My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Baby names

If I, as a British person with no connection to the USA, named my daughter

74 replies

helloagainhowareyou · 22/08/2014 15:54

Dana (pronounced day-na) would you think it was weird?

I love the name but I've never met or heard of a British person with the name before. All the fictional characters named Dana that I can think of off the top of my head are all American and the only two Dana's I've met in real life were both American.

I mentioned the name as a possibility to my mum and she looked at me like this Hmm. A friend who I told also seemed to raise her eyebrows slightly.

Is it really that out there or weird?

OP posts:
Report
Chennai · 22/08/2014 15:55

I've always thought it was pronounced dar-na but may be wrong!

Report
PeterParkerSays · 22/08/2014 15:57

It just reminds me of the 1970s Irish singer, rather than an American name. I wouldn't chose it, sorry.

Report
girliefriend · 22/08/2014 15:58

Don't really like the name (for a little girl just think its not very pretty) but I don't think it is weird or out there!!

Report
Mondaybaby · 22/08/2014 15:59

It is a pretty name but I would pronounce it 'Daa na' not 'Day na'.
If you really like it then go with it!

Report
juneybean · 22/08/2014 15:59

I wouldn't think it was weird, a lot of "american" names creep over.

I just don't rate it as a name generally.

Report
mrsnec · 22/08/2014 16:00

we're English and dh wanted it and had it on his shortlist. I said no but only because I can think of some much better names. He's a massive x files fan though.

It's not out there or weird imo.

Report
GlacindaTheTroll · 22/08/2014 16:00

Yes, I'd find it weird because the (well established) UK and Ireland pronunciation is Dah-na.

It's not a particularly fashionable name right now (in terms of frequency of use) but it's definitely not a new US import.

Are you OK with the prospect of pointing out the different pronunciation to everyone who reads it and uses the trad one?

Report
helloagainhowareyou · 22/08/2014 16:04

Chennai, I've never heard it pronounced dar-na before - I'm thinking Dana Scully, Dana from Ghostbusters and the oldest daughter from Poltergeist - all day-na. Both the women I met with the name were day-na's too.

Although from doing a quick read around it appears day-na is also the American pronunciation and that most British people would actually pronounce it dar-na or dan-na (hard d). Now I'm getting worried that I'm going to have to be correcting people on how to pronounce it all the time Confused

OP posts:
Report
SconeRhymesWithGone · 22/08/2014 16:05

In the US, it is almost always pronounced Day-na. I know several, but I am in the US.

The one with the broad/long a sound would be Donna in the US.

And Dana in the US can be a man or a woman's name.

Report
WiggleGinger · 22/08/2014 16:05

I know a Dana &. Dayna!
Both are pronounced the way you will choose to.
We are in England.

Report
Lunastarfish · 22/08/2014 16:09

I don't think it is particulalry American. I thought you were going to say something like Chuck or Mary-Ellen!

I like Dana. I know a Dayna.

Report
Andcake · 22/08/2014 16:22

I think of it to be Irish tbh - ok name- not a personal favourite but not horrible !

Report
KatoPotato · 22/08/2014 16:25

My DH worked with an American man called Dana - (pronouned DAYNA)

also Dana the animated tv series spin off from Beavis and Butthead.

I like it

Report
Floop · 22/08/2014 16:27

I like it. Would pronounce it Day-na.

Report
Hassled · 22/08/2014 16:28

If you're very old you'll remember "All Kinds of Everything" by Dana (Dar-na)- the winning (?) Irish Eurovision entry of the early 70s. So older people will think Darna, I reckon.

But it's easy enough to correct people, and it's pretty either way.

Report
YoureAllABunchOfBastards · 22/08/2014 16:32

I have met a Dayna and a Danna, both spelt Dana.

Report
KittenOverlord · 22/08/2014 16:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DoubtfireDear · 22/08/2014 16:38

I only know of one Dayna in Scotland amd its spelt Dayna and pronounced so.

I wouldn't think it was strange or out there, I actually think its' quite pretty for a girl and like tye Dana spelling, though I wouldn't pick it because the one I know of is from a Scottish TV show and it would have very negative connotations as a result.

Report
EdithWeston · 22/08/2014 16:49

I'd pronounce it Dar-na (like both Dana, the Irish eurovision winner, or Dana International, the Israeli one).

Report
ShadowStar · 22/08/2014 17:34

I'd pronounce it Dar - na too.

But it doesn't feel particularly American to me.

Report
Michonne · 22/08/2014 17:47

I like it pronounced Day-na, but I think most people in the UK would assume it's Dar-na. That would annoy me too much, personally, always having to correct people.

Report
MrsBungle · 22/08/2014 17:51

I thought it was Irish and I eitjd pronounce it dah-na. I like it either pronounciaton though.?

Report

Don’t want to miss threads like this?

Weekly

Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!

Log in to update your newsletter preferences.

You've subscribed!

MrsBungle · 22/08/2014 17:51

That's supposed to say "I would pronounce..."

Report
PickledPorcupine · 22/08/2014 18:01

Anyone who ever watched the x-files would pronounce it Day-na. I would love to use it but as I was x-files obsessed as a child/teen I think I'd get a lot of Hmm.

Great name, go for it!

Report
Bunbaker · 22/08/2014 18:18

I had a friend at school called Dana - pronounced Daa-na. Also there was Dana the Irish Eurovision song contest winner and Dana International who also won the Eurovision song contest - both pronounced Daa-na.

I have never heard it pronounced Dayna before, but I don't watch much American TV.

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.