Iona???

[angels1]

We found out at the week end we are having a little girl :) So excited but struggling with name ideas (we had a boys one all picked out...).

We both like the name Iona but feel it's similar to Isla - which is becoming really popular (up about 250 places in the past 10 years on most popular list).

Our preferences to a baby name is that it needs to be something not too popular (pref not top 50), something that a child or adult wouldn't be embarassed to have or use,a bit unusual but not odd or pretentious, something that isn't chavvy or of it's time/a bit of a fad and something we like of course.

Isla seems to be both popular and potentially faddy. Do you think Iona might fall into the same category as it is so similar?

If it helps, our other current ideas are
Felicity
Mirabel
Alice
Lydia
Beatrice
Primrose
Abigail

We did also have ophelia as a finalist but then I found a mn thread about it not being so good if your surnames 'bottom' (which ours isn't btw), which made me giggle and I can't say the name without a grin

really like Iona. Not heard of it before, but I like.

Also like Alice.

I think everyone that has responded has like Iona - very happy at this.

Have got a pile of baby name books from the library so am going to check these to see if there is any other inspiration that grabs me.

I have an Iona she is 2.5, not met another one other than one I taught who was 8!

I like Iona very much.

Very much depends on your surname though. Friends of friends called their daughter Iona. Their surname is Dick . Honestly.

Iona Dick - he he he. Poor girl. Luckily our surname wouldn't be too bad with it.

I know. They just didn't see it.

My friend has a 6-year-old called Iona. When I first heard it I thought it sounded a bit cheesy but it has grown on me and it seems to suit her - she's a lovely wee girl.

Poor Iona Dick. My aunt has the middle name Ida and her maiden surname was Dick - given the thought that seems to go into choosing names it baffles me as to how these things go unnoticed.

Know an Iona who is about 60 (lovely) and one who is 12 (very bright) so have positive image of the name. Prefer it to your other choices.

Dunno about Iona...one my older aunts name..just seems old..

It's nice. Dd1 has one in her school (we're in England). It's an amazing little place, I had fantastic holidays there as a child.

I know a little Iona and she's absolutely gorgeous. Love it. There's also a beautiful Waterboys song -

(Oops - that's the Gaelic version of the song, sorry!)

I'll go away now...

DDs middle name is Iona - funnily enough she hates it and gets really cross if we mention it! It was my great grannies name too.
I think we like similar names, DDs first name is on your list (although OkieCokie may not agree with us on that one)

I love the name Iona, very pretty name, it's the name of one of my cousins and I've never met another one ever :)

Hi angels1 no i don't think so..!!!???
I mean it is very Scottish name..but plenty of people pick names which they just love and i think that's more important.

I also like from your list: Alice and Beatrice. The other's aren't really to my taste.

I knew a couple who called their daughter Iona, only problem was their surname was Whitehead!!

She was registered as Iona ap in the Welsh tradition (they lived in Wales but were not of Welsh origin)

Iona Whitehead, lol, just hope if I call my girl Iona she doesn't marry someone with a surname like 'bigbum'

thanks for that Highlandgirl. Our boys choice before we knew it was a girl was rowan, and if we have a boy in the future I think Iona and Rowan go quite well together.

Can't believe everyone (except mumcentreplus and beamurs daughter that is - there's always someone isn't there!!) like it, was expecting lots of dislike comments, so this is boding well :)

I also like Ione, however DH reckons people may wonder if it is pronoucned I-one. What do you reckon? Do you think people would know how to pronounce both Iona and Ione?

How do you prounce Ione? I own???

I like Iona. Also Alice from your list. I considered Ailsa but had a boy, dh wanted Elinor.

I-own-e, like you would Iona but with and "e" sound on the end.

The LO i know called Ionie is spelt ie, no confusionn at all!

Ione/ionie is nice, but I prefer Iona for me (probably as I've been there and remeber it being such a beautiful spot). And I think potentially people would spell ione i-own - would be really annoying too!

when I say spell, I mean say of course - baby brain

I liked Iona but dismissed it as being too Scottish. Nothing wrong with that but I felt it seemed abit random as neither of us have any Scottish links. Like calling your son Pierre when you both hail from Basingstoke. But thats just me its a nice name.