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Baby names

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

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Original poster

Iona- too much of a mouthful

27 replies

wombatcheese · 18/06/2013 08:37

I need help to convince DH that Iona is a great name. He feels it is too much of a mouthful and there are no good abbreviations we can think of. Onie doesn't sound so pretty.
So, is Iona too much of a mouthful? -It would go well with our surname. Any other abbreviations which might sway my DH's opinion?
Thanks

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mojo1981 · 20/06/2013 20:18

I know an Iona, a very pretty little girl with gorgeous blond curls, and she plays with my little girl at playgroup who is called Isla!

Our only concern is that if Isla marries some one with the surname "white" or "dogs" lol

GampyWabbit · 20/06/2013 10:28

What are your dds called?

Longdistance · 20/06/2013 04:10

My aunt was Ilona. It's Hungarian and I love it.

I once met a Scottish lady who's name was Ilona, and was named after her mums friend who was Hungarian. Its just adding that extra letter.

But is pronounced Ee Lon a in Hungarian.

Just a suggestion.

Original poster

wombatcheese · 20/06/2013 03:15

Thanks for all the replies. I had never heard of any other ways of pronouncing it other than the Scottish island, I-own-a. I am Scottish, but live in England, hopefully future DD wouldn't have too much explaining pronounciations to do.
Demented- I totally get where you are coming from and I don't feel a nickname is needed. However DH feels a 3 syllable name is too long, esp as it has so many vowels. Our 2 DDs have daft nicknames which we call them.

OP posts:

dementedma · 18/06/2013 23:12

Why do you need an abbreviation? Its a lovely name. I don't get this mn obsession with nicknames. Ds is Joseph - not Joe, not Joey, just Joseph. If you stick to the name from day one then you don't get any nicknames or horrible abbreviations

MrsOakenshield · 18/06/2013 23:07

Eye-oh-na is how you pronounce the island though, and that's where the name is from? I had no idea there was any other way to pronounce it! It is one where I do think it makes more sense if you are Scottish, I doubt any Scot would have problems with spelling or pronunciation. I think it's lovely, and doesn't need an abbreviation.

Cooroo · 18/06/2013 23:04

I work with a Iona who is named the Welsh way. She goes mad when people call her I-own-a, but 'Yona' is a lovely name.

burberryqueen · 18/06/2013 23:02

Iona as Yona is nice, and Iola as Yola but not sure about Eye-oh-na

FunnysInLaJardin · 18/06/2013 23:00

oh and pronounced Eye Oh Nah. This was the 70's though!

FunnysInLaJardin · 18/06/2013 22:59

lovely name. My BF as a child was called Iona

rubylovescheese · 18/06/2013 22:58

I know 2 and they're both pronounced yonna. I am nowhere near wales. I think she would come across these uncertainties in pronunciation throughout life.

GampyWabbit · 18/06/2013 22:54

Lovely name. I would use it if we ever had another but we won't

What about Nina, Naomi or Esme?

At first my dh was strongly against my absolute favourite name, Esme for dc3, but in the end we went with it and we all love it now thank goodness!

Unlurked · 18/06/2013 17:09

I think it's a lovely name

pictish · 18/06/2013 15:54

I do get called Nonie by my dh and other loved ones...but that's just a wee pet name. I am generally known as Iona.

pictish · 18/06/2013 15:52

My name is Iona - it's not a mouthful at all!!

Anri · 18/06/2013 15:51

I love Iona! I think that Nonie would be cute as a nickname.

squoosh · 18/06/2013 15:50

I'm afraid I'm with your DH on this one.

mejon · 18/06/2013 13:41

Pinkflipflop - Yona is the Welsh pronounciation of Iona so you don't get the 'I own a...' problems you get with the Scottish version!

Original poster

wombatcheese · 18/06/2013 12:47

Mama, those are both lovely names. Have had my heart set on Iona, I guess if DH just isn't keen it's back to the drawing board!

OP posts:

mamalovebird · 18/06/2013 12:27

I love Iona but can't get DH to like it. He says he tries but it just doesn't do it for him. What about Isla or Ayla?

Pinkflipflop · 18/06/2013 12:26

I went to school with an Iona and she got called Yona!

BlueChampagne · 18/06/2013 12:22

Fiona?

IrnBruAddict · 18/06/2013 12:03

I have an Iona and I do love the name. I always joke that she's not as peaceful as the island she's named after but it still suits her, if that makes sense.

She's also just starting to say her own name and pronounces it as a very cute 'Iowa' - wrong country but never mind

Tickledyellow · 18/06/2013 12:00

No, not rude. It is a pretty name. It might just be me but I feel like I am saying the beginning of a sentence in a name... I own a.....!

Original poster

wombatcheese · 18/06/2013 11:27

Arrg, I hadn't considered the whole future surname thing. I clearly haven't thought forward enough. At least Iona ... is unlikely to be rude, or am I missing something?!

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