Multicultural baby girl (Persian, Cuban, and Macedonian) and need help with a name!

I’m full Persian/Iranian (raised in the US) and my husband is half Cuban and Macedonian (in the Balkans.) We were thinking of a cute Persian name that is easy to pronounce but not super common like [name_f]Sara[/name_f], [name_f]Layla[/name_f], [name_f]Tara[/name_f]…

Some names we have so far:

[name_f]Aida[/name_f] (or Ayda)
[name_f]Ayla[/name_f]
[name_f]Soraya[/name_f]
Anayis
[name_f]Parisa[/name_f]
[name_f]Dasha[/name_f]

But completely open to cute Cuban or Balkan names as well. My mother picked unique Persian names for us and I would like to continue the tradition if possible :slight_smile:

Please help :slight_smile:

I love [name_f]Aida[/name_f] and [name_f]Soraya[/name_f]!

What about using a Cuban or Macedonian name in the middle?

Cuban/Spanish - [name_f]Aida[/name_f] Delfia, [name_f]Aida[/name_f] Ezmeralda, [name_f]Soraya[/name_f] [name_f]Benita[/name_f], [name_f]Soraya[/name_f] Novia?

Macedonian/Slavic - [name_f]Aida[/name_f] [name_f]Elena[/name_f], [name_f]Aida[/name_f] Frosina, [name_f]Soraya[/name_f] [name_f]Danica[/name_f], [name_f]Soraya[/name_f] [name_f]Ivana[/name_f]?

Some other Macedonian options:

Dafina, [name_u]Dana[/name_u], Despina, Doroteja, Dzvezda, [name_f]Irina[/name_f], [name_f]Isidora[/name_f], [name_f]Iva[/name_f], [name_f]Ivona[/name_f], [name_f]Jasmina[/name_f], Jasna, [name_f]Jovana[/name_f], [name_f]Katerina[/name_f], [name_f]Marina[/name_f], [name_f]Marta[/name_f], [name_f]Mila[/name_f], [name_f]Milena[/name_f], [name_f]Mira[/name_f], Nevena, [name_f]Petra[/name_f], [name_f]Rosa[/name_f], [name_f]Sonja[/name_f], [name_f]Suzana[/name_f], [name_f]Tamara[/name_f], [name_f]Vana[/name_f], [name_f]Veta[/name_f], [name_f]Zora[/name_f], [name_f]Zorica[/name_f]

If it were me, I would look for names that connect all of the heritages together. It’s not an easy task, but I think there are some connections that you could make if you wanted (using nicknames, etc).

Have you considered [name_f]Anahita[/name_f]? It’s one of my favorite Persian names, but I think it also works well to represent your future daughter’s ties to her Cuban and Macedonian heritages as well. The -ita ending makes it feel like a Spanish name, and [name_f]Ana[/name_f] (if you decided to shorten it) is a name common in both cultures. I think it translates very well in the US and would like to encounter it more frequently.

Other cross-cultural ideas:

[name_u]Dara[/name_u] (Macedonian “gift”) or [name_f]Darya[/name_f] (Iranian “sea”)
Mahine (Iranian) or [name_f]Marina[/name_f] (Spanish/Macedonian)
[name_f]Mihaila[/name_f] (Macedonian), [name_f]Milena[/name_f] (Macedonian, but works in Spanish), or Minoo / Minu (Iranian “heavenly, paradise”)

  • I wish I had the heritage to back up [name_f]Mihaila[/name_f] or [name_f]Milena[/name_f] being called “Minoo/Minu”. I find it just too cute.

[name_f]Natasha[/name_f] (Not Spanish, but I have met some girls with Spanish heritage with this name), [name_u]Nata[/name_u]ša (Macedonian), or Nousha / Noosha (Iranian) – could work in a similar way. [name_f]Natasha[/name_f] nn Noosha

[name_f]Parisa[/name_f] / [name_f]Pari[/name_f] (Iranian “like a fairy”) or [name_f]Paraskeva[/name_f] (Macedonian, “preparation”/“Friday”)

[name_f]Zahra[/name_f] (Iranian) or Zaharina (Macedonian) - Another connection that I think could work well.

Other Ideas:
Divna (Macedonian “wonderful”), Elaheh (Iranian “goddess”), [name_f]Elena[/name_f] (Spanish/Macedonian), [name_f]Rafaela[/name_f] (Spanish/Macedonian), Shireen / [name_f]Shirin[/name_f] (Iranian), Zareen (Iranian)

I had a part-Persian friend in college whose name was [name_f]Natalia[/name_f] [name_f]Parisa[/name_f]. I always thought it was a pretty name.

I love [name_f]Aida[/name_f] and [name_f]Parisa[/name_f], and [name_f]Dasha[/name_f] is very pretty and unusual.

Also suggesting
[name_f]Tala[/name_f]/[name_f]Tara[/name_f]
[name_f]Ava[/name_f]/[name_u]Ara[/name_u]
Ajmira
Maha
[name_f]Laleh[/name_f]
[name_f]Lydia[/name_f]/[name_f]Lidia[/name_f]
[name_f]Yasmin[/name_f]
Ruua
[name_f]Shyla[/name_f]
[name_f]Sarina[/name_f]
Jarhaam
Nahlah

[name_f]Hope[/name_f] this helps :slight_smile:

I love the Persian name [name_f]Rima[/name_f] / Reema. The former spelling is so cute and prounceable in many cultures.

I [name_u]LOVE[/name_u] [name_f]Ayla[/name_f], [name_f]Parisa[/name_f] and [name_f]Dasha[/name_f]. Going off names mentioned already, Minu would be a cute middle, and I like [name_f]Anahita[/name_f] and Frosina. What about Perizada? Same meaning as [name_f]Parisa[/name_f].

Thank you to everyone for the wonderful ideas and comments! I think we are leaning towards [name_f]Aida[/name_f], [name_f]Dasha[/name_f], and [name_f]Darya[/name_f]. [name_f]My[/name_f] only concern with [name_f]Darya[/name_f] is that people will mispronounce it to [name_f]Daria[/name_f] (which I don’t care for.)

@cristinamariane I love [name_f]Anahita[/name_f] but the hubby isn’t a fan.

I have a few friends with daughters that have the name [name_f]Ava[/name_f] and [name_f]Milena[/name_f] (unfortunately), my mother’s name is [name_f]Mina[/name_f] – so Minoo is too similar (but I love it), and I have a friend who is [name_f]Natasha[/name_f] (Persian/Spaniard mix)— [name_f]Soraya[/name_f] was one of my favorites on this list but none of my Persian family approves – saying it is an “old” name that no one uses.

Please let me know if you guys come up with any new options!

What about [name_f]Kimia[/name_f]? Nameberry doesn’t have a listing for it, but I know it’s Persian.

[name_f]My[/name_f] Iranian friend is named Saloumeh and I think it’s gorgeous. She’s mostly called [name_f]Sally[/name_f]. [name_f]Salome[/name_f] is a famous opera and it’s pan cultural, classic and versatile.

I have now come up with a shorter list of names – [name_f]Aida[/name_f], Dasha,[/name_f] and [name_f]Zoya. Again open to suggestions from all of you. We have decided against a middle name (in Persian culture we don’t really have it unless the first name is attached.)