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Baby names

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Original poster

Thoughts on Anya or Cerys

33 replies

Liberty179 · 17/09/2022 22:46

Struggling to decide on a baby girl name- we like Anya or Cerys. Middle name will be Josephine. Have a family member called Anna- is it too close?

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Original poster
Liberty179 · 19/09/2022 09:13

Thanks everyone for your input, good to think about all these things! ☺️

OP posts:
PatronSaintOfPotplants · 19/09/2022 08:49

Both good & pretty names. I like Cerys more for you bc of the Welsh/heritage connection, and unless you have a Slavic connection (doesn't have to be by family, maybe you just like the culture) Anya might be a bit of a reach. I wouldn't worry at all about people not knowing how to pronounce a name based on the written version - that's just life, and part of getting to know someone/broadening your knowledge :)

DacwMamYnDwad · 18/09/2022 16:37

Native speakers say it as Kerris. It's quite dated - Cerys and Carys were very popular in the 1960s. If you are not in Wales she'll get Serris/Cerise a lot.

Anya is nicer, but Anna is better.

Twizbe · 18/09/2022 14:51

caitlinrose · 18/09/2022 14:22

I don't really see how you would get Cece.

I know of a Cerys and she says it with a K-sound. Or would you say Cece like Kiki?

Forvo tells me that the K-sound is correct for Carys and Cerys but maybe I am wrong? Maybe you could ask a native speaker.

You do pronounce it with the hard C as in Ke-ris.

But the name of the letter rather than the sound is Cee. Her initials are C.E so it comes from that rather than the sound of her name .... if that makes sense.

She mostly uses her full name it's only really me that uses Ce. Even her brother uses her full name.

caitlinrose · 18/09/2022 14:22

I don't really see how you would get Cece.

I know of a Cerys and she says it with a K-sound. Or would you say Cece like Kiki?

Forvo tells me that the K-sound is correct for Carys and Cerys but maybe I am wrong? Maybe you could ask a native speaker.

caitlinrose · 18/09/2022 14:19

I like them both.

Anya is nice but there are several pronunciations such as awn-ya, ahn-ya and ann-ya. There are also a lot of women with similar names such as Anna or Maya.

Cerys is nice but I think many people won't know how to spell it. She might get Karis or Karys or Kerris etc. Also people might say seh-ris.

I prefer Carys which seems to be the original according to google. But maybe it is pronounced kah-ris? As opposed to keh-ris.

ChocolateSpreadOnToast · 18/09/2022 13:40

Anya is lovely, not a fan of Cerys and I hear it a lot more.

magd2901 · 18/09/2022 12:07

Both beautiful names but I think I like Cerys more, especially as it celebrates her Welsh heritage :)

toastofthetown · 18/09/2022 11:37

I love Anya. Cerys is harsh, hissy and unpleasant sounding to me, though it's usually popular on here so might just be a me issue.

Twizbe · 18/09/2022 10:48

Liberty179 · 18/09/2022 09:25

Ce, Cece are cute nicknames ☺️

I know and it suits her. Her initials are CE so that's why we do Cece.

erikbloodaxe · 18/09/2022 09:38

Cerys, Ceris or Carys. All lovely.

Original poster
Liberty179 · 18/09/2022 09:25

Ce, Cece are cute nicknames ☺️

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Twizbe · 18/09/2022 06:56

I have a Cerys. We call her Ce or Cece for short.

I love the name but it has surprised me in England how few people know how to say it.

Buttons294749 · 18/09/2022 06:55

Anya is a pretty name (and shes a cool demon in buffy) but i love cerys. I think cerys matthews' fame means a lot of people know the pronunciation

TheWayTheLightFalls · 18/09/2022 06:51

Just on the same name thing - in Russia and I suspect other EE countries Anya is the nickname or diminutive for Anna. So they would be seen as the same name. Probably not too important for you, but you did ask!

Both lovely names.

Billylilly · 18/09/2022 06:43

I love Anya. I have no idea how to pronounce Cerys, surely I wouldn't be the only one.

Luredbyapomegranate · 18/09/2022 00:27

Cerys

Anya is fine but not as nice as Anna, and there are a lot of Annas and Annabels about

Original poster
Liberty179 · 18/09/2022 00:26

Probably prefer Annie to kerry- but hoping with the short names less likely to have NN!

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Cats23 · 18/09/2022 00:21

My DN is Ceris, So I'm maybe biased.

RamsayEaster · 18/09/2022 00:18

Love Anya , my cousin spells it Ania

wellingtonsandwaffles · 18/09/2022 00:18

Both are lovely names. Simple but elegant and not too common but with nn opportunity. Maybe consider if you prefer Annie or Ceri (“Kerry”) as people are likely to shorten at times.

BingThing · 18/09/2022 00:08

I love Anya, gorgeous name

DramaAlpaca · 18/09/2022 00:03

I prefer Cerys.

Anya is OK, but not a patch on Anna.

Original poster
Liberty179 · 17/09/2022 23:44

Yes the meaning of Cerys is lovely ☺️
Have heard of the buffy reference to Anya but never watched it so doesnt really bother me 😂

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NuffSaidSam · 17/09/2022 23:41

I think Cerys is much nicer. Not keen on Anya.