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It sounds like somebody thought the name Zoë sounded too cutesy (and they weren’t wrong), but instead of simply moving on they tried to “fix” it and ended up with nonsense.

It reminds me of a certain type of grass.

Just use Zoe. Zoa sounds like a character out of a bad science fiction novel.

Makes me think of biology, words like protozoa. Zoe is way better.

For a while I was super into researching saltwater aquariums because I really wanted one. So I lurked on marine forums for ages, learning about different kinds of fish and corals. The forums used their own shorthand to refer to different animals, and one term that was everywhere was "Zoa" which was short for "Zoanthid coral". So that's immediately what I think of!

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On the positive side, Zoas are really cute corals, they sort of look like little daisies but they come in all kinds of wild colours. They are hugely popular with hobbyists because they are bright, lower maintenance, more beginner-friendly critters. So the name Zoa has kind of happy-go-lucky feeling for me, it's very cheery. It does seem a little scientific sounding though. Zoia sounds a bit more name-y.

Unattractive. I would prefer Zoë, or similar to Zoa, Noa. Zoa sounds made-up off the top of the head and plain. Like it’s supposed to be some different version of Zoey. Zoya or Zora would be better.

Looks like a typo for Zora. And I prefer Zoe to both.

Short for Protozoa?

I don't like either Noah or Noa, and I do like Zoe. So Zoa loses out twice.

Looks like an acronym. Zambia Orphans Aid?