Are we crazy to name DD this?

shrug it's subjective, isn't it? I bet Ikara did get her fair share of "IK-uh-ruh"/"ih-KAR-uh"/"eye-KAR-uh" etc. And maybe she didn't care. And maybe a child with a common English name will move abroad where their name is considered difficult. All we can do is try and make the best judgement call, and I stand by my advice to the OP on Ithaca in this situation.

It's lovely

Is it really that out there though? I have worked with an Ikara- not massively dissimilar and didn't seem to cause her any problems. The beauty of the UK is that we've got quite a mix of cultures here, so a Greek name really shouldn't be a huge issue, even if it's not a massively popular one.

It's a bit spitty and geographical.

Have heard much worse on here, though.

Don’t do it

Well personally, I'd say yes, you should rethink if the only one you love is as out-there as Ithaca. I've never heard anyone say "I hate my name, it's a pain to live with, but my mum loved it so that's absolutely fine". I loved lots of out-there names but when push came to shove, I didn't give any of them to my child, because I'm not the one who has to live with it. I chose (well, agreed on) a very nice name that is also easy to live with. There are loads out there.

I take the point about multicultural names, but I don't imagine anyone relishes having to explain their name all the time or have it misspelt and mispronounced, so I wouldn't do that if there's no cultural reason to.

Since the OP has not given any particular reasons in favour of this name, other than she thinks it sounds nice, I would say why do this to your child? Take it to Starbucks and see how you (OP) feel actually giving it as your name.

Sometimes that's all you need. If you're really struggling to find a name you can envisage your child with and come across one you absolutely love, should you settle for one that you think is a bit 'meh' just in case your favourite one is considered too out-there?

I don't know, maybe it's because I work in a very multicultural environment so I'm used to coming across names I've not encountered before, but it doesn't bother me when people don't pick a bog-standard English one.

I like it a lot. Very cool.

@WineInTheWillows no, the difference is that one is a recognisable name, and the other isn't.

Clara might be misheard, but virtually everyone has heard of the name Clara, or Lorna. There will be an "oh, Clara, I get it now, silly me" moment.

Ithaca is not even going to be recognised as a place name by most people, let alone as a name. It's more difficult for people's brains to hang onto when they have no point of reference for it. They will always be learning it for the first time. Since the OP has not given any particular reasons in favour of this name, other than she thinks it sounds nice, I would say why do this to your child? Take it to Starbucks and see how you (OP) feel actually giving it as your name.

I don't think you can predict which names will lead to taunting like that. One of the most memorable from my school days was, 'Colette- the best a man can get!' (used to taunt very shy nerdy bespectacled girl, based on Gilette advert).

It makes me think of the liberal arts college in New York of the same name

I don’t like that it has the sound “thick” in the middle of it. Could easily turn into “Is she thick er”?

OP loves Ithaca.

Nickname of ‘Iffy’

@WineInTheWillows if she ends up in sales, it could be 20 times a day. Not really unusual at all to use your own name a lot at work. Or nursing. Or loads of jobs.

It's a bit too try hard for me but if you like it, use it. Who cares what we think?

Makes me think of 'icky'

It looks quite nice written down, but I’ve tried saying it a few times and it really makes my skin crawl. Sorry OP! It’s something about the ‘th’ making it sound like I’ve got a lisp. Not pleasant at all. I rarely feel so strongly about names.

Icatha (so with the c sound first and th sound last) rolls off the tongue a lot more smoothly.

Yeeesss... But there's Clara, and then there's Ithaca.

Maybe @bourbonne, but that does narrow the field a lot. I have a DNiece called Clara and I've been out with her when she's had to correct, 'Sorry, Tara? Lara? Kara?' I've a friend called Lorna who gets 'Laura' on the phone a lot...

If you're limiting your name choices to those that will not be misheard over a phone line, you're discounting a lot of names. I think it's perfectly reasonable to be unwilling to do that.

@WineInTheWillows I guess my point is nobody can know what little Ithaca's life will be. There's not much point us saying "well I just email people"; she might find herself working in a call centre, or face to face with clients, etc. So I'd always err on the side of giving a child a name that's easy to live with. One less hassle!

@WineInTheWillows why is it surprising? I have a job which brings me into contact with various people, both inside my company and externally. It's not at all unusual that I'm introducing myself to, or receiving a call from, someone I don't know well. That's on top of life admin and social stuff.

Mainly because I tend to email first and call second, if at all.

I don’t mind it, but it’s a bit odd perhaps if you don’t have a reason for it...

It’s originally Odysseus’ island home in the myth, before it was anywhere in NY, just so’s you know.

Cassia is nice....

Apparently it's also a gun company in the US. 👀