Xiomara? | Mumsnet

DawnieOwl · 2023-10-10T18:11:12+00:00

I think this a very classy, slightly unusual but nice name that I think works well. Thoughts?

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MiddleParking · 10/10/2023 20:06

Xiomara in Jane the Virgin is fabulous so I’d say yes on that basis. If she goes with Zo people will always assume Zoe but that’s okay!

KirstenBlest · 10/10/2023 20:00

Isn't the Chinese X a SH sound. I thought Jiaxin was said as Jasheen

Spendonsend · 10/10/2023 19:44

Its very pretty

beachdays27 · 10/10/2023 19:39

I would pronounce it Zio-mah-ra - don't know if that's right!

MiniBossFromAus · 10/10/2023 19:33

It is difficult to spell and pronounce. As a mum of a child with a Gaelic name, it's a no from me.

I would never do this again - poor child has spent their entire life spelling their name and correcting pronunciation.

PerspiringElizabeth · 10/10/2023 19:30

Yep makes me think of ANTM and haven’t heard it elsewhere in all these years so I would indeed say it’s fairly unusual! But I like it and it’s easy to say and figure out how to say.

MrsTerryPratchett · 10/10/2023 19:29

There's one on Jane the Virgin. Hers is shortened to Xo (pronounced Zo).

GoodVibesHere · 10/10/2023 19:28

I'd have no idea whatsoever how to pronounce it. Which is fine so long as you know that your DC will spend a lifetime being asked how to say it/spell it.

MrsTerryPratchett · 10/10/2023 19:27

theduchessofspork · 10/10/2023 19:24

It’s pretty but I think rather than see-AH mah-ruhpeople in the UK will guess Zee-uh-MAR-ruh.. so it depends how you feel about that really. Also what would you want to call her day to day? Because it will definitely get shortened - probably to Mara

This. It's beautiful and I can pronounce it. But the vast majority of English people can't even roll an r. If you're in Scotland you have a slightly improved chance!

TheNameIsDickDarlington · 10/10/2023 19:24

Barleysugar86 · 10/10/2023 19:19

I would have pronounced it See-oh-mara like the Chinese X as S. But sounds like I'd have gotten it wrong in the middle. It's a pretty name but she will have a lifetime of people hesitating to say it so on the fence.

Nice to have something a little bit different though.

No you're right I was wrong! I struggle to write down how I hear things saying them both out load See-Oh-Mara sounds more right.

theduchessofspork · 10/10/2023 19:24

It’s pretty but I think rather than see-AH mah-ruhpeople in the UK will guess Zee-uh-MAR-ruh.. so it depends how you feel about that really. Also what would you want to call her day to day? Because it will definitely get shortened - probably to Mara

WhileMyDishwasherGentlyWeeps · 10/10/2023 19:21

It’s Spanish, apparently.

Google also tells me that there’s a Xiomara Castro who’s the President of Honduras.

Barleysugar86 · 10/10/2023 19:19

I would have pronounced it See-oh-mara like the Chinese X as S. But sounds like I'd have gotten it wrong in the middle. It's a pretty name but she will have a lifetime of people hesitating to say it so on the fence.

Nice to have something a little bit different though.

Original poster

DawnieOwl · 10/10/2023 19:16

America's next top model was actually where I first heard it and I have loved it ever since!

OP posts:

TheNameIsDickDarlington · 10/10/2023 19:16

I absolutely love it. Sadly I have no Hispanic heritage or I would have loved to use it.

I'm terrible at the phonetic spelling thing but it's pronounced "See-ah-mara"

MyMitMoo · 10/10/2023 19:15

The only time I've heard the name before was a contestant on America's next top model. But that's probably a niche association (and it's neither negative or positive really)
It's certainly unusual.

Labradoodlie · 10/10/2023 19:14

I’d assume it’s pronounced ‘Zhow-Mara?’.

Sounds pretty, and I’d assume it’s non-English.

Crumbcatcher · 10/10/2023 19:12

I wouldn't know how to pronounce it but it looks pretty.

Pollywoddles · 10/10/2023 19:12

Slightly unusual o_O