Respondents: 70 (This poll is closed)
I think it’s pretty, though confusing. I want to pronounce it riv-vee-EH-ruh not the way you’re saying. Not that my way makes any sense, though.
But yes it is pretty 
I personally wouldn’t use it, though I do see it’s potential. Rivera brings to mind a strong, independent, strong willed person.
I like the sound of it, before reading your pronunciation of it I read it that way anyway btw - if that’s something you were concerned about.
I think it sounds quite sweet and isn’t too out there. I personally wouldn’t use it (I’m a simple name kind of girl) but I wouldn’t turn my nose up/down at someone with the name. I think it’s a lot nicer than the “names” people are trying to make names atm.
Rivera makes me think of a little girl who has a puppy, she’s very sweet and always seems to be smiling and wanting to help others.
I pronounced Rivera the way you wanted. However, it was because word association brought me to pasta primavera (not sure if that’s just me though). I might consider it as a mn, it feels soft and calming.
Maybe it’s because of my association, but I see Rivera as a chef, working bottom up as she takes care of her little brother, saving up to start her own catering company.
My first association is [name_m]Brent[/name_m] Rivera; could very well be that you’ve never heard of him. He’s a popular youtuber, mostly geared towards teenagers and young adults (I think). I don’t think anyone outside of that age group would make this association, but I just thought I’d say it because it’s the very first thing I thought of.
I do love Rivera; it’s a less wordy version of also pretty [name_u]River[/name_u] (which I do prefer on a boy).
My thoughts were similar to [name_f]Elza[/name_f]'s, Rivera reminds me of italian food. I personally dont find that a bad thing, I actually am really starting to like this name 
steampunkleo: I like your pronunciation, and [name_m]Riviera[/name_m] is oh so pretty! I’m liking that it means “coastline” in Italian. Thanks for your thoughts and personality description!
saruliah: I’m glad you automatically went for the same pronunciation as mine. I think you’re right that it might be a sweet-spot name being familiar, yet different! Thanks for the cute imagery.
elza0911: Yay for matching pronunciations. Also, I had to get something to eat after reading your comments. I enjoyed your description of “calming” and a driven chef!
smartie352: I wasn’t familiar w/ [name_m]Brent[/name_m], but you reminded me that Rivera is a surname, which is totally in right now! Maybe I thought of Rivera as a name because I’ve been admiring the art of [name_m]Diego[/name_m] Rivera.
ziggywiggy: I’m glad you like Rivera too and I agree that food is NOT a bad association!
Any preferences between Rivera and [name_m]Riviera[/name_m]?
[name_m]Just[/name_m] makes me think of [name_m]Geraldo[/name_m] Rivera. Can’t see it as a first name.
I also think about [name_m]Geraldo[/name_m] Rivera and then I think of awful mustaches 
my brain has tendencies to take big leaps…
I’m in [name_u]California[/name_u] and Rivera makes me think of the common Spanish/Latino surname. So, if I met a Rivera I would assume they were given the name kind of as an honor name or to keep a surname alive. So for me, it’s surname-y which is okay because there are whole lists of awesome surnames that work as first names. But it doesn’t give the me same feel as [name_u]River[/name_u] or [name_f]Vera[/name_f] and neither of those names come to mind for me when I see Rivera.
I voted “neutral thoughts and feelings.”
pansy: I’d forgotten about [name_m]Geraldo[/name_m] Rivera. Thanks for keeping me up on the association!
sunflowerist: I’m curious if you just picture his bushy mustache or just mustaches in general? Thanks for sharing your big leap. (:
tiannarose: I agree that surnames are usable as first names and wonder how much of it is “preservation of family heritage” vs “we just like the name.” I think it’s okay that [name_u]River[/name_u] and [name_f]Vera[/name_f] are hidden treasures in this case. Thank you for commenting!
I hadn’t thought of [name_m]Geraldo[/name_m] Rivera either, though it wouldn’t sway me as I tend not to think of him. I like Rivera more than [name_m]Riviera[/name_m], as Rivera is more of the smoosh you were looking for
Makes me think of [name_m]Geraldo[/name_m] Rivera also.
elza0911: Thanks for the affirmation on Rivera vs [name_m]Riviera[/name_m]. I think both have their positive qualities, but I do prefer [name_f]Vera[/name_f] over [name_f]Viera[/name_f], so that’s something to keep in mind. (:
mtgv: Apparently [name_m]Geraldo[/name_m] Rivera is a pretty common association. Other than a quick google search, I don’t know much about him. Is this a reason to avoid Rivera or relegate it to a guilty pleasure list?
I definitely picture an artsy girl, since the only association I have with the name is [name_m]Diego[/name_m] Rivera, the extremely famous Mexican muralist. Anyone with any exposture to Spanish would know how to pronounce this name intuitively.
I like the sound, but the fact that it’s a surname makes it unusable.
I prefer [name_u]River[/name_u], [name_f]Vera[/name_f] or [name_m]Riviera[/name_m]. Rivera is a pretty common last name where I am so that’s all I can think of since it’s not really used as a first name. For me it would be the equivalent of [name_m]Johnson[/name_m] or [name_m]Rodriguez[/name_m].
I don’t really care for it, because it looks so much like [name_m]Riviera[/name_m], which makes me think of gambling, Las [name_f]Vegas[/name_f] honeymoons, and conception-related name stories that always make me cringe. [name_m]How[/name_m]'s that for a crazy leap? Haha.
[name_m]Geraldo[/name_m] Rivera was a notorious talk show host in the 1980’s. His show was approximately the daytime television version of a checkout-aisle gossip/sensationalism tabloid… only you could watch the family feuds and girl brawls in action instead of in paparazzi stills. Classy stuff! It’s probably a generational association. I’d say [name_f]Gen[/name_f]-X age and older will probably remember him; Millenial and younger aren’t as likely to think of him. If you’re not in the U.S. it might not even be a problem.
I’ve always thought the surname Rivera was pretty cool, and had beautiful imagery to me, so I’ve got positive associations with it (although I’m not sure how I feel about giving it to a little girl–I’m not as fond of surname names on girls). I guess it is sort of like [name_u]Santana[/name_u], which was used on Glee (I think?)–it was really odd to me at the beginning, but then I just got used to it. And I like Rivera much better than [name_u]Santana[/name_u].
For what it’s worth, though, most people I know here say the surname like rih-[name_m]VEER[/name_m]-ah. Which isn’t technically right in Spanish, but that’s how most of us say it? I’m wondering if you wouldn’t get it said the way you are intending.
I totally agree with this.