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Baby names

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

Original poster

Alternatives to… (unusable baby name)

55 replies

Romelo · 30/04/2022 23:32

The name is Roma. I first heard it on a little French girl who was a friend of a child I au paired for. Thought it was beautiful then, still think it’s beautiful now, plus we love the connection to the city as our first proper holiday together was to Rome. But I think it’s just too contentious to use, given that it’s the name of an ethnic group.

What would you suggest as alternatives? Can’t end in E/IE sound so Romy is out. We’d prefer shorter names of no more than 2 syllables as the surname is long and complex.

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user3199 · 01/05/2022 22:57

I have a relative called Roma, she's been called it all her life (in her 70s) but name on birth certificate is Rosemary. So I connect Roma with Rosemary, not with the city or an ethnic group. It's a lovely name. Alternatively, I like Rhona/Rona.

bridgetreilly · 01/05/2022 20:13

Lola
Viola

BiscuitLover3678 · 01/05/2022 19:39

Romilly

VintageGibbons · 01/05/2022 19:39

Rosa
Roisin
Rema/Rima
Renée
Reina
Raine
Riya
Reya
Rhoda
Rhona
Robyn

BiscuitLover3678 · 01/05/2022 19:36

Gia
lucia (pronounced lucheeah btw)
remi or Remy

BiscuitLover3678 · 01/05/2022 19:35

winona (win for short)

anewername · 01/05/2022 15:20

Gaia is a lingerie brand too.

A name like Francesca, Sofia or Simona is very Italian.

maimeo · 01/05/2022 15:20

I think Roma is perfectly acceptable to use, but then here in Ireland it's a quite common abbreviation of Rosemary, nothing to do with Catholicism or Rome! I love the name!

Original poster
Romelo · 01/05/2022 15:15

not keen on Rona or Rhona sorry! Far too “corona”.

Gaia is leaping out at both of us. Love that it’s an earth goddess and also an Italian name.

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anewername · 01/05/2022 14:51

Ramona ?
Aroma .. ok not that one 😂

theDudesmummy · 01/05/2022 14:40

I once had a ballet teacher called Rhoda. But you may think that is too old fashioned.

Fuuuuuckit · 01/05/2022 14:35

Fizzyfish · 30/04/2022 23:39

Rona
Thalia (italia)

Rona? Have you been living under a rock for the last 2 years?!?

FayCarew · 01/05/2022 14:31

Too close to Aroma, otherwise pretty but the link with an ethnic group would put me off.

Ramona in nice

LadyEloise10 · 01/05/2022 14:28

I love Romy.
Romilly ?

WashableVelvet · 01/05/2022 13:59

Rhona - underused and similar sound

WashableVelvet · 01/05/2022 13:59

Rhona - underused and similar sound

Original poster
Romelo · 01/05/2022 13:54

No ee endings is personal preference and also my name, husband’s name AND surname all end in this sound and we want to branch out.

OP posts:
MooseBreath · 01/05/2022 10:34

Mona
Flora

That said, I think Roma is perfectly fine (and quite pretty!). It's more of a region than an ethnicity, like Paris, Florence, Savannah, and Devon.

ZoyaTheDestroyer · 01/05/2022 10:14

Romola is beautiful.

Why no ee endings?

Original poster
Romelo · 01/05/2022 09:48

Thank you @Brideandprejudice for your input. I would feel the same in your shoes I think.

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Luredbyapomegranate · 01/05/2022 09:48

i meant to say above I think Romola is a great choice!

I think Oona is a great choice also, but in the UK I would spell it like that, as Una can be mispronounced as Yew-na

Luredbyapomegranate · 01/05/2022 09:46

I think this is a great choice.

There’s nothing controversial about Roma - it’s usually a religious name, to honour Rome as the centre of the Catholic Church, it’s nothing to do with the traveller community. However, i have to say it makes me think of depressed elderly barmaids, and I think Romola is much nicer.

Brideandprejudice · 01/05/2022 09:40

I'm a Romany and I will be honest with you, I'd probably be a bit upset at the name Roma. Purely because I feel we get a lot of hatred for our ethnicity so for it to then be used as a pretty name would feel like a bit of a slap.

Some really beautiful suggestions on here though OP

Original poster
Romelo · 01/05/2022 09:36

Sorry, it feels inappropriate

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Original poster
Romelo · 01/05/2022 09:35

Thanks everyone!

To clarify, the reason I don’t want to use Roma is because it feels appropriate to use the name of an ethnic group as a name. It just doesn’t sit comfortably with me. I know not everyone will agree, but it’s my child that has to wear the name and I don’t want her to be judged negatively for a decision she had no control over.

I love some of these ideas! Love Gaia, Romola, Ramona, Paloma (longer than I’d like but quite simple?) also quite like Una and Yara.

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