Noah/Noa is a girls name across the world.

I also think that parents pick names like Margot or Darcey because they think of Ms Robbie or Dame Darcey. I don't particularly like either name, but both associated celebrities are beautiful.

Many posters on here wouldn't name a daughter Diana because of Princess Di, but the association won't mean much to children born these days.

I think that might be Noel but I could be wrong.

@Summermeadowflowers , I don't particularly like the name because like you I hear No uh, or by now NO-WAH! shouted across a street or park.

Not being sarky. I think that people picked the name (or Theo) because it seemed different and fresh, without realising that other parents thought the same.

I know a woman called Noella, l think that's a French version of Noah.

@KirstenBlest look, I don’t want to be argumentative here but this is the post I was replying to.

I'd assume a person called Noah was a man, with a beard, a large family, a fondness for animals, and excellent wood-working skills

And I questioned whether they’d really assume that, given the name was the third most popular for boys in 2022. It was an attempt to be funny but it’s just irritating. I was actually raised going to Sunday school and church but even if I hadn’t been I doubt there are many people unfamiliar with the Noah’s ark story. The name doesn’t need a sarky response, I’m not personally keen because it sounds like No-Uh a lot of the time, but it’s hardly an obscure name!

It is about associations. People pick names that they like. Some names they will like because of the associations they make either knowingly or subconsciously.

Names often become popular because they are associated with someone.

It isn’t about associations. It’s just simply that acting as if the only person to have the name Noah was a biblical man is a bit daft given it’s popularity.

The first thing I associate Noah with is the Ark too. Noah wasn't popular until about 20 years ago.
Mary, Joseph and Thomas have been popular most of my lifetime, although the Marys would have been older than me. If you said 'Mary and Joseph' then I'd think of the sweet baby Jesus in a crib.

Noa makes me think of the clothes brand NoaNoa.

Yes thanks @KirstenBlest - I know. I’m familiar with it. I just don’t believe given the names popularity that the previous poster is only able to imagine Noah as a name ‘belongs’ to this particular story, any more than Mary and Joseph are just the parents of Jesus and Thomas a doubter.

@babysharkdoodoodedoodedoo definitely an H, she’s actually Noah-Anne

@Summermeadowflowers ,Noah is closely associated with Noah's Ark, which is in Jewish, Islamic and Christian scriptures.

What is the probability of @Coffeedrinker7 having taught Kasey, Riley, Jamie, and Sydney though? We'll need to see your working obviously, teasing us with "extremely low" isn't going to score any marks in this test. You'll also need to state your assumptions such as the length of teaching career and number of individual girls taught per week (remember that girls are unique but non-ordered).

The story of Noah's Ark appears everywhere in children's toys, early learning and entertainment. A child called Noah is most likely to come across that story and the character even if they have no religous background.

The stories of Ruth/Paul etc. are known to a smaller community and so less obviously connected with the Old Testament. (I've not seen play-figures of them in a toyshop). Children with these names could easily live without coming across the bible stories.

The probability of having taught all of them is extremely low, that's all.

@KirstenBlest I assure you I have! Not sure why you’d think I would make that up?! 🤣 I

I think @Changethetoner might have been joking 🙂

And do you think all women called Ruth accompany their mother in laws to Judah? And all Josephs are carpenters and any man you meet called Paul changed his name on the road to Damascus?

Noah was the third most popular boys name in 2022. It’s not a personal favourite of mine but it’s hardly just associated with the Old Testament.

Those names are hardly ever used for girls, so it's unlikely that you have taught all of them. Casey (various spellings) is the least unusual of them, and I know 3 males and 2 females. The men/boys are Casey but the girls have different 'yooneek' spellings.
Casey and Riley are surnames used as fisrt names.

Noa is ok as a girl's name because it is a girl's name. Someone hearing Noa will think it's Noah as Noah is the top boy's name (England and Wales 2021).

I love Noa for a girl. I think there are so many names that cross over now that the fact people are more used to Noah as a boys’ name won’t really matter. I’m a teacher and I’ve taught plenty of girls called Jamie, Riley, Sydney, Charlie, Kacey etc.

That must be Noa with no ‘h’? As Evangeslical Christians would that Noa is the biblical woman and Noah a biblical man.

Noa is a girls name. She was in the Old Testament. Noah is a boys name.

In Hebrew the actual names are not 'Noah' and 'Noa'.

People will assume Noah is a boy, because that Bible story is one of the best known ones, and it's widely taught in schools (all those animals!)

Noa is a less well known name, and people may or may not make assumptions about the sex of the person when they see it written. But it's a homonym (to English speakers) for the boys name. Like Francis and Frances I suppose

I only know one Noah and she’s a girl. British though. Very popular in Evangelical Christian circles.

I've taught a female Noa before. She had Spanish herritage.

I do like Noah but tbh it does have a slightly feminine sound to it, by ending in an 'ah' sound, so I totally think it suits girls too (prefer the Noa spelling for females though).

I know a female Ezra too, which I also think has quite a feminine feel to it too.