Since I can’t decide I wondered what you all thought?!
[name]Sirena[/name] vs [name]Serena[/name] - [name]Sirena[/name] is obviously more unsual and doesn’t have the [name]Serena[/name] [name]Williams[/name] association, but would it lead to pronounciation problems? In fact, how would you pronounce both of these names? I know [name]Serena[/name] seems obvious but I’ve seen websites that say it’s pronounced Se-[name]REN[/name]-uh rather than Se-REEN-uh which to be honest I probably prefer cos I really like the nn [name]Sera[/name]. But would you think someone was pretentious if the pronounced [name]Serena[/name] like Se-[name]REN[/name]-uh? [name]Serena[/name] comes from the word serene meaning tranquil, [name]Sirena[/name] comes from the word Siren meaning enchanter.
[name]Livana[/name] vs [name]Livia[/name] - [name]Livana[/name] is again more unusual and wouldn’t get mistaken for [name]Olivia[/name], but [name]Livia[/name] is really pretty and I wonder if [name]Livana[/name] sounds made up or trendy? Again the both have different meaning, [name]Livana[/name] meaning the moon and [name]Livia[/name] meaning crown. [name]Both[/name] can get me to the nn [name]Liv[/name] but which do you prefer. [name]Will[/name] [name]Livia[/name] always be missheard as [name]Olivia[/name] or will people think I’ve tried to be creative with [name]Olivia[/name]?
Any input would be great! Trying to narrow my list of favourite names down and I only want one of each left on the list. My partner likes [name]Serena[/name] and [name]Livana[/name] best but I think I’m leaning towards [name]Sirena[/name] and [name]Livia[/name]! Though I’m not sure cos I seem to change my mind every day so wondered what people’s perceptions of these names are?
I like [name]Livia[/name] and [name]Serena[/name].
I know a [name]Sirena[/name] and she hates her name spelled that way because she always has to spell it for people.
I just like the way [name]Livia[/name] sounds as opposed to [name]Livana[/name].
And I like [name]Livia[/name] and [name]Serena[/name] together.
I too think I would have to pick [name]Serena[/name]. I think [name]Sirena[/name], although it looks self-explanatory, would lend itself to lots of pronunciation problems, unfortunately - I like the meaning better!
I do think [name]Livia[/name] would be “mis-heard” for [name]Olivia[/name], so I would choose [name]Livana[/name].
I like the name [name]Serena[/name] better, pronounced SeREEna. I don’t like [name]SeRENa[/name] as much. [name]Sirena[/name] seems like a misspelling, even if it is a different name. I love the name [name]Livia[/name] and prefer it to [name]Livana[/name], but that name is beautiful too. It’s funny because my first reactions to those names are the same as yours – with [name]Livia[/name] some might think you were trying to use [name]Olivia[/name] but at the same time not, while to me [name]Livana[/name] sounds a bit made up. I think you just have to know what would bother you more.
I really like livia, have heard it independantly of [name]Olivia[/name] so wouldn’t worry about that. Have never heard if livana. Is livana pronounced liv-anna? Really like the Italian name liviana (an extra ‘i’ in there) it’s a nice mix of the two u like so might keep both u and your partner happy, she could be livia for short. The British actor [name]Colin[/name] [name]Firth[/name]'s wife is called liviana and I think it’s really pretty.
The serena names are lovely too though but prefer the ‘serena’ spelling, think makey uppy spelling of names can just look like bad spelling sometimes ot txt message speak!
Thanks for advice on my post, best of luck
I prefer [name]Serena[/name] over [name]Sirena[/name], but I would pronounce [name]Serena[/name], Se-REEN-uh, I think if you made it clear that you wanted it pronounced Se-[name]REN[/name]-uh then people would get used to it. Maybe it would come more naturally to people if you spelt it [name]Serenna[/name]? I don’t usually advise alternate spellings but I think in cases where pronunciation could be a problem, it could help?
Out of [name]Livia[/name] and [name]Livana[/name], I definitely prefer [name]Livana[/name], sooooo gorgeous! [name]Livia[/name], I think would get mistaken for [name]Olivia[/name] a lot especially as it is number 1 popularity wise at the moment. I don’t think [name]Livana[/name] sounds made up or trendy, but to a lot of people, [name]Livia[/name] might just look as if you’ve dropped the O off [name]Olivia[/name], but I do think [name]Livia[/name] is very pretty.
So it seems unanimous that everyone prefers [name]Serena[/name] to [name]Sirena[/name] but [name]Livia[/name] vs [name]Livana[/name] is a bit more mixed. I like the suggestion of Liviana also. I will have to mull that one over!
Thanks guys. So it’s looking like [name]Sirena[/name]'s off the list. I really love the nn [name]Sera[/name] for [name]Serena[/name] though and I feel like I can’t use it if it’s pronounced Suh-[name]REE[/name]-nuh. What do you all think? My partner hates [name]Serafina[/name] so that’s not an option Oh and does everyone think [name]Serena[/name] is too tied to [name]Serena[/name] [name]Williams[/name]? Or do you think that association will be less in the next generation?
Oh, I definitely think you could still use [name]Sera[/name] for [name]Serena[/name]! (Wait…you’re pronouncing [name]Sera[/name] like [name]Sarah[/name], right??)
I too liked Liviana, that is a nice blend of the two! Maybe put that one on your list instead?
Yup [name]Sera[/name] like [name]Sarah[/name] I think it’s so sweet, and also my mum would love it because her one name she loved most for me was [name]Sarah[/name] but a cousin of hers had a daughter when she was early in her pregnancy with me and called her [name]Sarah[/name] so she couldn’t use it and changed to [name]Laura[/name]. [name]Sarah[/name] itself’s a bit too mainstream for me but I think the nn [name]Sera[/name] would kind of still give her her wish of a little girl called [name]Sarah[/name]! (Plus it reminds me of the little girl [name]Sara[/name], pronounced like [name]Sarah[/name], in A [name]Little[/name] [name]Princess[/name] and I’m a sucker for that film/book!)
I did like Liviana but it also seems a bit ott. And I’m like you with “[name]Ana[/name]” ending names. Although I love [name]Liliana[/name] and [name]Adriana[/name], I think some “ana” ending names, especially uncommon ones like Liviana, can start to sound made up or trendy. I don’t think I love any of the [name]Liv[/name] names as much as I love the nn [name]Liv[/name] so I may take them all off my list. It’s long enough anyway! Lol. Oh and I mentioned [name]Olive[/name] to my boyfriend, ahh if you could have seen the look he gave me!! Lol. Like he thought I’d lost my mind, oh well!
I totally agree with you re: the [name]Sarah[/name]/[name]Sera[/name] thing. I love it spelled [name]Sera[/name] b/c I’m always reminded of the 80s when I see [name]Sarah[/name]. And I love A [name]Little[/name] [name]Princess[/name] too lol!!
And yeah, you know exactly how I feel about the -anas. That is true about Liviana possibly being ott…I guess it does have a lot of stuff going on, lol! I still think it’s a good compromise between the [name]Livia[/name]/[name]Livana[/name], but I also agree that you have TONS of better ones on your list, so you could probably go without the [name]Liv[/name] names.
I like Liviana as well. I think it is very sweet. It sounds like a good name for you…
When I heard [name]Serena[/name], I didn’t think of [name]Serena[/name] [name]Williams[/name] until you mentioned her. And I’m 14. Does that help?
Yes that does help a lot thanks! I know that [name]Serena[/name] [name]Williams[/name] is probably the first thing everyone in my generation would think if I used the name but it’s good to know that she probably wouldn’t get the same reaction from her peers! Not that there’s anything wrong with [name]Serena[/name] [name]Williams[/name] but I just hate when a name feels too tied to one individual.
My first reaction to [name]Serena[/name] vs [name]Sirena[/name] was “Siren-a? But if it’s with [name]Serena[/name] is it supposed to be… uh… but all I see is siren.” So I was a bit confused :oops: But I vote [name]Serena[/name].
I like the suggestion of Liviana, probably because I’ve never heard of [name]Livia[/name] (independent from [name]Olivia[/name], which I really haven’t heard around here anyway come to think of it) or [name]Livana[/name].
My name is [name]SIRENA[/name], & i love the way my name is spell because everyone has to ask how to spell my name which makes me feel that much more unique.Yes there are people who can’t pronounce it right when they see it but when i correct them they say, “what a beautiful name” I love my name so i definitely would choose my spelling over [name]SERENA[/name].
Oh and does everyone think [name]Serena[/name] is too tied to [name]Serena[/name] [name]Williams[/name]? Or do you think that association will be less in the next generation?
And I love A [name]Little[/name] [name]Princess[/name] too lol!!