I am curious to get some thoughts on the name [name_f]Thora[/name_f].
It’s always been my favourite girls name (or at least for as long as I can remember). I think it’s unique without being unfamiliar, pronunciation is pretty intuitive and spelling seems easy enough. Because I love it so much, my partner has basically agreed that if we have a girl, we can use it because I love it so much. (BTW, no baby yet, but TTC will start within the year)
I do worry however that I am maybe being blinded by the love of this name so much that I am not considering the implications.
It’s quite close to my own name, which typically bothers me, but the first syllable is different enough and the stresses on the syllables sound different to me. Also, so many names end in the A sound, it feels semi unavoidable.
It’s associated (sort of) with a very popular movie franchise. [name_f]My[/name_f] partner worries she will forever be asked if we’re really obsessed with the Avengers/Marvel/Thor (we’re casual viewers at best), and may be teased for it. I personally view it as a totally different name, even though it’s only got a one letter difference. I also have stronger associations with [name_f]Thora[/name_f] [name_u]Birch[/name_u], who I grew up watching.
I will add my partner is a bit more relaxed about naming, and doesn’t feel like he needs to be 100% on any name as he will grow to love it once it’s associated with our child.
What do y’all think? Should I just go for picking the name I love? [name_u]Or[/name_u] should I be considering his (or your) hesitations?
i think Thora is totally usable (both in general and in this specific situation)! Thora is different enough from Tarah to me. if you’re worried about them getting mixed up, maybe you could ask your partner to call both names from another room and make sure you can tell the difference?
i think that Thora is different enough from Thor that i wouldn’t assume the parents of a Thora were obsessed with marvel. i don’t really see how the Thor association could lead to teasing? even just naming a kid Thor wouldn’t lead to teasing, imo
if Thora is your absolute favorite name and your partner is fine with it, i think you should go for it! it’s a lovely name.
i adore [name_f]Thora[/name_f] with my whole heart & i’m so happy to see others loving it [name_f]Thora[/name_f] is a fresh, unexpected name that’s uncommon enough to be unique but not too strange. it’s strong-sounding and spunky without being overtly unisex. imo it’s everything you want in a name !!
even though it sounds close to your name, it isn’t the end of the world— nicknames will probably arise for your lil [name_f]Thora[/name_f] & anyway (my favorites are [name_u]Teddy[/name_u] & [name_u]Rory[/name_u] )
it might get some “oh like Thor” comments the first time you introduce your [name_f]Thora[/name_f] to them, but i doubt it would be a big problem. and anyway like @venezio said, [name_f]Thora[/name_f] is different enough from [name_m]Thor[/name_m] that it doesn’t seem like [name_f]Thora[/name_f] would be named after [name_m]Thor[/name_m].
go with it if you love it !! [name_f]Thora[/name_f] is gorgeous !
I definitely don’t think of [name_u]Marvel[/name_u] when I think of [name_f]Thora[/name_f] (and I consider myself a really big fan of that universe!) but rather think of [name_f]Thora[/name_f] [name_u]Birch[/name_u] and the natural imagery of thorns upon pretty plants! I think [name_m]Thor[/name_m] could be a helpful guide to spelling, I’d people ever mishear this special name. “It’s [name_m]Thor[/name_m] with an a ont he end!”
I think [name_f]Thora[/name_f] is such a stunning name. So sharp and crisp yet feminine and unique all at once. Sounds sort of witchy too, in a cool, intelligent way. I think it’s a beautiful name.
I’d love to meet a little [name_f]Thora[/name_f]! [name_f]My[/name_f] perspective from the UK is that it’s more ‘clunky vintage’ (like Agnes) than [name_u]Marvel[/name_u]. Like you, one of my first associations would be [name_f]Thora[/name_f] [name_u]Birch[/name_u] and for some reason [name_m]Thor[/name_m] seems totally different. Similar sounding [name_f]Thea[/name_f] is one of my first associations too.
[name_f]Thora[/name_f] is a lovely name and you love it you should use it
That said, I think you are absolutely right, people are going to assume she was named after [name_m]Thor[/name_m] or that you and your husband are big [name_u]Marvel[/name_u] fans. I understand that it is a different name, but it really isn’t…it’s the feminine version of [name_m]Thor[/name_m] so of course people are going to draw that connection. But I don’t know that it’d be negative, I don’t think that it should necessarily deter you from using it.
I adore [name_f]Thora[/name_f], and I connect it more with [name_f]Thora[/name_f] [name_u]Birch[/name_u] than [name_u]Marvel[/name_u] and, interestingly, barely at all with [name_m]Thor[/name_m], despite it being the feminine version. I say go for it! It’s such a lovely, unusual name and yet very wearable.
Go for it! [name_f]Thora[/name_f] is beautiful. Like you, my association with [name_f]Thora[/name_f] [name_u]Birch[/name_u] is far stronger than any association with [name_m]Thor[/name_m]. I concede that we may be in the minority there, but having a laugh and a “long-time love” explanation at the ready will take care of any awkward questions. People assuming you named your daughter [name_f]Thora[/name_f] after [name_m]Thor[/name_m] really says more about THEM than it says about YOU.
I really appreciate your insight. Also your suggestion to call out the names is hilarious because my husband and I have a running joke about how he never even uses my name. And then of course everyone asks what he calls me, and the answer is nothing. He doesn’t really need to call me anything when we’re close by as I can see him. (Of course there’s exceptions to this rule, just like you said about calling from another room etc.) But anyways your suggestion reminded me of that and made me giggle.
100% agree, it’s everything I want in a name! Thank you for solidifying that for me, it’s just hard sometimes when you’re a name nerd and so nothing really fazes you anymore, and you worry you may have ignored something obvious to the rest of the world haha.
Yes, we’ve been trying to think of nicknames, I quite like [name_u]Rory[/name_u], but I think as [name_f]Thora[/name_f] is short already we’ll see what comes naturally.
That’s a good point about the spelling, which seems like no matter what your name is these days you’re always having to spell it out in some way or another. I was ruminating over what she might say this morning, and all the rhyming names, but your idea seems the most straightforward.
Oh thank you! I’m in [name_f]Canada[/name_f] which makes it hard for me to tell what’s popular and what’s out there (partly due to data and partly due to Canadians being seemingly more conservative in how they’re naming their kids, but I could be wrong). Clunky vintage is right up our alley though for girls names, it’s what we tend to lean into.
Thank you! I think in that universe they have [name_f]Lady[/name_f] [name_m]Thor[/name_m], which is honestly just a missed opportunity IMO to use [name_f]Thora[/name_f], but at the same time I am grateful they didn’t lol.
Right? It’s my first thought, but maybe it’s cause I’m a 90s baby and loved her growing up. Funny enough my love for the name had nothing to do with her and came after those dozens of movies she did as a child.
Thank you for making this point, it really is about THEM and not about us! As yourself and some others have said, we can always tell them otherwise, and they can believe what they want to.
[name_f]Thora[/name_f] is a fresh, unexpected name that’s uncommon enough to be unique but not too strange. it’s strong-sounding and spunky without being overtly unisex. imo it’s everything you want in a name !!
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