It is a Romanian name and means “glory” but I am wondering how it would be perceived by an English speaking audience.
it sort of sounds like a spice.
Not sure about prn. rah-LOO-cuh - is that right?
I like that the nn [name_u]Luca[/name_u] can come from it. It’s not an immediate favorite for me, but I don’t dislike it either. I doesn’t remind me of anything good or bad. In that case, I guess it’s fine.
@privacyplease . . . Yes, that is the pronunciation. I agree that [name_u]Luca[/name_u] could be a cute nn.
I don’t mind it. Although it’s very unusual and a person named Raluca living in a western country would always be repeating her name. [name_u]Luca[/name_u] is a cute nn.
It definitely would call for repetition. On the plus side, it sounds strong, is not readily confused with another more common name, and comes with a built-in nickname. I think it’s wearable.
Thanks so much for the input.
While initially it did feel like more of a surname than a given name, I warmed to it fast as a given. It’s quirky, but not too out there, and though it does feel a little like a trendy/thrown together [name_m]Ra[/name_m]- + -luca type name in a way, it still has a good strength and class. Yeah, I like it. I’d call the little dear [name_u]Rue[/name_u] - I think that’d be a fantastic nickname.
I have a Romanian friend named Raluca! I think it’s beautiful, but when she was here in the US for a summer she chose to go by [name_f]Helen[/name_f]. Her Romanian friends called her Ralu (ra-LOO).
Makes me think of ranunculus. I think it’s useable in an English-speaking country; it’s unfamiliar but the pronunciation is intuitive. As for a nickname, I would use [name_f]Lulu[/name_f]. 
I agree that it is unusual but easy enough to pronounce.
I am always a fan of using cultural influences when naming especially if the name is sentimental or special to you.
Plus, you don’t have to worry about her friends having the same name…win!
[name_f]My[/name_f] favorite nn suggested was [name_f]LuLu[/name_f]!
Thoughts for a middle name? It must be 3 syllables and I don’t want it to end in “A” or start with “R”