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Baby names

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

Original poster

Marika or miranda

37 replies

Sharaluck · 16/02/2014 07:55

Or something similar?

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EirikurNoromaour · 19/02/2014 16:13

Marika is lovely. I know one with polish origins.

BehindLockNumberNine · 17/02/2014 22:36

But they should not. The ah sound at the end makes all the difference (and makes Marieke mispronounced, a pet hate of owners of Dutch names NOT ending in 'a') :)

Original poster
Sharaluck · 17/02/2014 21:32

That sounds very similar to Marika to my ear. I didn't know there was a similar name in Dutch.

OP posts:
BehindLockNumberNine · 17/02/2014 21:24

Mah - ree - kuh with emphasis on the ree bit.

Most people turn it into Mah ree kah with emphasis on the incorrect ah sound.

I love my middle name. Wish it was my first name.

Original poster
Sharaluck · 17/02/2014 21:21

How is Marieke pronounced?

OP posts:
BehindLockNumberNine · 17/02/2014 21:16

Marijke would be unpronounceable to anyone not Dutch. the ij sound is something I can't even explain phonetically.

That said, no one can pronounce my middle name (Marieke) either...

sarahquilt · 17/02/2014 18:20

Not crazy about either but like the Dutch name that was mentioned.

BehindLockNumberNine · 17/02/2014 17:38

My middle name is Marieke. Am Dutch.

Seminyak · 17/02/2014 17:34

Marika! Miranda seems hoity-toity to me.

kelda · 17/02/2014 15:28

I know a Marica who is Japanese so I did assume it is a Japanese name.

Marijke is dutch - I wouldn't go for this because the pronuniciation is slightly different and the spelling not obvious for enlgish-speakers.

Marietje just means 'little Marie' in dutch.

spongebobsparepants · 17/02/2014 15:24

I think all these sound lovely, though I prefer Miranda (my dd is a Miranda Wink). Am glad so many people on here like it too.

MrsAMerrick · 17/02/2014 15:18

I love the name Miranda. Marietje is also pretty although fairly un-spellable. Is Marika a version of Marietje?

RayPurchase · 17/02/2014 15:11

Marika is pretty, Miranda is not!

Oriunda · 17/02/2014 15:00

Miranda is nice (Shakespearean too)
Marcella should be pronounced Mar-chella

MrsMarigold · 17/02/2014 13:15

I like Miranda or Marielle.

The Hilaire Belloc Poem Tarantella about a Miranda in rural france is also one of my favourites from childhood.

lljkk · 17/02/2014 13:04

Marika is pretty, but I would half wonder if the k was a typo.

winterhat · 17/02/2014 12:43

Miranda. It has a more flowing sound. I don't like the "eek" bit of Marika.

Zermatt · 17/02/2014 12:38

Martika

Longdistance · 17/02/2014 11:27

My dm is a Marika, she's Hungarian :)

UriGeller · 17/02/2014 11:21

DavidHassellhoff are you pronouncing it "Mar-Sella" or "Mar-CHella"?

squoosh · 17/02/2014 11:12

There were three Marikas in my year in secondary school.

Never met one before or since.

florascotia · 17/02/2014 10:58

I have also come across 'Marika' in eastern Europe. I prefer it to Miranda.

For your 'something similar',what about:

Maris
Marissa
Marilla
Marina
Mariota (old Scottish version of Margaret)

Mariam/Miriam
Mirabel
Mireille (French)

Original poster
Sharaluck · 17/02/2014 09:23

M-ree-kah

I didnt think it was Japanese. I know it has east European origins, also Greek.

OP posts:
HavantGuard · 17/02/2014 06:41

Marijke
Mariella

I love Miranda but I think Miranda Hart has killed it for a generation Sad

Hulafox · 17/02/2014 04:41

Ps I prefer Marika. It's quirky and I can't get past the TV personality Miranda.

I also once met a Milena. (Mi-lay-na). But Marianne gives you more options for shorter names and I like the fact it ends with a vowel sound in a world where so many popular names end in 'ie' or 'a' sounds.

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