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HelpVera, Linnea - pronunciation and opinions?
Vera- Do you pronounce it as Veera or Veh-ra? (Which do you think is more common?)
What do you think about Vera in comparison to Viola?
Linnea- Is it more commonly pronounced as Linn -ay'-ah or Linn-ee'-ah? (Is the emphasis always on the second syllable?)
I have never met anyone with this name but I am not sure if I heard of an NPR reporter with the name.
Which do you prefer of Vera, Viola (I was thinking with the nickname Lola) or Linnea?
MN options I am considering include Mae, Sophie, Petra, and Jeanne (family name but not sure if I want to use it).
What do you think about Vera in comparison to Viola?
Linnea- Is it more commonly pronounced as Linn -ay'-ah or Linn-ee'-ah? (Is the emphasis always on the second syllable?)
I have never met anyone with this name but I am not sure if I heard of an NPR reporter with the name.
Which do you prefer of Vera, Viola (I was thinking with the nickname Lola) or Linnea?
MN options I am considering include Mae, Sophie, Petra, and Jeanne (family name but not sure if I want to use it).
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Replies
Vera - "VEER-uh"
Viola - "VIE-uh-lah"/"VIE-luh" (somewhere between the two).
Linnea - "lin-NAY-uh".
I like them all, actually, but especially Viola and Linnea (they would be great for siblings!). Not so keen on Lola, it's a bit of a push for Viola. Viola doesn't demand a nickname, I think - if anything I would call her Vy for short.
Viola - "VIE-uh-lah"/"VIE-luh" (somewhere between the two).
Linnea - "lin-NAY-uh".
I like them all, actually, but especially Viola and Linnea (they would be great for siblings!). Not so keen on Lola, it's a bit of a push for Viola. Viola doesn't demand a nickname, I think - if anything I would call her Vy for short.
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Vera, Viola and Linnea are all names that I love.
I say VEER-ra, veer rhyming with deer. I'd say this is more common for native English speakers, but it might be different in Europe, say. I know the French pronunciation of Vera is like VEH-ra or VAIR-ra.
Vera and Viola are both so nice! They're very different, but I like them both. They'd make sweet names for sisters.
I say linn-AY-a, but I once met someone called Linnea who was actually Scandinavian (Swedish, I think - I can't remember) and she said LINN-ee-a. At first I thought she said Lydia or Lidia.
I love Viola with the nickname Lola, but I don't know which of the three names is my favourite. Vera or Viola. Very close.
With the middle names, I think Petra and Sophie are nice middle names for all of them.
I say VEER-ra, veer rhyming with deer. I'd say this is more common for native English speakers, but it might be different in Europe, say. I know the French pronunciation of Vera is like VEH-ra or VAIR-ra.
Vera and Viola are both so nice! They're very different, but I like them both. They'd make sweet names for sisters.
I say linn-AY-a, but I once met someone called Linnea who was actually Scandinavian (Swedish, I think - I can't remember) and she said LINN-ee-a. At first I thought she said Lydia or Lidia.
I love Viola with the nickname Lola, but I don't know which of the three names is my favourite. Vera or Viola. Very close.
With the middle names, I think Petra and Sophie are nice middle names for all of them.
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Linnea: I say lin-AY-ah and love it. I visited Finland several years ago and met a Finnish Linnea who said LEEN-neh-ah with a long N. It was lovely when she said it, but not so much when I did.
Vera: VAIR-ah. Fusty, dowdy, and not ready for a comeback. I prefer Viola, which is saying something as I hate Viola.
Linnea Jeanne or Linnea Sophie would be lovely.
Vera: VAIR-ah. Fusty, dowdy, and not ready for a comeback. I prefer Viola, which is saying something as I hate Viola.
Linnea Jeanne or Linnea Sophie would be lovely.
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I say Vera as vee-ruh, and that's how every Vera I know pronounces it. I think this is the more common pronunciation.
The only Linnea I've known said LIN-ee-uh (kind of like "linear" with a Boston accent?), but I think the proper prn is lin-AY-uh.
I prefer Linnea of those three.
Vera strikes me as very middle-aged (all the Veras I know are in their 50s or older). Looking at popularity data, it looks like it's coming back into fashion, but I still think it seems kind of old. I like it better as a nickname for Veronica or something. Viola reminds me of the instrument, and I never know if I should say vee-oh-la or vie-oh-la.
For the three names, these are the combos I like best:
Vera Jeanne
Viola Petra
Linnea Mae
The only Linnea I've known said LIN-ee-uh (kind of like "linear" with a Boston accent?), but I think the proper prn is lin-AY-uh.
I prefer Linnea of those three.
Vera strikes me as very middle-aged (all the Veras I know are in their 50s or older). Looking at popularity data, it looks like it's coming back into fashion, but I still think it seems kind of old. I like it better as a nickname for Veronica or something. Viola reminds me of the instrument, and I never know if I should say vee-oh-la or vie-oh-la.
For the three names, these are the combos I like best:
Vera Jeanne
Viola Petra
Linnea Mae
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I'm in the U.S., where Vera is usually pronounced, "VEER-uh." I love the British pronunciation of Viola, "VIE-uh-luh," but I dislike one I usually hear, "vie-O-luh." My grandmother was Vera (Veronica, formally) so I have a strong bias toward it. :0)
As for Linnea, I say, "li-NAY-uh." I babysat for one in the 70s. I've never heard, "li-NEE-uh." But I have heard, "li-NAY," which makes me sad.
Your middle name choices are gorgeous. Lucky you and lucky daughter:
Vera Jeanne
Vera Sophie
Vera Bartolomea (To honor Mae? Just a thought)
Linnea Sophie
Petra Linnea (although some might dislike the "petrol" in there)
Linnea Marianne (to honor Mae)
As for Linnea, I say, "li-NAY-uh." I babysat for one in the 70s. I've never heard, "li-NEE-uh." But I have heard, "li-NAY," which makes me sad.
Your middle name choices are gorgeous. Lucky you and lucky daughter:
Vera Jeanne
Vera Sophie
Vera Bartolomea (To honor Mae? Just a thought)
Linnea Sophie
Petra Linnea (although some might dislike the "petrol" in there)
Linnea Marianne (to honor Mae)
This message was edited 6/3/2014, 12:40 PM
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Bear,
Your post reminded me that I love the name Veronica. I was going to use it if my son had been a boy and we would have called her Ronni. As it is, he is a boy and we named him Ronnie so I thought Veronica was out of the picture for future girl babies.
However! I never thought to call Veronica "Vera". Ron and Vera...Lovely! I'm rethinking my girl name now.
What's your opinion on:
Elizabeth Susan
versus
Veronica (nn Vera) Susan?
Your post reminded me that I love the name Veronica. I was going to use it if my son had been a boy and we would have called her Ronni. As it is, he is a boy and we named him Ronnie so I thought Veronica was out of the picture for future girl babies.
However! I never thought to call Veronica "Vera". Ron and Vera...Lovely! I'm rethinking my girl name now.
What's your opinion on:
Elizabeth Susan
versus
Veronica (nn Vera) Susan?
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I would say "Veera" but I don't know what's more common. I like Vera better than Viola but they are both lovely.
I would say Lynn-ay-ah but I don't know what's more common. I've never met a Linnea.
Lola is a nice nn for Viola.
Out of all the names, I do like Vera the best. It's easy to say, easy to spell, but is unique, strong and feminine.
Vera Mae or Vera Jeanne would be my picks.
I would say Lynn-ay-ah but I don't know what's more common. I've never met a Linnea.
Lola is a nice nn for Viola.
Out of all the names, I do like Vera the best. It's easy to say, easy to spell, but is unique, strong and feminine.
Vera Mae or Vera Jeanne would be my picks.
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At least in Sweden, Linnea is always pronounced lin-NÉ-ah, so the most correct pr. in English would be Lin-NAY-ah. I prefer Linnea to Vera and Viola, but Vera is rather cute, too. The Swedish pr. of Vera sounds more like VEE-ra than Veh-ra (but rather it's more like VAY-rah), so I prefer that pr.
Linnea Mae would be rather cute.
Linnea Mae would be rather cute.
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I always pronounced Vera as Veh-ra. I personally like Vera more than Viola. I like Viola, don't get me wrong, but Vera always had a sort of classy elegance to it that made me like it.
Linnea I pronounce Linn-ay-ah. It just seems more natural.
All in all Vera>Linnea>Viola. And again, I do like all of these names but Vera gives off a very classy vibe that I like.
Linnea I pronounce Linn-ay-ah. It just seems more natural.
All in all Vera>Linnea>Viola. And again, I do like all of these names but Vera gives off a very classy vibe that I like.
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I don't know what's more common but I originally heard "veera" so that's always my first guess.
I think Viola is the grumpy old-fashioned one, and Vera can still be fresh and modern sounding. I heard someone calling a child Vera just the other day. It sounded right - seems like a peer for Ava and Evelyn. I'd much rather see a girl named Violet than named creaky old Viola.
My neighbor is a Linnea. It's Lin-NAY-a. It's a nice name. About like Renee... I like Vera better than Linnea, and Linnea better than Viola, and Viola better than Lola.
Vera Jeanne sounds really nifty.
I think Viola is the grumpy old-fashioned one, and Vera can still be fresh and modern sounding. I heard someone calling a child Vera just the other day. It sounded right - seems like a peer for Ava and Evelyn. I'd much rather see a girl named Violet than named creaky old Viola.
My neighbor is a Linnea. It's Lin-NAY-a. It's a nice name. About like Renee... I like Vera better than Linnea, and Linnea better than Viola, and Viola better than Lola.
Vera Jeanne sounds really nifty.
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Veera, like an Era with a V in front. Never heard any other version. There's always Verity, if you want a short e sound.
I find Viola charming as long as it's Vee and not Vie. Rather the flower than the musical instrument.
I've never heard Linnea at all. I'd guess lin AY a, on the analogy of what I think Linnaeus sounds like, but I can't prove it.
I liked the only Vera I've ever known well - she was a much older person and her name seems to have pretty much died with her. So I wouldn't use it. Viola is my choice, partly from Twelfth Night and partly from the only Viola I've known, who was a lively, cheerful schoolgirl with enviably long legs who was learning to be a drummer. Linnea looks and sounds pretty, but it's a bit linear and there are too many Linda, Lindsay and Lynn people, of various ages, to make it really attractive.
Viola Mae is good. Viola Jean would work better than Viola Jeanne imo. The repeated -o- eliminates Sophie, though Linnea Sophie would be good. Petra would really only work with Linnea and even so, the repeated -a is a problem.
I find Viola charming as long as it's Vee and not Vie. Rather the flower than the musical instrument.
I've never heard Linnea at all. I'd guess lin AY a, on the analogy of what I think Linnaeus sounds like, but I can't prove it.
I liked the only Vera I've ever known well - she was a much older person and her name seems to have pretty much died with her. So I wouldn't use it. Viola is my choice, partly from Twelfth Night and partly from the only Viola I've known, who was a lively, cheerful schoolgirl with enviably long legs who was learning to be a drummer. Linnea looks and sounds pretty, but it's a bit linear and there are too many Linda, Lindsay and Lynn people, of various ages, to make it really attractive.
Viola Mae is good. Viola Jean would work better than Viola Jeanne imo. The repeated -o- eliminates Sophie, though Linnea Sophie would be good. Petra would really only work with Linnea and even so, the repeated -a is a problem.
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I pronounce Vera as VEER-ah, and I think it's the more common pronunciation, at least here in England.
I don't like either Vera or Viola.
Whenever I saw Linnea I would always pronounce it LINN-ee-ah, which I found really ugly and therefore it put me off the name. It's taken a long time to train myself to say linn-AY-ah, even in my head. I find it the more attractive pronunciation. I don't know which is more common or if one is right and the other wrong.
I prefer Linnea out of the three you've mentioned. Linnea Sophia is nice. I like May (and Mae, but May more) but it doesn't go well with Linnea.
I don't like either Vera or Viola.
Whenever I saw Linnea I would always pronounce it LINN-ee-ah, which I found really ugly and therefore it put me off the name. It's taken a long time to train myself to say linn-AY-ah, even in my head. I find it the more attractive pronunciation. I don't know which is more common or if one is right and the other wrong.
I prefer Linnea out of the three you've mentioned. Linnea Sophia is nice. I like May (and Mae, but May more) but it doesn't go well with Linnea.
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Vera: I've only ever heard it pronounced Veera. I don't like it, it's blowzy and frowzy and just unattractive. Viola is even more so. Lola is cheap and tacky in a very dated kind of way.
Linnea: I've heard it Lin-AY-a. I think it's much nicer than Vera or Viola.
Linnea: I've heard it Lin-AY-a. I think it's much nicer than Vera or Viola.
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Vera - I don't like either Vera or Viola. Vera is a stuffy old lady (not the spunky kind) and Viola is too limp a name for me. I say VEER-uh.
I have never met a Linnea but I would say Lin-NAY-uh. I like it.
Totally prefer Linnea.
I like Linnea Petra and Linnea Sophie, and also Vera Mae. Don't really care for any of the Viola options. Maybe Viola Jeanne.
I have never met a Linnea but I would say Lin-NAY-uh. I like it.
Totally prefer Linnea.
I like Linnea Petra and Linnea Sophie, and also Vera Mae. Don't really care for any of the Viola options. Maybe Viola Jeanne.
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Vera is quite sweet. I have always wondered why it is so underused, given the popularity in postwar Britain of Vera Lynn. I know one Vera And one Susan Vera, both 60-something, and a Russian-born Vera. I think the name fits in well with today's trends and would love to meet a little Vera. Viola is pretty but I never know how to pronounce it, whereas I have only ever heard Vera as veer-uh. Also, Vera is less pretentious IMHO.
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