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Baby names

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

Original poster

Asa

63 replies

BabyInWaiting · 27/06/2017 14:52

I have a lovely baby boy named Asa but have been having serious doubts about his name.
We chose it because I loved the meaning - Healer - and it fitted with our other children's unusual names.
We look ages to name him and there were no other names we both really agreed on. I've never been 100% sure. My husband loves his name. But when I tell people his name I am getting a lot of blank looks and am thinking that I have saddled him with name that will be a burden - both in people's opinions of it and in them mispronouncing it as Ass-ah. It's meant to be Ay-Sah.

Should I change it? What do you think when you hear the name Asa?

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MimiDaisy11 · 23/03/2021 08:54

I'd never heard of it before so would just pronounce it as it's written. I'd imagine most who hadn't would read it as "Ass-ah". If it was me and I really liked the name I'd have been tempted to spell it more phonetically.

Violetlavenders · 23/03/2021 08:37

It's a Swedish girls name.

EdgeOfACoin · 23/03/2021 08:23

I knew an Asa. No one had problems pronouncing it.

Synchrony · 23/03/2021 00:59

I really like it. I know someone with this name and the pronunciation is obvious to me. It makes me think of the Old Testament.

grateful222 · 22/03/2021 23:27

hey just wondering if you kept the name in the end and what the reactions were going forward? i absolutely love this name and am considering it for my baby boy Smile

autumnkate · 28/06/2017 21:08

Love it

hophop333 · 28/06/2017 04:54

It's a hard decision to make and you'd be brave to go ahead but I really think you should change it.

I read it as Amateur Swimming Association

SomeOtherFuckers · 27/06/2017 21:35

I like it

dimdommilpot · 27/06/2017 21:33

I adore the name and if I was to have any more children it woukd be top of my boys list. To me the pronunciation is obvious.

CountryCaterpillar · 27/06/2017 21:13

Acer is also correct! It's a different name (Google it!)

Asa looks like an acronym to me (amateur swimming association!) but the main thing is of you like it.

Lemondrop99 · 27/06/2017 20:25

I love Asa! It was on my list my DH vetoed it Sad I think it's a great name, please don't change it. People have to get their heads around far more complicated names in day to day life, I'm sure they can handle Asa. Plus he can have the awesome nickname Ace Grin

The suggestion of Acer is horrible though, that's a computer company. Asa is much nicer (and correct!)

lazycrazyhazy · 27/06/2017 20:03

I got the pronunciation right. If in your bones you don't like it, change it whilst he's too young to care. We knew a couple who called their baby boy Ashley then realised that (although it was traditionally a boy name) people were calling girls it and decided to change it to Charles. They moved away so I don't know them now but I bet Charles has no memory of being Ashley! Acer to me is a popular plant.

indigox · 27/06/2017 19:51

Asa = advertising standards authority for me.

It's probably going to take 5 minutes at school before someone starts calling him Ass.

Lanaa · 27/06/2017 19:49

Asa is an amazing name, it's just not very popular hence the blank faces. There was an Asa in the first class I ever taught. I adored that kid, funny, intelligent and loved by everyone!

LynetteScavo · 27/06/2017 19:32

I would presume it was spelled Acer. I've never heard of it before so may well look blank when you said it. Don't change it just because people aren't familiar with it!

changedmynameagain87 · 27/06/2017 19:27

Acer is a type of tree

Untangled07 · 27/06/2017 19:25

I like it. I know of the name/pronunciation from the singer in Benidorm.

Acer just makes me think of computers, so don't change the spelling.

changedmynameagain87 · 27/06/2017 19:18

Could you make it a nickname of a longer name to give him choices?

Chunkamatic · 27/06/2017 19:15

My DS2 was very very nearly an Asa. I think it is beautiful, timeless and unique but not totally unheard of. Don't change it!!

NoSquirrels · 27/06/2017 19:13

Asa is an awesome name. I know one, and he's thoroughly great. No issues around pronunciation or spelling. I think I'd probably never heard of it before I met him, but I didn't bat an eyelid at it - I know loads of way more "out there" named kids!

On the blank looks score, we have a pretty conventionally named DC and got the blank looks, mispronunciations and attempts to "correct" it to another name. Some people just haven't heard of various names.

Once he's older it stops being such a big deal, I find.

Asa is so lovely, and the spelling is traditional so don't give in to ignorance!

Unadon · 27/06/2017 19:12

molly it has nothing to do with a lack of education. The name Asa is pronounced as "ah-sah" in some languages. Just because it's not the pronunciation you're familiar with doesn't mean it's wrong.

Cherrychapstick1 · 27/06/2017 19:01

Love it. Know pronunciation from Asa Hartford. I think you should stick with it x

ohamIreally · 27/06/2017 18:59

Makes me think of a Cisco firewall

MollyHuaCha · 27/06/2017 18:57

It's a lovely name. And of course it's pronounced Ay-sa with the Ay part rhyming with day. Amazed people haven't heard of this name before!Keep it and educate people.

Mcnorton · 27/06/2017 18:52

It's a lovely name and pronounced how it's spelt! Keep it!Smile

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