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I would prefer Leda.

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I have nothing against female names ending in -o in general, but Leto unfortunately has been sort of cemented in my mind as a male name by the characters in Frank Herbert's Dune series. The father of Paul, the hero of the first book in the series, is Duke Leto Atreides, and Paul names his son after his father. In later books in the series, that son becomes Emperor Leto. It may be sad, but I'm afraid these days many more people in English speaking countries will be familiar with these male Letos from Dune than will be familiar with the original female mythological character.

I've never been terribly fond of Leda or Leta (the latter of which seems nn-y to me, but I'm not sure for what) but they're not awful by any means. Leto seems like a surname to me (blame Jared Leto) or like Leo with a 't' stuck in there. :b

I like the sound of Leda but the story of Leto, so I could take either one methinks. I prn them as you do. I would probably take Leda over Leto, though, because I hate when people do not enunciate middle-T's, so Leto would probably sound a lot like LEE-doh, or LEE-toh (but with a short T), and I don't like that as much.

Leda

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Names with O endings just sound male to me, whether they are or not. Leda is very nice though.

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I grew up with a girl named Leta (LEE-tah). I guess because it's so familiar to me and has a good association, I like that one best of all.

I've always heard LEE-da so that's what I say.

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I asked about it on another message board when I was pregnant before, and a LOT of people said they think of "Leda and the Swan" and therefore it seems squicky (I am not familiar with the story but apparently it involves sex between a man and a swan? Myths are weird). Anyway, people seemed to like Leta better.

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Leto is neat. I like -o names that are feminine. I don't pronounce the T right though, so it comes out rhyming with Speedo, and I can't make it sound attractive.

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I just have a pool of family names for middle names these days... none of them seems to work too well with any of these. Maybe Leta Mildred... heh.

This message was edited 5/14/2007, 11:02 AM

I've been saying LAY-da, though LEE-da is fine. I guess my favorite pronunciation is somewhere in between, a bit like LEI-da, if there's any distinction there for you.

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Leto just reminds me of Jared these days. Leda is way prettier, anyway.

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Leda Zubaida
Leda Pelagia
Leda Nephele
Leda Bithiah
Leda Parthenia
Leda Fahima
Leda Sieglinde
Leda Clothilde
Leda Kallisto
Leda Nanaea
Leda Khadija
Leda Colombe
Leda Kalliope
Leda Sidonie

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I like Leda, I say LAY-dah myself, I also like Leto, but I prefer Leda, but not by much.

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Leda Winter
Leda Vianne
Leda Adelaide
Leda Kerensa

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Leto Ariadne
Leto Serafina
Leto Soraya
Leto Morgana / Morgaine

I love both. I honestly can't decide between the two. They're both very pretty and sophistocated, and I love mythology names in general.

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Leda is wonderfully delicate, elegant, and balances; it would sound spectacular with a long, classic MN.

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I like the simplicity of Leto. It's simple, and I love the fact that there's absolutely nothing frilly about it. It's also very cute, but not sickenly sweet so it would age very well.

Leto and Leda are both fine, though I have to admit I prefer Lita to Leda. Neither name (nor Lita, for that matter) is one I'd use, but I'd be pleased to meet Leda or Leto.

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I suppose I'd prefer Leda today (and I'd pronounce it LEE-da). Has a slightly more homey feeling to me, like she could be a nineteenth-century maid as well as Helen of Troy's mother.

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Leda Winifred
Leda Psyche
Leda Wren
Leda Harriet
Leda Jean
Leda Julie
Leda Christel
Leda Florence
Leda Rosamunde
Leda Bethel
Leda Prayer (kidding :)
Leda Tanith
Leda Quintina
Leda Parthenope

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Leto Parnassia
Leto Ismene
Leto Fulvia
Leto Flavia
Leto Gwendolen
Leto Aster
Leto Melisande
Leto Pamela
Leto Gloria
Leto Ursula
Leto Winona
Leto Amity
Leto Vera
Leto Georgette
Leto Amaryllis

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Array

Leda...

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I would instinctively say LAY-da, but I like LEE-da much better. I also prefer it to Leto.
Leda Victoria
Leda Persephone
Leda Artemis