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Baby names

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

Original poster

Shireen?

64 replies

frazzledoldbag34 · 17/10/2008 20:33

Am addicted to 'The Riches' and love the name 'Shireen' from it. But could one call a baby this? And does it sound a bit, ahem, [dare I say it] chav? Or is it elegant and unusual?
Please advise oh wise Mumsnetters!

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BigWhoop · 03/01/2013 04:53

To be doubly sure, also pretend you are in Corrie and say it out loud.. gives you a good idea how other people will say the name... not just the nice way it sounds in your head Grin

BigWhoop · 03/01/2013 04:51

If you pretend you are in Eastenders and then say Shireen it sounds awful. Chav.

(I did this with all potential names Grin)

sashh · 03/01/2013 03:46

I worked with a Dr called Shireen, really noce down to earth woman.

tethersjinglebellend · 02/01/2013 20:18

It's lovely.

portraitoftheartist · 02/01/2013 20:10

Isn't it the same name as Shirrin, a popular middle-eastern name? Try that instead.

usualsuspect3 · 02/01/2013 16:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

firawla · 02/01/2013 16:05

its a nice name, i've known plenty of shirin/shireens and none of them are chavs

happyhopefulmummy · 02/01/2013 16:00

Must name change after this... But my name is Shirin! My mum is half Iranian, I am freckly with red hair. I only get compliments :)

Shireen64 · 01/01/2013 16:23

Just found this thread and although I'm a little late I thought someone may read it one day.

As a Shireen myself I would like to think it is not chavy at all. Growing up I can honestly say I loved my name and always got lovely comments about it from others. I was never teased or ridiculed about. I'm half Iranian and in Farsi Shireen means sweet. Is a common name in Iran and also in Egypt, where you will find many Shireens.

I can see why it may seem like a made up name to some but it isn't and has a nice meaning.

birdofthenorth · 21/02/2012 07:33

Go with Claudia! Gorgeous name. Shireen smacks of footballers wives and soapstars, sorry!

mathanxiety · 21/02/2012 04:13

Pisspots -- old thread....

mathanxiety · 21/02/2012 04:11

No, no, no, do not inflict Shireen on a baby in the US. The 'een' ending puts it in the Maureen, Noreen, Doreen category.

Spell it Shirin and it is lovely if your heritage is south Asian. If not I would wonder if as posted above, the baby was named after grannies Shirley and Doreen.

Vanfurgstan · 21/02/2012 01:26

Lisaro did u see any of the explanations posted?

PineCones · 21/02/2012 01:07

this is clearly not a good moment! Grin en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shirin

PineCones · 21/02/2012 01:06

sorry, making it clicky. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shirin]]

PineCones · 21/02/2012 01:05

lisaro each to their own. i happen to think it's an absolutely beautiful name. apart from having thousands of years of history to it- 4th century AD is the first reference. not sure why it isn't a real name, in your opinion.
you may want to read up before you're so hasty to condemn decry. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shirin

Plonker · 21/02/2012 00:29

I know a fabulous, quirky, fun-loving Shereen (she's not Asian and hadn't ever realised that it's an Asian name). It's a world away from Claudia and Annabel, although all are lovely (just very very different).

oikopolis · 21/02/2012 00:23

agree with openerofjars, since it's Near Eastern in origin it was originally written in Arabic script, so there is no "proper" English spelling. Just a series of different transliterations as people tried to represent the name using Roman script.

Shirin, Shireen, Shereen are all correct... same as Riyadh, which is equally correct as Ri'aad, Riyad, Reehad, etc.

It might sound chavvy or made up but it's not, it's a lovely traditional Arabic name. i know two very elegant Shireens. I think if someone with absolutely no Near Eastern heritage uses it, it can seem a bit strange, but that would be my only reservation.

lisaro · 21/02/2012 00:15

Nasty nasty nasty., Just don't., Choose a real name., Please.,

sashh · 21/02/2012 00:12

Used to know a Dr with that name - really nice girl.

PineCones · 20/02/2012 23:29

It's Persian i.e. Iranian, and therefore now also a Parsi name (as the Parsis come from Persia originally).
( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parsi )

PopcornBiscuit · 20/02/2012 23:07

Shireen is too much like a cross between Shirley and Doreen.

Annabel is lovely though :)

openerofjars · 20/02/2012 23:03

Nah, it's Iranian. Shirin/Shereen/Shireen spellings all come from it not originally being written down in the Roman alphabet, so it'll have been interpreted into English a few different ways. It doesn't mean one spelling is better than another. It's lovely, but she may get idiots helpful people insisting she can't spell Sharon when she's learning to write her name.

Vanfurgstan · 20/02/2012 23:01

In English in English

Vanfurgstan · 20/02/2012 23:00

CoteDAzur how do u knw the correct spelling. Most people just write it I English how it sounds that's why there are so many variations like Amir Aamir Amer etc