Mumsnet Talk

We like the name Safia but is it too out there?

I know it sounds very similar to Saskia or Sofia but funnily I'm not keen on either of those.

Is it too out there?

Looks like Sapphire but you wanted to be 'alternative' with it. That would be my immediate reactions, anyway.

I wouldn't, sorry.

I think it is too weird, sorry.

How would you pronounce it? Is the emphasis on the first syllable (SA-fia) or Sa- FIA (like Sophia)?

It sounds like Phil Mitchel trying to say Sophia.

'That Saaaafia is part of my faaaaaaamily.'

Was my 1st thought, sorry

Puts me in mind of Ab Fab...

It's an Arabic name prolly equivalent of Sofia

I know someone called Safia. I like the name, but some people just call her 'Sofia', even when they see it written down.

Maybe if you use the 'Safiya' or 'Safiyyah' spelling, people would be less likely to think it was a typo for 'Sofia'.

Safia is quite nice, but how about Sapphira (a variant of Sapphire)? Very uncommon, but pretty and not likely to be confused with Sofia.

Yup, it's Arabic, it means 'pure'. I'm sure in many parts it's quite a familiar name but we are based in England and have no Arabic connection, just really like the name.

badtime one of my concerns was that people would spell/say it as Sofia regardless. The alternative spellings might help, thanks for that tip.

sw I think it's pronounced sa-FEE-ya.

missy, love the Eastenders point. I don't think I mind but need to think about that some more.

Lovely name. Think hard about the spelling. I have a DD with a very unusual ('forrin') name. Everybody - really, everybody - pronounces it wrong first time and I do worry that she will get a major complex about it. Had we added one letter to her spelling then I think 90% of people would get it right first time. When we're at places where I have to write her name down and then someone will call it out in a waiting room, I add the extra letter, so there's more chance of people getting it right. I'd have felt silly adding the letter on her birth cert, as it would have made it a made up name rather than an unsual (but classical) name. However, it would probably make her life a little easier. Having said that, I have an unusual-ish name too and people got my name wrong a fair amount and I dealt with it, but it can be annoying especially when someone who has known you for years still gets it wrong!

I think it's pronounced sa-FEE-ya.

Probably best to check before you use it but I've always thought it was pronounced SAH-fee-ah (I suppose with the beginning rhyming with Taffy).

Ow can you possibly love a name if you only think you know how it's pronounced?

I've found an Algerian man saying Safiyyah here: http://www.forvo.com/word/%D8%B5%D9%81%D9%8A%D8%A9/

Apparently Safiyya is the name of one of Muhammad's wives.

I think I'd either spell it the traditional transliterated way, pronounce it properly, and call it a beautiful Arabic name or spell it my own way, pronounce it how I wanted, and call it a made up name inspired by Sophia/Safiyya.

I think you might just get a lot of people calling her Sophia or Safiyya though (as per forvo.com pronunciation above).

I was going to mention before you did that it sounds Arabic. It's lovely. It's a real name and it isn't weird at all.

I love Saskia (sorry, I know you don't!) and Saffron.

It's ok as a name, but a bit odd to use it if you don't have an Arabic connection.

I like it - Yes Saffy for short like in AbFab but that's ok!

I know a Saphia. Lovely name.

It's pretty, but I'd assume you'd have some Arabic connection, as I've taught a few Safia/Safiyas, all of whom had Middle Eastern heritage. I suspect that with a non-Arabic background, people might assume you were aiming for a creative spelling of Sophia. Would personally go for something similar sounding like Sapphire/Saffron.

I don't think that Safia or Safiya are too weird, even without an Arabic/Islamic connection. Zara is a version of Zahra which has become mainstream. Maryam isn't unusual either. Safia sounds like an ordinary name.

I don't understand why it is acceptable to use names from some countries you have no connection with and not others. Does anyone tell people they shouldn't call their child Amelie if they're not French, or Finn if they're not Irish or Scottish?

I've know a couple of Safiyahs, pronounced to rhyme with Raffia (as in furniture), the emphasis is on the SAF, so its SAF-iyah,

I don't think its too odd at all. Maybe it depends where you live. I would probably assume you had an arabic or islamic connection.

I like it, its different without being out there.

Well, personally I do think it's a bit odd to use French and Irish names if you have no connection to those countries.

I wouldn't say you shouldnt do it though. Just that it's a bit odd. Obviously people can call their children what they like, whether that's Finn or Chocolate Teapot. It doesn't stop some choices appearing strange to others.

I don't think it's an odd name at all. I'm slightly surprised that people might think this. I think it's lovely.

I think it is pretty. However, I think it is weird to give your child a name that insinuates your child is from a different country/culture, when you have no connection to said country/culture.

Sometimes it sounds pretentious to use a name so obviously from another culture, especially when it's a "hard work" name like Saphia.

I wouldn't use it because she will spend her life explaining it's not Sophia (lovely name, too). Saffron with nn Saffy is nice.