Iona Alice

[Scottishgirl85]

This forum has helped us so much to narrow down our name list for our little girl who is due in 6 days, thank you. This will be my last thread, promise! 😁
What is your reaction to Iona Alice (pronounced eye-oh-na)? I'm Scottish and set on a Scottish name. We live in SE England. DD1 is called Eira Hope (Welsh connection on husband's side). Thank you!!

[Awwlookatmybabyspider]

I wouldn't put any middle names with names such as Juno Hugo Noah and Iona
for reasons pp has said.
It doesn't flow perfectly but it would be okay the other way around Alice Iona

[gwen25]

I prefer Alice Iona. Iona is a very nice Scottish name, but it doesn't sound great as a first name IMO

[Snowhite12]

I’m also part Scottish with a Welsh OH, living in SE!
I love Iona and want to use it as a middle name.
DH’s family will pronounce it the Welsh way though, ‘yon-a’, which would get confusing if that was her main name. Also the Welsh meaning - January - isn’t really relevant for a May baby!

I guess Iona and Alice don’t flow too well together because of both of the ‘a’ sounds, but it’s not that often you hear both names together, so might not matter.

[Naberes]

I really like it! Iona is beautiful.

[MrsMarigold]

Love it

[BringMeCoffeePlease]

I love it

[TatianaLarina]

Love Iona but I might choose a middle name with starting with a consonant - easier to say.

Iona Clair
Iona Kate
Iona Grace etc

[Ilovewillow]

Lovely - my niece is an Iona and I've always thought it pretty but would sounds lovely at any age! Best wishes

[Scottishgirl85]

Thanks for feedback! Not sure how much the 'I own a' issue bugs me... Alice definitely middle name after significant family member who is no longer with us. Alice as first name seems too common vs our DD1 unusual name. Aagh I'm now undecided again!!

[Frazzled2207]

Like both the names but personally don't think two names which finish then start with a vowel flow very well.

[MikeUniformMike]

Alice Iona is much nicer.

[TatianaLarina]

No Iona Alice is much nicer and more original. Alice as a first name is meh.

Iona also goes much better with Eira.

[MikeUniformMike]

it does

[MikeUniformMike]

Iona will get Yonna from welsh people. It's dated in Wales and usually given to January-born daughters.
Iona (i-own-a) is nice and sounds fairly fresh but it depends on the surname. A famous person whose surname means Hanky has a daughter called Iona.

[bridgetreilly]

Iona Alice sounds awkward to me, though I like both names separately and I think they go well with your other daughter's name. I wouldn't worry about the Welsh pronunciation issue, given that you don't live in Wales. It's easily corrected if someone does get it wrong.

[bridgetreilly]

Scottish girls' names that I think work well with Alice:

Elspeth Alice
Eilidh Alice
Iseabail Alice (this is my favourite Scottish girls' name by some way)

[chezmk1988]

Love it

[Mybabystolemysanity]

I like it. It's unusual and a lovely match for her sister.

[Scottishgirl85]

Thanks so much, seems fairly positive. I'm not too worried about the first and middle name flowing perfectly as it's quite rare that full names are spoken, it was more the perception of the name Iona that I was interested to hear.

[RedDwarves]

I also read it as "I own a Alice".

Prefer Alice Iona.

[Cosmoa]

The only thing I would point out is that the two a's next to each other change the name a little. So it could sound like Iona Ralice. Sometimes two vowels together make this r sound in front of the second name.

For example.. My friend was going to be named 'Anna Underwood' but it sounded like 'Anna Runderwood' so they gave her a different first name.

However, it's a very pretty name and people won't be using her middle name often so it wouldn't matter too much. And if pronounced properly/slowly it's avoidable.

[Allgirlskidsanddogs]

I think both names are really lovely. But I am biased! I couldn’t use Iona as I’m in Wales and I don’t like the Welsh pronunciation, but love it as I-oh-na. I do think the ‘a’s Together make it very hard to say and Alice Iona would be easier.

[justabunchofbunting]

I think its lovely! The names are quite different which would mean she could swap between them if it turned out she didnt like one of them. Iona is quite unusual and Alice is a traditional classic so you have the best of both worlds!

[elQuintoConyo]

Lovely, really lovely. And i love her sister's names.

As you said, full names are rarely said aloud. I cannot recall the last time my full name was said aloud - maybe 8 years ago at my wedding? I have a friend called Iona who i have known 30+ years, it never crossed my mind that it sounds like 'i own her'.