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Baby names

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

Original poster

Serena Ariana, is it too much?

41 replies

aliza87 · 18/03/2020 17:21

I am set on the middle name Ariana for my Iranian baby, I don't want her first name to be Ariana because it is quite long, so i love Serena as a first name, works in both cultures but I love Ariana too. Is it too much as a middle name?

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Original poster
aliza87 · 21/03/2020 21:44

Thanks so much everyone for your input, it has really helped to make the decision easier!

OP posts:
NoSauce · 21/03/2020 08:20

Definitely Serena first. You can use whatever second name you like OP. It doesn’t matter.

Original poster
aliza87 · 20/03/2020 11:06

Yes that is true, I do prefer Serena as a first name even though it flows better swapped around...

OP posts:
Catonahat · 20/03/2020 07:07

Serena is much nicer. Stop focussing on the flow? No one uses middle name.

Chinks123 · 19/03/2020 20:10

Yes swapped around works better, having the S after the A but honestly either way it’s a lovely name and you won’t say the full thing much

midwestspring · 19/03/2020 18:22

Swapped around does work much better OP.

Original poster
aliza87 · 19/03/2020 18:20

Thank you all for the encouragement and willpower to go ahead! Yes I do agree that Serena being a middle name and used as a first will be a huge pain, so she will probably be called Ariana Smith for example most of the time and Serena will be her middle name. It goes much better that way round anyway. I thought Serena was nicer than Ariana but I guess the order doesnt work so Ariana will have to be the first name..

Snufflesdog I like a few on your name list although the pronunciation/ spelling issues for some of them concern me. Yasmin is nice but many people will pronounce it as 'Yasmeeeen" which i really dislike..

OP posts:
Snufflesdog · 19/03/2020 17:20

I think it’s a bit much, but if you like it you won’t hear the middle name much anyway
Ariana Serena is the better way round though as you say.

Some names we’ve been looking at:
Nuri
Elehah
Layla
Yasmin
Daria
Allysiah
Suri
Avalie
Sadie

sunshinemachine · 19/03/2020 17:08

i think if u luv it go 4 it

userabcname · 19/03/2020 17:06

No op just go for it! Seriously! Both my sons have absolute mouthfuls for names because they have 2 middle names each but it doesn't matter because middle names are rarely used! I still like them though because for each we chose to remember / honour a family member (e.g. DS1 has our grandfathers as middle names) which I love and stand by the decision. If you love the name then I think you should do it. And they are both beautiful names!

MikeUniformMike · 19/03/2020 16:23

Don't use the middle name as the day-by-day name, it is a PITA.
Anything that you use your full name for, you will be called by firstname and lastname, so Serena Smith full name Ariana Serena Smith would be assumed to be Ariana Smith.

allthiswasunseen · 19/03/2020 13:21

I thought you were double barrelling it - in which case, yes, too much. But as it is just a first and middle name it doesn't really matter as no-one ever uses their middle name. So go for it, if you like both of those names.

CaffiSaliMali · 19/03/2020 13:19

Serena Ariana is a bit much, but it's not terrible and she'll just be Serena 95% of the time.

I know a family where all the children are known by their middle name. The parents thought their eldest's names flowed better with the chosen name in the middle, and the middle name first and so kept the pattern with their other children.

The children all manage, so if you go for Ariana Serena known as Serena you should be ok. She could prefer Ariana for ease though, so bear that in mind.

Percypopper · 19/03/2020 11:07

Too much!

Original poster
aliza87 · 19/03/2020 10:54

They both go well with the surname, will probably go for Ariana Serena... it does flow better.

OP posts:
MikeUniformMike · 19/03/2020 10:44

Middle names aren't used that much. I'd go with whatever sound best with the surname.

Original poster
aliza87 · 19/03/2020 10:16

Ariana Serena does flow better... We want to pronounce it like 'Aah Ree Yah Na" as opposed to the ArryAnna pronunciation which is the Italian pronunciation I think and they spell it like 'Arianna' if I'm not mistaken... We are a British Asian family with an Iranian heritage so I wanted to honour that with the name Ariana. Serena is a beautiful Western name, I love the mix of the two names and I think it will fit in well with both cultures. Some of the other Eastern names on my shortlist are far too traditional and could be difficult to pronounce for my liking and sound odd with Serena next to them. It's such a dilemma though because I don't want her to be judged by her name if it looks too 'frilly' and if it doesn't look well thought out. In my mind, Serena and Ariana are strong female names but i have been told by some friends that it sounds a bit OTT. It has casted a huge doubt in my mind. My family love it though... I've been getting a tonne of mixed responses..

OP posts:
MikeUniformMike · 19/03/2020 08:56

It is ok if you say Ariana as Ahr-yah-na. It's the Arry-Ahna that makes it not flow.
Sorry but shoving in a filler middle name like Grace, Rose or Jade is a bit pointless.

Ariana Serena flows better.

Original poster
aliza87 · 19/03/2020 08:31

Thank you for the encouragement to go ahead with it! I was worried that they sound hideous, but as long as the names sound nice and elegant I am fine with it. Yes having a third name could work, I was thinking of adding my grandmother's name into it but the three names + surname could be quite a pain on forms etc...

OP posts:
Staffori · 19/03/2020 01:02

One of those as a first name and a single syllable name as a first name. If Ariana can't be the first name then it could be a third name.

Serena Grace
Serena Rose
Serena Jade

etc.

Astronica · 18/03/2020 23:29

I think you should use it. While they're not perfect together it's fine. As others have said you don't often use first and middle names together, and it certainly doesn't sound bad at all. Both names mean a lot to you, and while we can be fussy and search for the ideal name on sites like this, in real life no-one would bat an eyelid at Serena Ariana.

Chinks123 · 18/03/2020 22:59

Go for it then op if you really love it. Both my children have two middle names (dps family tradition Hmm) and they never get used apart from filling out forms.

Original poster
aliza87 · 18/03/2020 20:47

Thank you everyone for your suggestions! I'll probably go for Serena Ariana as we like it and I have my heart set on it. Nothing else is sticking. Harry potter spell? haha! If so, I guess that's a beautiful name for a spell! 😆

OP posts:
Sux2buthen · 18/03/2020 19:32

Go for it if you love them Smile
They sound a little like a Harry Potter spell but that could be fun

mollymoggs · 18/03/2020 19:22

How often do you speak the first and middle name together? Hardly ever, I would go for it if you love them both