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Baby names

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

Original poster

Names close to Diana

55 replies

indecisivehippo · 20/10/2022 13:46

Can anyone suggest names that could be close to Diana? Would prefer not an ‘a’ sound at the end due to our last name. It’s a family name of great emotional value I would love to use, but also not keen on the royal connotations. We like modern, quite short names generally as our last name is quite long and I don’t like repetitive sounds in a name. Thanks!

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Original poster
indecisivehippo · 20/10/2022 21:26

see my previous post, I’m not bothered whether you think using a different name means anything or not, I’m just looking for name suggestions thanks

thanks to all who contributed! Got lots of ideas now

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NancyDrooo · 20/10/2022 20:58

I’m not convinced picking another name that begins with D means it’s a nod to Diana, can you not use it as a middle name?

blankee · 20/10/2022 20:50

Not my usual style of name, but a childhood friend of mine was called Denny and it really suited her. Denni/Deni is an alternative, slightly more feminine(?) spelling.

FreshCop · 20/10/2022 20:45

How about Dahlia?

Georgeskitchen · 20/10/2022 19:03

Dionne

Original poster
indecisivehippo · 20/10/2022 18:54

One of my best friends middle name is Dee and that is lovely and just really suits her too :)

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Original poster
indecisivehippo · 20/10/2022 18:53

Loving dulcie! Those sounds work really well with our last name too. And with my other child’s name. Dulcie / Daphne/ Devorah / Davina on the shortlist. I agree about Deirdre now I think about it it’s a nice sound and yes also like the Irish version, but don’t think it’s for me this time.

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Umbellifer · 20/10/2022 18:45

Dulcie is gorgeous!

Umbellifer · 20/10/2022 18:44

I knew a girl called Deidre - her family used to pronounce it Daredra which was lovely, think they may have been Irish as @TrashyPanda suggests.

Undertheoldlindentree · 20/10/2022 18:42

Dulcie? Has a similar 1930's elegance to Diana.

I had to ring up a super-cool skateboard shop recently and the very helpful person who advised me was called Deirdre. How cool is that!

scotstarstrikestwo · 20/10/2022 18:40

My aunt Diana gets called Diny

TrashyPanda · 20/10/2022 18:39

The Irish pronunciation of Dierdre is lovely.

not Irish, but to my ears it sounds like Dur-dra, with the stress on the first syllable.

AnApparitionQuipped · 20/10/2022 18:38

indecisivehippo · 20/10/2022 18:32

I am laughing at Deirdre though! Do we think that will make a comeback? It’s actually quite an elegant sound or sort of 80s cool if I think about it but all my brain thinks straight away is Barlow! I don’t even like Corrie but grew up with a super fan!

I can see it coming back; it won't be long before no one really remembers Deirdre from Coronation Street and if you can forget that image, it's quite a poetic sort of name.

Original poster
indecisivehippo · 20/10/2022 18:32

I am laughing at Deirdre though! Do we think that will make a comeback? It’s actually quite an elegant sound or sort of 80s cool if I think about it but all my brain thinks straight away is Barlow! I don’t even like Corrie but grew up with a super fan!

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Original poster
indecisivehippo · 20/10/2022 18:30

Wow there’s a lot of options and opinions. Thanks so much for all those who have offered suggestions - much better than my slow pregnancy brain can come up with. Don't understand why people answer with something that isn’t the question really? There is a very good reason we can’t use the actual name Diana - or I would! But what’s it to you? Some really good ideas thank you!

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Umbellifer · 20/10/2022 18:28

Danica nn Dani
Danute (pronounced Danooter)

Smallonesaremorejuicy · 20/10/2022 18:26

Diana … met a baby named Diana about 2 years ago . It really suited her .

Undertheoldlindentree · 20/10/2022 18:26

Rearranging the letters in Diana gives Nadia - still an a sound though.

TabithaTittlemouse · 20/10/2022 18:23

wha about just using Di? Short, no a.

Luredbyapomegranate · 20/10/2022 18:21

I think if it’s a family name or a name to honour someone you either use it or you don’t. Making it Diane isn’t going to have the same resonance.

ZeldaWillTellYourFortune · 20/10/2022 17:29

Ariadne

AnApparitionQuipped · 20/10/2022 17:24

Deirdre

midsomermurderess · 20/10/2022 17:22

Or for short names, Jean, Joan.

midsomermurderess · 20/10/2022 17:21

Daphne.

nelliebear8 · 20/10/2022 16:39

Diane
Dana
Dinah
Delilah
Daphne