Thought we had the list nailed down to just 3 but my wife is getting cold feet over one of our early favorites. I have liked the name [name]Fionnuala[/name] from the start (pronounced finn-OO-la) and so did the wife but as the date draws near she is becomming less enamoured of the name due to the spelling/pronunciation difficulties. I think the name sounds a bit more mainstream than the just-as-lovely irish names [name]Siobhan[/name] or [name]Saoirse[/name] - names i also like. I realize [name]Fionnuala[/name] could be easily anglicized to Fionula or simple [name]Finula[/name] but we aren’t really interested in that option. So, my questions are:
1)[name]How[/name] much flack would a little [name]Fionnuala[/name] get over her name (friends, adults, teachers, etc)
Is it too cheesy-american-wannabe-irish
Is it a nice name, i.e. what do you think about it?
I know in the UK, a name like [name]Fionnuala[/name] would probably be mostly accepted. I’m not sure how it would go down in the US though.
Again, I’m not sure about the American perspective on such things … I’m someone can help you though!
Though I prefer [name]Fiona[/name], I think [name]Fionnuala[/name] is very pretty too and I think it’s pretty cute to have Noo as a childhood nickname Plus, if she turns out tomboy-ish as a child, [name]Finn[/name] would be a great way to shorten it. The only issue is the inevitable pronunciation difficulties you’d encounter.
I’m an American in an Irish-leaning area aka people don’t question things like [name]Siobhan[/name], [name]Sinead[/name], [name]Seamus[/name], or [name]Oisin[/name]. Also I absolutely adore [name]Fionnuala[/name], always have. It’s just beautiful, as is the story that goes with it. I wouldn’t hesitate to use it if my SO was on board. That being said, I am going to try to answer unbiased:
I am not sure what exactly you mean by flack. [name]Will[/name] the pronunciation be butchered the first time it is read: probably. Most Americans just aren’t familiar with Gaelic pronunciations. Heck, the Celtics can’t even get their name right. After being corrected I don’t see it being a problem though, it isn’t hard to see the pronunciation after you are aware of what it is. With friends she would eb introducing herself anyway, not running around with a name tag on the playground. I don’t see much teasing potential, kids keep getting more and more unique names from my experience (just met a little Greenleigh, Raylianna, and [name]Guinevere[/name]) so meeting a little [name]Fionnuala[/name] wouldn’t exactly throw kids off much. Plus, its a genuine name and not made up! No that her friends would know that, but some people will so bonus points from this name nerd!
I don’t think it’s too cheesy just because most Americans wouldn’t immediately associate it with [name]Ireland[/name]. It’s just a beautiful name that happens to be Irish. [name]Even[/name] if the Irish thing is what you are going for I don’t think its too wannabe. I personally find it more annoying when people use super mainstream “Irish” names like [name]Megan[/name] and [name]Erin[/name] to be more Celtic. ([name]Megan[/name] is a Welsh nickname for [name]Margaret[/name], [name]Erin[/name] is the anglosized spelling of [name]Eirinn[/name]…the Gaelic WORD for [name]Ireland[/name]. Uggh)
I love the name [name]Fionnuala[/name]. [name]Love[/name] it.
I grew up in the [name]Boston[/name] area with three Siobhans. It took one “huh”? moment with the spelling and that was it. No pronunciation problems. [name]Just[/name] pretty.
Heck, my name is [name]Lesley[/name] and people [name]BUTCHER[/name] the spelling all the time and it is not an unusual name!
Go for it. Great name.
Yes, she would have spelling and pronounciation problems, but some names are definitely worth it, including [name]Fionnuala[/name]. I have an impossible name (arguably worse than [name]Fionnuala[/name]) but it really isn’t that big a deal. I don’t think she would be teased about it. Using my name again, it’s really weird and it even rhymes with something funny. [name]Fionnuala[/name]'s similarity to [name]Finn[/name] would probably help with its general acceptance. It is SO not cheesy. What’s cheesy is when people name their kid [name]Meaghan[/name] if they were trying to be Irish, or Aeioathheeana if they were trying to be Greek or even Lei Chow Shin [name]Ming[/name] Lang [name]How[/name] Ping if they were trying to be Chinese. Fynulah might be cheesy, but [name]Fionnuala[/name] is not
I;ve never heard it before. It’s quite pretty though reminds me of cannula, which isnt a great association–could easily be just me though. And it is lovely. I’d so go for it–maybe give her a simple more mainstream MN? let us know!
As for pronunciation / spelling issues - I would probably suck it up and go with [name]Finola[/name]. (like [name]Finola[/name] [name]Hughes[/name]) It might make life a lot easier.
This being said, I don’t think it would stick out like a sore thumb - a lot of Irish names are being used and this one doesn’t really have anything about it that could be made fun of, I don’t think.
Personally, I love it. I think it’s beautiful, soft, feminine and unusual. Definitely a keeper.
[name]Do[/name] you mind if I ask what area of the US you live in? Big city? Small town? I think it really depends on how diverse your area is. If all the little girls in your area are named [name]Ava[/name] and [name]Madison[/name], little [name]Fionnuala[/name] is going to stick out like a sore thumb. No one will ever get the pronunciation or spelling of her name right. But if you live in an area like, say, New [name]York[/name] City where little girls are named everything under the sun, I think you’d be “safe” with [name]Fionnuala[/name].
That said, I really do love the name. [name]Fionnuala[/name] has been on and off my list but with the spelling [name]Finola[/name].
I would say the name would create a lot of problems for her. Unfortunately I have seen people with different looking names avoided for interviews because of the intimidation people feel when trying to say them.
Yes, to me it seems like a parent was trying [name]WAY[/name] to hard to be different because they are uncomfortable with their own name.
All that said, I really like the sound of the name. I do not like the look and spelling, as it seems very cumbersome and heavy for a child. Also at first glance it reminded me of the word tarantula for some reason. The sound feels good, the spelling and reading of the name, not so good.
Thanks so much for the thoughtful response…I also like the story (daughter of Lir). I guess that, like many parents-to-be, I don’t want to saddle my child with a name we like but they grow-up to disdain. [name]Glad[/name] to hear I may not be too far out there.
[name]Littleton[/name], CO a suburb of [name]Denver[/name] (~15 miles from downtown) we do have a hurling team and dozens of Irish-dance studios so I would say the population supports healthy Irish representation
[name]Love[/name] the name! I would keep it! I knew one person (well online acquaintance) with this name. Never had a clue how to pronounce it and she mostly went by [name]Fiona[/name]. However, seeing the the pronunciation, it seems as though once us Americans are told once, we should be able to handle it. FYI, I grew up in a small town (in which I still live) with mostly Jennifers, Megans, Samanthas etc.
Thanks - It seems fairly well received here on NB and many seem to support it which makes me glad since I really do love the name. I would say as far as the pronunciation, most Irish people pronounce it with a clear “NEW” sound in the middle, as in: fi-NEW-la or fin-New-la and i seem to like that. Most Irish shorten the nickname to [name]Nuala[/name] (pronounced NEW-la) but I think that it would propbably be shortened here to [name]Finn[/name] (although I like [name]Nuala[/name]).
Anyway, thanks to all who’ve weighed in so far. I think this has provided the wife a bit of reassurance and she’s now a bit more on board. Thanks NB peeps and any further opinions/thought will be much appreciated.
When I read the name I, I thought it would be pronounced fee-on-nu-all-a. Yes, people are going to get it wrong and the time. She is going to spend her entire life explaining it to others. Honestly, it is a bit far out there for me. However, I have always loved [name]Fiona[/name]. Have you considered that as an alternative?
Plus, if she turns out tomboy-ish as a child, [name]Finn[/name] would be a great way to shorten it. The only issue is the inevitable pronunciation difficulties you’d encounter.