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Baby names

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Original poster

Kanaka or Priya?

40 replies

Rinku89 · 24/08/2023 22:14

We are not sure which name to pick between these 2. We think Priya is maybe a bit popular and did think about Priyanka as it's a bit similar to both but for some irrational reason, the "yanka" part is making me think of "wanker". Ridiculous Confused we think Kanaka is really pretty and easy to spell, while not being particularly popular/well known. Thank you

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continentallentil · 27/08/2023 17:23

Priya is very popular, it’s nice though.

I’m not mad on Kanaka it makes me think of knickers and knackered, or Canada

minipie · 26/08/2023 19:48

Priyatha
Priyasha
Pritheeva

I knew a Pritheeva, lovely name, beautiful woman

GoingGoingUp · 26/08/2023 19:30

BetsyBobbins · 25/08/2023 23:13

As usual on MN people wanting to call their kids stupid things. Rhyming with "Hanukkah" no less 🙄

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Yes, I agree completely! Any name which isn’t white British is so stupid right! 🙄

Or, you know, people can continue naming their children names from their culture with judgmental comments like yours.

EinyLinky · 26/08/2023 18:58

I work with a lady named Kanaka; I never even considered anything negative of the name... I think it is actually nice! I do like Priya more though, but it's definitely a lot more popular 😊

RitzyMcFitzy · 26/08/2023 08:54

Oh I love Shahana as mentioned by a pp. Beautiful name and lovely to say aloud. Melodic.

AutumnNymph · 26/08/2023 08:37

BetsyBobbins · 25/08/2023 23:25

Did you read the link in the post I quoted? Of course it's stupid

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I read it but still don't think it makes it a stupid name in a different culture/language/continent. It may be better not to use it, sure but calling a name from a different culture that you don't have anunderstanding of, is the stupid and offensive part, not the name

BlueMoe · 26/08/2023 07:47

Hapagirl48 · 25/08/2023 08:11

I grew up in Hawaii so Kanaka is a major no no for me. But I guess if you don’t have any connections with the South Pacific …

https://www.ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?q=Kanaka

Kanaka would also not work in German speaking countries, I think

Batatahara · 26/08/2023 07:44

Xiaoxiong · 25/08/2023 12:12

I actually have a pile of cookbooks on the side staring at me and the names of the authors are all beautiful:
Rukmini
Ravinder
Aarya
Manju

Manju is very much an old lady name for Indians.

Aarya is popular

NewDogOwner · 26/08/2023 07:16

Batatahara · 25/08/2023 08:23

My favourite Indian girls names are:

Ashni
Meera
Chandni
Sita
Nimisha
Anisha

Priya is fine but I think a bit overused

Anisha is beautiful. I have never heard that before.

user1492757084 · 26/08/2023 06:00

Kanaka means an indentured seasonal Islander worker and also a person in Hawai.

Therefore Priya is my choice.

Other sweet Sanskrit names ..
Anushka
Sara
Pari
Shalina
Neela
Neesha
Varsha
Shakila
India
Indira
Usha
Chaundra
Rani
Aashka
Paveen
Manisha
Roshan
Neelam
Ayesha

AnIndianWoman · 26/08/2023 00:21

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines - previously banned poster.

IdealisticCynic · 25/08/2023 23:36

BetsyBobbins · 25/08/2023 23:13

As usual on MN people wanting to call their kids stupid things. Rhyming with "Hanukkah" no less 🙄

Show quote history

Is it all “foreign” names you consider stupid, or just Indian ones?

While it may be that a different culture uses the word Kanaka pejoratively, it’s a traditional Indian name and your comment is unnecessarily rude.

BetsyBobbins · 25/08/2023 23:25

AutumnNymph · 25/08/2023 23:18

@BetsyBobbins Kannaka is an old Sanskrit/Indian name and not at all stupid.

Did you read the link in the post I quoted? Of course it's stupid

ZoyaTheDestroyer · 25/08/2023 23:21

BetsyBobbins · 25/08/2023 23:13

As usual on MN people wanting to call their kids stupid things. Rhyming with "Hanukkah" no less 🙄

Show quote history

Ignorant comment.

AutumnNymph · 25/08/2023 23:18

@BetsyBobbins Kannaka is an old Sanskrit/Indian name and not at all stupid.

Barleysugar86 · 25/08/2023 23:14

Priya is beautiful. I don't know any, and it makes me think of the sassy smart sister from Big Bang Theory.

The offensive meaning of the other name would worry me I'd stay away.

BetsyBobbins · 25/08/2023 23:13

Hapagirl48 · 25/08/2023 08:11

I grew up in Hawaii so Kanaka is a major no no for me. But I guess if you don’t have any connections with the South Pacific …

https://www.ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?q=Kanaka

As usual on MN people wanting to call their kids stupid things. Rhyming with "Hanukkah" no less 🙄

AutumnNymph · 25/08/2023 23:10

Shahana is beautiful and was on my list for DD. OP am guessing you are from the South?

On our list of names for DD were
Ahana
Aadya
Dyuti
Keerthana
Kaavya
Maitreyi
Mayukha
Mahati
Laasya
Laya
Sanjana
Spandana
Satya
Shreya
Soumya
Veda

Godawfulday · 25/08/2023 23:08

If you do not already know the name and Google Kanaka meaning you get the reference Hawaiian word that can be offensive. The Indian name will come from a search of Kanaka name.

Just from that I’d go with Priya.

AnIndianWoman · 25/08/2023 23:08

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines - previously banned poster.

TiredCatLady · 25/08/2023 23:02

Priya is beautiful.

Side note: our feelings about names usually stem from our interactions with people with those names, conscious or otherwise. Priya gives me warm and fuzzy, I smile whenever I think of her so I’m probably a bit biased!

MangshorJhol · 25/08/2023 22:51

Some of those names are region specific though. Ravinder is a Punjabi unisex name (as many Punjabi names are). If you were Bengali/Tamil or Gujrati it would be unusual and slightly odd to call your kid that.
Like calling a very Scottish kid being called Jean Pierre.

Priya or Priyanka (pronounced PREE-Yunk-UH not PREE-Yanka) is a more universal Indian name across several linguistic communities. I used to pester my parents about why they didn’t name me that for a long time. Then I had 4 Priyankas in my class and the novelty wore off.

Chandni is lovely but a bit old fashioned. Like naming an English girl Margaret in 2023. Classic name but not common any more.

Rukmini is lovely but people will keep saying ‘Ruck-mini instead of ROOK-mini’
Leela is a lovely name.
I really love the name Shahana (pronounced Shah-ah-na).
Meera and Meena are also nice names.
I know a couple of girls called Anya.
Preeti is another well used name.
I know an Ishika and a Mohini as well.
For a daughter DH and I considered Rishika, Ishila and Sharika.

A lot of these names have really evocative Sanskrit meanings so that might be worth thinking about.

RitzyMcFitzy · 25/08/2023 19:08

Rinku89 · 25/08/2023 07:53

We do feel Priya gets more positive reactions, especially in England as it's more well known.

Kanaka is a bit like with Hannah sounds so Kannahka if that makes any sense? And the ka on the end being kuh

So it rhymes with Anneka?

Priya is a lovely name although very popular. It appeals more than Kanaka though which to me has a kind of a rat-a-tat sound, if that makes any sense.

I know a Priya with sister called Padma and Uma both of which I think are lovely.

FightingFate · 25/08/2023 12:31

I think Priya is really lovely.

Xiaoxiong · 25/08/2023 12:12

I actually have a pile of cookbooks on the side staring at me and the names of the authors are all beautiful:
Rukmini
Ravinder
Aarya
Manju

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