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

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

Baby names

Adeline or Zosia

34 replies

marshallzumarubble · 04/09/2015 12:52

We had our baby girl a week ago and,having had a shortlist of 12 going in to hospital, have managed to get it down to these two.

And now we are stuck!

We have pros and cons for each -

Adeline, pros: love the nickname Addie, it was the front runner for a long time so seems harder to reject. Cons: worry about spelling and pronunciation; we would say Aduh-line, not Aduh-lynn or Aduh-leen, we don't like either of those, not keen on any other nickname either, I worry it is going to leap in popularity and get a bit daddy.

Zosia, pros: it was the only name I loved immediately when I was pregnant, love all the nicknames and would be happy if she decided she wanted to call herself Zoe in the future. It means 'wisdom' which I like as well. Cons: again, worry about spelling and pronunciation; it is pronounced Zoh-sha which I imagine many people would get wrong to start with.

Both go equally well with the middle names we have chosen and our surname.

What is the general consensus? What would you think if you met a small baby called each of these?

The other name in the top three which we just discounted as it is a bit grown up is Zelda.

Thank you!

OP posts:

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CarmenMonoxide · 04/09/2015 12:55

Love Zosia now I know how to say it. I think you will encounter pronounciation problems with both thb, so just decide which you like best.

fairyfeatures · 04/09/2015 13:13

I thought it was Zoh-see-ah which I hated immediately. I much prefer Zoh-sha. However you will for certain have spelling/pronunciation issues with that.

Adeline I would pronounce Aduh-lyne so I think it easy for pronunciation. However, had you said it to me fist and asked me to spell it - I would have spelt Adelaine/Adeleine.

That's just the problem you get with unusual names.

Depending on your surname, if I definitely couldn't pick (and this was my last child) - I would go with Adeline Zosia

I think both are fine for newborn and adult life.

Dislike Zelda personally but I am from the Sabrina the Teenage Witch era!

manicinsomniac · 04/09/2015 15:13

I have no heard of Zosia and also thought it was Zo-see-a (which I quite like). I like Zoh-sha and it's really exotic sounding and unusual.

I like Adeline.

But I think I would go with Zosia - I actually think you might have found that kind of unique name that so many look for on here. I've certainly never ever come across it, in real life or in a book.

MishMooshAndMogwai · 04/09/2015 15:19

Adeline zosia is very pretty :)

I too assumed it was zoh-see-ya which I didn't like but your pron is v nice. Prefere adeline though

Sophronia · 04/09/2015 15:42

I prefer Adeline, and I'd pronounce it aduh-line as you do.

I'd assume you were Polish if you used Zosia.

winnybella · 04/09/2015 15:57

Zosia is Polish, diminutive for Zofia. It's pronounced zo-shi-a, not zo-sh-a.

coveredinsnot · 04/09/2015 16:01

I have two Zosias in my family, both pronounced zoh-sha. Lovely name. Much prefer it to Adeline which is lovely but getting very popular.

winnybella · 04/09/2015 16:02

Hmm, don't think I got the sounds right. It's more like shee, not shi as in shine. But even then it's a bit difficult to explain, I don't think the same sound exists in English. But deffinitely not sh-a.

RiverTam · 04/09/2015 16:07

Adeline

marshallzumarubble · 04/09/2015 16:43

Do you think Adeline is getting popular? There were 21 born last year, exactly the same number as the year before. It is too hard! DH has just announced that he would like Adeline but I am now veering the other way! We also had Juno on our list which we love but we don't like June as a shortening and I am not sure that she is a Juno if that makes sense!!

OP posts:

marshallzumarubble · 04/09/2015 16:44

Meant to add, thank you for all your thoughts, they are all really appreciated and helpful x

OP posts:

PallasCat · 04/09/2015 17:51

Two great names! On the basis that you seem to be looking for an unusual name, I'd say Zosia rather than Adeline.

I went to school with a Zosia, and I don't think the pronunciation was really a problem in her experience. In a way I'd say the pronunciation for that is more straight forward than for Adeline. If people don't know how to say Zosia, once they are told they will know how to. With Adeline, since there are a few ways to pronounce it, you're more likely to get them sticking with the version they are already familiar with.

Congratulations, and good luck choosing!

BreeVDKamp · 04/09/2015 18:03

Zosia!! Such a gorgeous name. I do like Adeline, but much prefer Adelaide which is my future DD's name if I ever have one!

TyrionLannistersShadow · 04/09/2015 18:04

Zoshia makes me think of the character in Holby City but I love love Adeline and would pronounce it like you .Adeline Zoshia is gorgeous

BreeVDKamp · 04/09/2015 18:05

Ps reading it is says Ada-leen, but only takes one time to learn you want Ada-line and then people will remember.

SmugairleRoin · 04/09/2015 21:22

I would have guessed Zosia as being pronounced Zoh-zee-ah. I do like the proper pronunciation though!

Adeline is nice, easy to spell and say (I think), but out of the two I'd pick Zosia. The retro names are very in and so I think Adeline would be more common (as in frequent!). While retro names like Pearl etc are popular now people will tire of them and look for others with the retro feel - such as Adeline!

SmugairleRoin · 04/09/2015 21:24

Oh I forgot Zelda - I like it, even though you've discounted it. Surely a grown up name isn't a problem? She'll be a grown up most of her life anyway!

CakeRattleandRoll · 05/09/2015 01:55

Definitely prefer Zosia, it's beautiful. I have taught one who pronounced it Zoh-sha.

triathlon · 05/09/2015 16:38

Zosia

CruCru · 05/09/2015 20:39

I like both. Perhaps Adeline a bit more.

thenightsky · 05/09/2015 20:40

Love Adeline!

IMurderedStampyLongnose · 05/09/2015 20:49

I prefer Adeline,easier to pronounce and a 'proper' name IMO.Congraulations on your daughter

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Ham69 · 05/09/2015 23:05

Adeline is gorgeous (I do keep hearing the Bread theme tune but that's probably my age). Not sure about your other choice. It's ok but I know an awful lot of Zoes ranging from 8 to 48!

PermetsTu · 05/09/2015 23:10

Adeline makes me think of Bread too!

I grew up with a Zosia and know one as an adult too. Both are Polish, both pronounce it Zo-sha. Beautiful name and the two I've known are beautiful, kind, witty women. I really, really like it.

AvaCrowder · 05/09/2015 23:18

Yy to Zosia as a Polish name. I know a lovely little one, she has the handle Sofia as well, but we all call her what her mum does which is Zoshi

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