Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

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

Original poster

If you had named your first child Hosanna...

155 replies

hosiesmum · 27/08/2018 21:45

I've name changed for this, because with a kid called Hosanna I'm hardly one of thousands in the UK (!)...

My husband is Zimbabwean and we were living over there when our daughter was born. It's more normal over there to have, what in the UK would be considered, unusual names, and we both liked the name, so Hosanna she is.

We're now in the UK and get a lot of "Susannah? Savanna? Rosanna?" type responses when we introduce her... which is fine, people tend to be able to cope with her name once they've worked it out!

We're imminently due our second, no idea of sex, and I'm wondering whether to go "weird" (in UK terms) again, or something more mainstream...

We've got a bit of a list going, but I'm curious to hear what others would do. (Obviously, going by stats, most of you wouldn't name your firstborn 'Hosanna'! But please for the sake of this question pretend you did!).

So, what would you name your next child, based on this info?!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
Moonflower12 · 27/08/2018 22:22

Prudence was missed from the virtue names. I love them.

CountTessa · 27/08/2018 22:20

Zvipozvashe is my absolute favourite

SecretNutellaFix · 27/08/2018 22:19

I'd suggest Glory or Pax.

Waterlemon · 27/08/2018 22:17

Emmanuel

Waterlemon · 27/08/2018 22:17

I know a family where the eldest child is also called Hosanna!

The Siblings are mostly named after biblical places or people, but names that are little known/used here.

BellMcEnd · 27/08/2018 22:17

I’ve always loved Peace or Serenity for a girl.

I know a boy called Praise.

Hosanna is lovely Smile

Golde · 27/08/2018 22:16

Hero

NonJeNeRegretteRien · 27/08/2018 22:15

Choose something you both like but be mindful of the interactions your child will have as he/she grows. Although the current fashion for wacky and unique names means things will get easier for everyone involved. I have an unusual name and growing up it was just awkward, some people can be surprisingly rude.

Last year I helped at a children’s day at my work and signed in a family of three boys, 2 with names like Englebert and Broussard and the youngest was called something really generic like Daniel. I don’t know why I’ve written all that - just amused me at the time...

MaryandMichael · 27/08/2018 22:13

Hallelujah. Lou or Lulu for short.

BlackAmericanoNoSugar · 27/08/2018 22:11

Perhaps Sinai or Eden if you want to stay with a religious theme.

Clockwork95 · 27/08/2018 22:11

I'd go with something like Joy or Gloria.

Sugarpiehoneyeye · 27/08/2018 22:10

Blessing.

GinIsIn · 27/08/2018 22:10

Joy

manicinsomniac · 27/08/2018 22:07

I think I would go for something along the same lines. I know a couple of sibling pairs where parents are from different cultures/countries and they've named one child traditionally to one and the other to the other and I find it a bit strange (eg Rachel and Feyikemi or Zoe and Mala-Su). Ultimately it doesn't matter of course as when they're adults nobody will match them.

I'm sure not all of these are in common use in Zimbabwe but I think Hosanna goes well with names like:

Blessing, Miracle, Joy, Heaven, Gloria, Angel, Faith, Grace, Mercy, Precious

Touchnotthiscat · 27/08/2018 22:07

Asa
Micah
Esiais
Hope

number1wang · 27/08/2018 22:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MerryMarigold · 27/08/2018 22:06

I know a Calypso. And a Psalm. Also knew a Melody. I like a lot of African 'virtue' names: Hope, Faith etc. A lot of the best start with H' though, like Harmony.

I like Hosanna and definitely think you should keep up with that 'theme', although maybe avoid overly religious names Luke Faith or Grace (Hosanna and Faith may be a bit much!!).

On a different theme, Charis is Greek for Grace. Talitha is Hebrew for 'little girl' (I think).

Just realised no boys' names here! Any biblical boys' name would be fine I think, especially OT names eg. Isaiah, Micah, David, Asher etc.

missyB1 · 27/08/2018 22:06

Joy or Hope would go nicely.

bridgetreilly · 27/08/2018 22:03

I know a Hosanna in the UK. Her siblings are Talitha and Jessica.

I'd also consider:
Verity
Felicity
Jemima
Keziah
Ruth
Gloria

MrsEricBana · 27/08/2018 22:03

Beautiful name. Perhaps unusual to use a Zimbabwean name here if your husband wasn't Zimbabwean, but as he is I think anything goes.

Ginorchoc · 27/08/2018 22:00

I remember having to sing the song with the name in primary school many years ago.

audweb · 27/08/2018 21:58

Just embrace what you did with your first child. My daughter has a zimbabwean name, surname and middle name and she was born in Scotland with a Zimbabwean dad. It’s not as “out there” in UK terms as hosanna, but it’s still clearly Zimbabwean. Just go for it!

inquiquotiokixul · 27/08/2018 21:58

What an amazing name.

Would you consider other expressions of joyous praise?

Jubilate (pronounced Joo-bih-LAH-tay)

Alleluia (or Hallelujah - same word, different spellings)

MeYouWye · 27/08/2018 21:57

Hadassah = Compassion
Havilah = Life

AnchorDownDeepBreath · 27/08/2018 21:57

I don't think I'd go virtue names; but I would go for something Zimbabewean.

Hosanna is beautiful!

Swipe left for the next trending thread