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Original poster

Honest thoughts on Mena / Mina?

31 replies

BeckaH123 · 18/06/2014 11:04

Hi there

My heritage isn't Indian or Japanese (I think Mena is Indian and Mina is Japanese or German). Normally I don't really get people using exotic names when they don't actually have the heritage, but I do love the sound of the name Mena / Mina and it was a nn I used for my Mum. Thoughts?

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RabbitSaysWoof · 22/06/2014 20:57

Its lovely.
I would spell it Mina.

hhhhhhh · 21/06/2014 22:40

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Original poster
BeckaH123 · 20/06/2014 09:00

Haha Glittery7 - I must be a bit sheltered as I can't even think which brands you mean! Smile

Thanks all. I have just started watching Penny Dreadful and by complete coincidence, Mina Harker is a character in it! Wonder if that will make the name Mina really popular soon... And I thought I was being quite original. Pfft! Blush I probably overheard someone talking about it at work and thought it was all my idea. Grin

OP posts:
Pennastucky · 19/06/2014 21:21

I like Mina. Lovely.

SanityClause · 19/06/2014 20:01

I was at school with a boy called Mina (pronounced Meena). His family had originally come fom Greece.

NadiaWadia · 19/06/2014 19:59

That's interesting hooby, but you couldn't really use that pronunciation ('my-na', which I've not heard of before) in an English speaking country as it sounds the same as 'miner' ie 'coalminer' and so on! Also sounds like 'minor'. Doesn't really work.

Passthebiscuitsvicor · 19/06/2014 11:31

Both lovely.
I have a neice called Mila which is similar and gets lots of compliments x

Glittery7 · 18/06/2014 23:57

They both make me think of birth control pill brand names.

hoobypickypicky · 18/06/2014 23:15

This is interesting. I know a very old lady with a name which is spelled Mina but pronounced MI-na (to rhyme with China). I'm not accustomed to the pronunciation "Meena".

NinjaLeprechaun · 18/06/2014 23:10

My best friend's daughter, now in her early twenties, is called Mina. They pronounce it with a very short i - so min as in minute - rather than the ee. I like it. I like the Meena pronunciation as well.

Leeds2 · 18/06/2014 16:35

I know a Minali.

HibiscusIsland · 18/06/2014 16:03

Marina is a lovely name

rosielea · 18/06/2014 13:38

My DD2 is Marina, she calls herself Mina though (she is 3) so we all do to!

woolypigs · 18/06/2014 13:36

Mina not mind Blush

woolypigs · 18/06/2014 13:36

Mind is also a Greek name, shortened from Aiming which relates to silver if I remember correctly.

HaroldLloyd · 18/06/2014 13:22

www.behindthename.com/submit/name/menna

Menna used in wales.

I like them, Menna is men-a would you be pronouncing meee-na?

I might go for Mina in that case so it's clear.

Montsti · 18/06/2014 13:19

I prefer it spelt with an "I" so Mina. My brothers dachshund is called Mina (name chosen by his Romanian wife so maybe it's popular in Romania) - haven't heard of any others. Am not suggesting it is, in any way a dogs name - just the only one I know!

Nereida · 18/06/2014 13:11

I prefer Mina as a nickname, maybe for Wilhelmina or Willemina

florascotia · 18/06/2014 12:03

Mina Harker is indeed admirable - intelligent, strong, thoughtful, loving...
She is Wilhemina, but in the past Mina has, I think, also been used as affectionate short name for Maria.

It could - if you wished -also be short for a name beginning with 'M' and ending in 'ina', such as Marina or Martina. But its very nice just as it is.

HibiscusIsland · 18/06/2014 11:43

Mena makes me think of Mena Suvari who is beautiful. I believe it can also be short for Philomena

Provencalroseparadox · 18/06/2014 11:39

I didn't mean it as a bad thing. Mina Harker is a pretty strong female character from what I remember

IsItMeOr · 18/06/2014 11:31

I was coming to say the same thing as Lilac and Provencal. I like Mina.

Original poster
BeckaH123 · 18/06/2014 11:28

Thanks all! And thanks for the Dracula references! Smile

No, I really don't mind that. It's good to know that it might have English heritage somewhere in literature. I am half English so that works!

OP posts:
ELR · 18/06/2014 11:17

Prefer the spelling Mina

Provencalroseparadox · 18/06/2014 11:15

I like Mina. I think it's the main female character in Dracula