Re: Hania, Jovanka and Nash
in reply to a message by Sabina
1) Nash makes me think of Gnash too. I don't like it at all. But I've heard worse, it's short and the spelling is simple, and if she loves it that much, then maybe it'll grow on you when you meet the baby. I fail at thinking of combos for surnames as first names because they always look the wrong way round to me, but if he has a long surname, I'd keep it simple.
2) Jovana would remove the word-that-rhymes-with-banker problem. Milanka would keep the -anka part, if she likes that. Jolana, Johanna, and Josefa / Jozefa / Josipa might be ideas too.
3) I like Hania and Ania / Anja / Anya best, although Zosia is quite nice too. I think they're all simple enough that pronunciation's not going to be too much of a problem once explained, if you live somewhere fairly multicultural.
4) There's a useful list of Shakespearean names here: http://www.namenerds.com/uucn/shakes.html. I don't know what he's suggested to her already - for all I know he could want to call them Peaseblossom and Mustardseed or Dogberry and Bottom - but I'd probably mix and match plays and go with something like Duncan and Helen or Robin and Beatrice.
5) Medea is pretty, Ira on a girl is very strange, and I've seen Clélie before, but only in 18th-century French birth records. According to modern French birth data it is rising in popularity, but it's still very, very rare.
2) Jovana would remove the word-that-rhymes-with-banker problem. Milanka would keep the -anka part, if she likes that. Jolana, Johanna, and Josefa / Jozefa / Josipa might be ideas too.
3) I like Hania and Ania / Anja / Anya best, although Zosia is quite nice too. I think they're all simple enough that pronunciation's not going to be too much of a problem once explained, if you live somewhere fairly multicultural.
4) There's a useful list of Shakespearean names here: http://www.namenerds.com/uucn/shakes.html. I don't know what he's suggested to her already - for all I know he could want to call them Peaseblossom and Mustardseed or Dogberry and Bottom - but I'd probably mix and match plays and go with something like Duncan and Helen or Robin and Beatrice.
5) Medea is pretty, Ira on a girl is very strange, and I've seen Clélie before, but only in 18th-century French birth records. According to modern French birth data it is rising in popularity, but it's still very, very rare.
Replies
1) Another person who sees the Gnash bit! Simple does work with the surname, so maybe it will fit the kid...
2) I honestly couldn't say if the lady in question saw the Jovana Jovanka link. Eastern style Joseph based names always make me think of Stalin, lamentably. Josipa looks pretty, but it could be pretty butchered, and I have a soft spot for Johanna. Milanka is really rather nice. I have this odd urge to suggest Milana and then say, hey, Milanka...nickname...dude? But that might just be my semi-generic-Slavophone urge to stick -ka on anything.
3) Ania and Zosia. Hania/Ania won't work and they're getting set on Zosia, but Ania is so growing on me. The whole AH-nee-yah pr whatever... eh... pronunciation is pretty unorthodox, I think, but it tends to blur anyway, and is really rather pretty. I think it's better than Hania, non?
4) Beatrice. I love and adore Beatrice. End of. :D
5) Clélie... seriously? I would never have guessed! Is there a link? I just found it so obscure... and Ira is listed as a Russian nickname for Irina, which I have never heard...ever...hmmm....
2) I honestly couldn't say if the lady in question saw the Jovana Jovanka link. Eastern style Joseph based names always make me think of Stalin, lamentably. Josipa looks pretty, but it could be pretty butchered, and I have a soft spot for Johanna. Milanka is really rather nice. I have this odd urge to suggest Milana and then say, hey, Milanka...nickname...dude? But that might just be my semi-generic-Slavophone urge to stick -ka on anything.
3) Ania and Zosia. Hania/Ania won't work and they're getting set on Zosia, but Ania is so growing on me. The whole AH-nee-yah pr whatever... eh... pronunciation is pretty unorthodox, I think, but it tends to blur anyway, and is really rather pretty. I think it's better than Hania, non?
4) Beatrice. I love and adore Beatrice. End of. :D
5) Clélie... seriously? I would never have guessed! Is there a link? I just found it so obscure... and Ira is listed as a Russian nickname for Irina, which I have never heard...ever...hmmm....
Yup, Ira (pr. EE-rah) is a common Slavic female name. It started as a nickname, but used on its own now.