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Asia is my favourite Polish name - as a diminutive of Joanna ofc, but then, in Polish it is not a place name.

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In English, well, I'm not generally opposed to place names, in fact there are many I like. And Asia doesn't sound too bad. It is however a bit uncomfortable. I would put it in the same broad category as Kenya. It's a nice sound that works as a name but I would feel uncomfortable using it. If someone asked me why I picked it what would I say? What would other people's first impressions be based on this name? Word names carry the weight of the meanings of the words and usually of course those are sweet or whimsical or a little silly but a place name like this adds complexity that I don't think I like for a personal name.

Depends on the context. As Kirke mentionned, it is a legit name. It is pronounced quite differently than the continent.
Sometimes the transliteration of Asha is used. I prefer the spelling Asia as it is, but I understand it can confuse native English speakers. From what I've known, it's only in anglosaxon countries where the spelling could lead to pronunciation problems.

I enjoy the sound of this name, but I wouldn't use it; it's too associated with the continent for me. Also, I used to have a stuffed animal named Asia, and she was a tiger.

It is not simply a place name. In Greek mythology one of the Oceanids is called Asia(I believe there is a Nereid called Asia as well) This site does not give that information.

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And in my country of birth Asia pronounced AH-shah is a common nickname for Joanna.

This message was edited 1/13/2024, 7:47 PM

I love the name, guilty as charged. I wouldn't use it though. I prefer a country name to a continent name, and a city name to a country name.

I don't enjoy any geographical names. I do know someone whose mn is that of a Kenyan mountain, which her parents climbed, and that clearly has personal meaning. But, Asia? So huge, so diverse ... anything from Siberia to the deserts of Pakistan, and every possible political system as well. It has so many meanings that it's become meaningless for practical purposes.

Don't like it as a name

It’s up to you if you use it or not, but I personally find it a bit weird to use continents as names. Are there any more specific locations within Asia that inspire you?