Critique my list?

[ShareefDontLikeIt]

I'm Irish, but struggle to find Irish names I really love. DH is from a Jamaican/Portugese background (doesn't like Portugese names at all!). Our 'roots' will probably be reflected in middle names, to be honest.

Our older DCs have a fairly uncommon but not completely unusual biblical name (DS) and a (now) very popular English name (DD).

Valentina
Aurora
Rosanna or Rosa
Maria or Mariana
Cleo
Zora
Maya (pronounced My-a, not May-a...will this cause kerfuffle, though?).
Saoirse
Maeve

Oisin
Zion (I know it has strong connotations, but have always loved this name)
Fidel (see above )
Zachary or possibly Zachariah (Zac)
Ezekiel (Zeke)
Nathaniel

All thoughts welcome. I know these are quite marmite names, so would be good to get reasons rather than just 'horrible name' iyswim

[srtajuanita]

I was thinking Aurelia went well into your list, and Marina. I like Valentina and Nathaniel from your list.

[manicinsomniac]

Valentina - don't like this at all. Just reminds me of Valentines day and seems a bit more sultry goddess than actual cute child/realistic adult.
Aurora - quite like it but a bit too princess for my taste
Rosanna - quite like it. Prefer it to Rosa but like Rose and Rosie better than both.
Maria - it's ok but I don't expect a young Maria to be from an English speaking background any more. Sure there are plenty who are though.
Cleo - like it. Cute but funky.
Zora - never heard this before. It's okay but sounds too like Zorro to me.
Maya - like it. I know one pronounced My-a but my automatic guess would be May-a. How about Maia?
Saoirse - don't like this at all, it sounds harsh to my ears. (Seer-shu yes?)
Maeve - quite like it. Unusual too, I would think.

Oisin - I don't know how to say this, sorry
Zion - quite like it. Maybe too much of a statement though!
Fidel - ummmm ... I would assume you were a communist, I'm afraid. I've never heard this name in any other context.
Zachary - love it. Zachariah too.
Ezekiel - it's ok. Not overly keen but I do like Zeke. Very cute.
Nathaniel - love it. One of my very favourite boys names.

For other girl ideas, how about:
Sorcha, Niamh, Laeticia, Marissa, Lorelai, Mara, Larissa, Rosemary, Mala, Coco, Clea, Ariadne, Vanessa, Anastasia

For other boy ideas, how about:
Orson, Xavier, Flynn, Finn, Xander, Elijah, Ezra, Nicholas, Nico

[Pinklily1]

I could have written manics response! I second all of those comments.

[ashesandfire]

I love Rosanna (it's on my list) - great variety of nickname options too, Rosa/Rosie/Rose/Anna/Annie/Zanna.... I also really like Cleo and I love Saoirse but would never use it as I live in SE England and have no Irish connections. Zora makes me think of The Legend of Zorro. Not keen. Valentina I think is hard to pull off. Plus nickname options - Val or Tina? Not great IMO. The other girls names are all just 'OK' for me. I find Maya a bit bland and Aurora a bit Disney princess as PP said.
I love Nathaniel esp with nn Nate. Strong and not used much. Zion and Fidel too hard to pull off IMO. Zachary is OK, personally I'm put off that by personal association lol. I'm not 100% sure how to pn Oisin but I like the look of it. Really like Ezekiel but it is quite Biblical...

[mrsschu]

Valentina - love
Aurora - love
Rosanna or Rosa - love Rosanna, Rosa is ok
Maria or Mariana - meh to both
Cleo - dislike
Zora - dreadful
Maya - fine, popular
Saoirse - nice, popular in Ireland, might have spelling difficulties in the UK
Maeve - don't like it, frumpy

Oisin - fine
Zion - dreadful
Fidel - dreadful
Zachary or Zachariah - not keen. Zachary is very popular
Ezekiel - don't like it particularly but could be worse
Nathaniel - like it

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

Love Maeve. Don't like any of the others.

The only boys' name I like is Nathaniel. Fidel and Zion are ridiculous, imvho,

[BunnyTyler]

Cleo & Nathaniel are my favourite of each (really love Cleo actually).

Manic's list sums up my thoughts on them all too.

[doceodocere]

Of your girls' list I like Cleo and Maeve best. You're right about the Maya issues. I'm a teacher and I can't tell you how muddled I get with the My-a/Maya pronunciations and the multitude of Mias/Maias/Mayas around at the moment.

How about ; Merle, Miriam, Constance, Clemency?

I love biblical names, Ezekiel is a favourite of mine but I couldn't get it past DH.

Others I considered; Zebedee, Solomon, Isaiah, Josiah, Ishmael, Eli.

However I also love Oisin, particularly as you're Irish.

[Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost]

Valentina. No it's very harsh sounding. Plus it would really only suit a child born or maybe conceived on Valentines day.
Aurora. It's horrible. I honestly don't get why everyone raves over this name.
Rosanna. Don't like. Rosa. Is beautiful, though.
Maria/Mariana. Gorgeous.
Cleo. No. You're not having a kitten.
Zora. It sounds like a cleaning product.
Maya. Yes gorgeous name, but if you spell it Maya, you can't get agitated when/if people pronounce it Maya, so for the My pronunciation you're best of spelling it Mya
Saoirse. Can't comment with out knowing the pronunciation.
Maeve. It's a bit trolleys, pleated skirts and anoraks. To me.

Oisin. It's okay
Zion. I'm gonna be Iron like a lion in Zion.
Fidel. Sounds like aToilet cleaner
Zachary/Zechariah. Not really.
Ezekiel. It's not bad.
Nathanial. No, Nathan's much nicer.

[ShareefDontLikeIt]

Thanks for all replies! You sort of confirmed (between you) my thoughts and fears about some of the names ie. Fidel, Zion and Zora - a bit bonkers , and Maya - gonna be kerfuffle about the pronunciation.

Saoirse is Seer-sha / Sare-sha (depending on part of Ireland you're from, in my experience).

Oisin is Osh-een or Uh-sheen (again, varied pronunciations in diff parts of Ireland).

I liked Zora because one of my fave ever books is by a writer called Zora Neale Hurston - no other reason, really.

A softer version of Fidel might be Fidelis - is that equally as bad, though? . It just means 'faithful'...although I know the Castro connotations are very strong...

Plenty to mull over, anyway. Thank you.

[ShareefDontLikeIt]

Zane/Zain/Zayn/Xain (argh!)

Came to me last night, seeing as I like Zion and am the only one who does, it seems

Thoughts on the name and spellings?