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Re: Japanese Name Iva
in reply to a message by Jewel
I'm sorry, but that site is in error. I studied Japanese for many years and earned a minor in Japanese as well as a BA and MA in Linguistics, so I feel qualified to comment on this. Iva is not a Japanese word or name. The Japanese language does not contain the sound /v/. The Japanese word for "yew tree" is "ichii." Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation about the meanings and origins of names on the Web. It's necessary to use caution and verify what you find through other sources.ETA: I just looked through the other "Japanese names" sections of "Babynology" and there are so many errors I can't even begin to mention them all. For instance: Fujita (a surname) is listed as a girl's name; Vini (impossible in Japanese) is included as a boy's name; Akira (primarily used for males) is called a "top Japanese girl's name," and so forth. That site is a very unreliable source.

This message was edited 5/27/2008, 9:13 AM

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Oh well, I did find it in a baby naming book as well, though that's probably wrong too. Thanks for the info, I won't use that site again!! TTSMLO x
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The claimed meaning of "yew tree" for Iva is possible but, as you pointed, of course not for a suposed Japanese origin.Iva is a feminine form of Ivo (Spanish and other languages equivalent to the French Yves), that means "yew tree".(How in the world they mixed that with the Japanese is a complete mystery to me.)
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