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Help[Opinions] Davina
Adelle brought this name to my attention lately and while it doesn't beat Deirdre, I find I really like it.
With one exception. I like it pronounced DAV-ihn-ah, not dah-VEEN-ah. What do you think? Also dah-VIHN-ah sounds nice to me, but just not the "accepted" prn. Would you be surprised to hear those other pronunciations? Would it seem "illiterate" to you? I know a girl named Eva pronounced Eh-va, which while pretty, makes me think the parents weren't too bright (having been told they thought it was prn that way by someone). Would you infer that about DAV-ihn-ah? Or is the name less common enough it wouldn't matter?
Also what are some combos for Davina, either as a fn or mn?
I like:
Davina Rose
Davina Clare
Davina Paulette
And would the nn Dave be escapable given the strong DAV sound? (Although I don't know that Dav is a better nickname, but Davvy sounds somehow cute to me.)
Amended: I know that Eh-va is a legitimate prn, but I was told that the parents DIDN'T know that, or that it was prn EE-va to begin with around here. In other words, they thought the name akin to the word ever with an a, which seems somewhat none too bright, not that they were being culturally revolutionary or something.
With one exception. I like it pronounced DAV-ihn-ah, not dah-VEEN-ah. What do you think? Also dah-VIHN-ah sounds nice to me, but just not the "accepted" prn. Would you be surprised to hear those other pronunciations? Would it seem "illiterate" to you? I know a girl named Eva pronounced Eh-va, which while pretty, makes me think the parents weren't too bright (having been told they thought it was prn that way by someone). Would you infer that about DAV-ihn-ah? Or is the name less common enough it wouldn't matter?
Also what are some combos for Davina, either as a fn or mn?
I like:
Davina Rose
Davina Clare
Davina Paulette
And would the nn Dave be escapable given the strong DAV sound? (Although I don't know that Dav is a better nickname, but Davvy sounds somehow cute to me.)
Amended: I know that Eh-va is a legitimate prn, but I was told that the parents DIDN'T know that, or that it was prn EE-va to begin with around here. In other words, they thought the name akin to the word ever with an a, which seems somewhat none too bright, not that they were being culturally revolutionary or something.
This message was edited 11/28/2007, 11:54 AM
Archived Thread - replies disabled
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I did a thread earlier this year on female Scottish names and Davina is one of my favorites. It didn't go over especially well with the regulars here so I'm thrilled that someone else likes Davina!
I've never heard the other pronunciation and I'm not sure you'd get what you're looking for. The pronunciation of Davina seems pretty straitforward to me. I confess, I'd probably do a double take if I heard someone called DAV-inn-a. As far as nns go, I think Davy/Davie would be much more likely than Dave (yuck).
I like Davina Rose and Davina Clare.
BTW, EH-va is a legit pronunciation (there are several). ;-)
I've never heard the other pronunciation and I'm not sure you'd get what you're looking for. The pronunciation of Davina seems pretty straitforward to me. I confess, I'd probably do a double take if I heard someone called DAV-inn-a. As far as nns go, I think Davy/Davie would be much more likely than Dave (yuck).
I like Davina Rose and Davina Clare.
BTW, EH-va is a legit pronunciation (there are several). ;-)
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eh-vah is weird here.
ee-vah is correct.
ee-vah is correct.
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Depends on who you are.
Anything other than AY-va for Eva is off to me. It's one of those names that I think people are better off keeping an open mind about given how many ways it can go.
Anything other than AY-va for Eva is off to me. It's one of those names that I think people are better off keeping an open mind about given how many ways it can go.
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The difference between "veen" and "vihn" is the same difference between "green" and "grin".
Array
Array
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I see! It's not so big to me, probably a French thing...
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I don't really like Davina. But I don't think there should be any problem with using another pronounciation than dah-VEEN-ah. Of course you would probably have to tell a lot of people how to pronunce it more than once and probably you would have to explain why you pronounce it like that. But I don't think you should use another pronounciation than the one you really like becuase someone might think that you are "illiterate".
Oh, and I have to defend the parents of Eva. Eh-va is exactly how you pronouce Eva in Sweden (and other parts of Scandinavia + Germany)so thinking that the parents "weren't too bright" is in this case a bit, well... narrow-minded. Most common names that are found in the Western world aren't pronounced the same way everywhere.
Oh, and I have to defend the parents of Eva. Eh-va is exactly how you pronouce Eva in Sweden (and other parts of Scandinavia + Germany)so thinking that the parents "weren't too bright" is in this case a bit, well... narrow-minded. Most common names that are found in the Western world aren't pronounced the same way everywhere.
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I know that Eh-va is a legitimate prn, but I was told that the parents DIDN'T know that, or that it was prn EE-va to begin with around here. In other words, they thought the name akin to the word ever with an a, which seems somewhat none too bright, not that they were being culturally revolutionary or something.
This message was edited 11/28/2007, 9:51 AM
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OT question...
I've actually wondered this for a long time, but how do you pronounce your posting name? I've been saying it EE-vee, and have wondered if that was correct or not. Is it EH-vee? The Eva stuff reminded me about it.
I've actually wondered this for a long time, but how do you pronounce your posting name? I've been saying it EE-vee, and have wondered if that was correct or not. Is it EH-vee? The Eva stuff reminded me about it.
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EEvey
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Firstly, I love Davina. Charming, old-fashioned-sounding without sounding stale. Definitely usable.
As for the pronunciation, while I don't think your pronunciation sounds illiterate, I certainly wouldn't expect that particular way of pronouncing it. If not pronounced 'duh-VEE-nah', I'd have bet on 'duh-VEYE-nah'. To me, 'DAV-ihn-ah' sounds...I don't know...like one is trying too hard. To get that pronunciation, I'd have thought it spelled Davinna.
Davina Rose- the Duke of Gloucester and his wife have two daughters named Davina and Rose. :) Rose is so overdone as a MN that I'd like to see something else, something unpredictable for as great a first name as Davina would be.
Davina Clare- this combos is ok. It's sounds nice, even if it's not my cup of tea.
Davina Paulette- oh! Definitely my favourite of the three. Love, love it.
Also, what about:
Davina Josette
Davina Josephine
Davina Victoria
Davina Blythe
Davina Chloe
Davina Rosalind
Davina Gabrielle
Davina Katya
Davina Alison
Davina Carys
Davina Adelaide
Davina Abigail
As for the pronunciation, while I don't think your pronunciation sounds illiterate, I certainly wouldn't expect that particular way of pronouncing it. If not pronounced 'duh-VEE-nah', I'd have bet on 'duh-VEYE-nah'. To me, 'DAV-ihn-ah' sounds...I don't know...like one is trying too hard. To get that pronunciation, I'd have thought it spelled Davinna.
Davina Rose- the Duke of Gloucester and his wife have two daughters named Davina and Rose. :) Rose is so overdone as a MN that I'd like to see something else, something unpredictable for as great a first name as Davina would be.
Davina Clare- this combos is ok. It's sounds nice, even if it's not my cup of tea.
Davina Paulette- oh! Definitely my favourite of the three. Love, love it.
Also, what about:
Davina Josette
Davina Josephine
Davina Victoria
Davina Blythe
Davina Chloe
Davina Rosalind
Davina Gabrielle
Davina Katya
Davina Alison
Davina Carys
Davina Adelaide
Davina Abigail
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I like the name Davina. I'd only ever thought of it with the dah-VEEN-ah pronunciation. I don't dislike the DAV-ihn-ah pronunciation, but I do think that it would probably engender the response, "They don't know how to pronounce that name." Also I wonder how many people would keep pronouncing it dah-VEEN-ah even though they were told that it was DAV-ihn-ah. I know I keep saying things like that, for instance I've told people that it would be hard to get others to use the French pronunciation for Genevieve, but in my experience, people are like that. My mother-in-law is from Belgium originally and her name is Anny. In Belgium the initial syllable is pronounced as if you were at the doctor and he wanted to look at your throat and told you to say "Ah." (Sorry, couldn't think of any other way to explain it.) But Americans insist on pronouncing her name just like Annie, as in Little Orphan Annie, and she has never been able to get them to do otherwise.
I once knew a woman whose daughter was named Davina, but she was always called "Davy." I like Davina, but didn't care at all for that nickname. But then I don't like boyish names on girls. I honestly couldn't say if the nn would be inescapable or not, as I think she preferred that nickname.
I once knew a woman whose daughter was named Davina, but she was always called "Davy." I like Davina, but didn't care at all for that nickname. But then I don't like boyish names on girls. I honestly couldn't say if the nn would be inescapable or not, as I think she preferred that nickname.
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