of those names that I’d rather know a [name_f]Zara[/name_f] than have a [name_f]Zara[/name_f], if that makes sense.
I love the combos [name_f]Zara[/name_f] [name_f]Madeleine[/name_f], [name_f]Zara[/name_f] [name_f]Penelope[/name_f], and [name_f]Zara[/name_f] [name_f]Felicity[/name_f], too. [name_f]Zara[/name_f] [name_f]Natalie[/name_f], [name_f]Zara[/name_f] [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f], and [name_f]Zara[/name_f] [name_f]Audrey[/name_f], too, but to a lesser degree.
Good luck!
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I am so glad to see that description!!! It’s exactly how I would describe my DD’s name, [name_f]Athena[/name_f]. And I’m trying to find a name that has the same feel.
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My only experience with [name_f]Zara[/name_f] is with the clothing line. It’s not a name used in my country. So I can’t help you more!
Where do you live? I live in the US and we have the [name_f]Zara[/name_f] store here too…but I don’t associate the name with the store.
[name_f]Zara[/name_f] used to be at the very top of my list…but I thought it was pronounced with a short-A like in “czar.” Once I heard an Olympics announcer talk about [name_f]Zara[/name_f] [name_m]Phillips[/name_m], and pronounce it with that long-A sound just like [name_f]Sarah[/name_f], [name_f]Zara[/name_f] fell from her pedestal and shattered into a rubble of disappointment. There’s nothing exotic about that “air” sound at all, and I really don’t think that the Z vs the S makes a material difference. In my region, S and Z are often confused anyway, because some people pronounce a bit of a hiss on their Z, while most say a kind of lazy SZ sound for S as it is.
Up against a sister [name_f]Athena[/name_f], I think [name_f]Zara[/name_f] falls short of potential, because it looks prettier in writing than it actually sounds in practice. I think it’s likely to be mistaken for [name_f]Sara[/name_f] and not really end up being that notable. It’s not a “bad” choice by any means, I just don’t think it’s as amazing as [name_f]Athena[/name_f]. Sorry to be a downer.
I don’t know how [name_f]Zara[/name_f] [name_m]Phillips[/name_m] pronounces her name…but [name_f]Zara[/name_f] is typically pronounced as Zar as in Car not Hair. Zar-uh. It’s shouldn’t be pronounced like [name_f]Sarah[/name_f] at all.
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Maybe it’s different if you live in [name_f]England[/name_f]?
Here, they even pronounce it as zar-uh (car way) here. It might be his accent that makes it sound closer to [name_f]Sarah[/name_f], but it’s definitely that short A sound with an accent.
I really like it! I don’t know what stopping me from loving it…it fits all my criteria for a great girl’s name: good meaning, short, spunky but feminine, no nicknames. But I just don’t love love it. Maybe it sounds too fancy? I’m not sure but I still do like it a lot.
hm. here i was wondering if it wasn’t fancy enough.
Hi, Zara here! I’ve gotten a lot of compliments on my name, especially from adults and teachers. I’ve only gotten the association with the clothing line once, from my tech teacher, and it was only as a joke. The association with the clothing line is no issue to me because every name has an association with something. Not many people have mentioned Zara Phillips, but that was what inspired my dad to use the name Zara, and I think it’s kinda cool sharing your name with a princess (as well as having the meaning princess) and little kids would love it. The only negative I can think of is its growing popularity, the name is within the top 30 in Australia and I think it’s quite popular in the UK and New Zealand as well.
In Australia it’s pronounced as Zar-uh (rhymes with Car). Zair-uh is a mispronunciation and should be spelt as Zaira if you wanted that pronounciation.
Well I would guess to pronounce it like car but here [name_f]Clara[/name_f] is usually pronounced [name_u]Clair[/name_u]-a so it is partly an accent thing. At any rate, I don’t think it would be too much trouble to insist on the pronunciation you want, even here. I think it’s really lovely.
so good to hear from a real [name_f]Zara[/name_f]!
I live in the U.S. where it’s number 481. So not as big of a deal here.
Two questions:
- [name_f]Do[/name_f] people mispronounce your name a [name_m]Zair[/name_m]-uh ever?
- [name_f]Do[/name_f] people mistake your name for [name_f]Sara[/name_f]? That’s my biggest worry. She’ll always have to correct people.
People probably pronounce it [name_u]Clair[/name_u]-uh because of [name_f]Claire[/name_f].
I’m not so concerned that people will mispronounce the name as [name_m]Zair[/name_m]-uh, it just surprised me when PP said that the princess’ name was pronounced that way (I think she was just hearing an accent or the speaker said it wrong). After all, the natural way to read zar would be like car.
My main worry pronunciation-wise is that people will call her [name_f]Sara[/name_f] instead of [name_f]Zara[/name_f].
But I think my greatest question is whether or not it fits next to [name_f]Athena[/name_f].
I like [name_f]Zara[/name_f] a lot.
My question is: do people tend to mistake your name for [name_f]Sara[/name_f]?
Some people tend to. When people ask for my name when I’m ordering fast food or coffee then sometimes I’ll have to repeat myself because they think I’ve said [name_f]Sara[/name_f]. I’ve also had my name spelt as [name_f]Zahra[/name_f] and [name_f]Zarah[/name_f]. I think it’s become less of a problem as the names gotten more popular though.
Apparently the [name_f]Zara[/name_f] clothing stores are really big in Europe (I’ve seen them in Greece and Spain), but they aren’t huge in the USA. I wouldn’t factor that into your decision. And it doesn’t seem to be a trashy store either so it doesn’t seem like a bad reference to me. I like [name_f]Zara[/name_f]. I knew one vaguely in middle school but I’ve only met that one. Not popular at all, yet it fits in with the Z trends, the -ara name trends. I like [name_u]Ash[/name_u]'s suggestion of [name_f]Zara[/name_f] [name_f]Penelope[/name_f]. I like your DD’s name too! [name_f]Zara[/name_f] and [name_f]Athena[/name_f] would be super cute.
I adore [name_f]Zara[/name_f]. I don’t think I would use it myself, but only because my list is full of long and frilly names. [name_f]Zara[/name_f] and [name_f]Athena[/name_f] sound cute together, I say go for it. 
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