Girls name - is this too weird?

[Teapig]

We like the name Safia but is it too out there?

I know it sounds very similar to Saskia or Sofia but funnily I'm not keen on either of those.

Is it too out there?

[badtime]

Why would you call your child Sophia if you had no connection with Greece?

[lljkk]

I thought Sophia was Italian, you know Sophia Loren, and she made that name internationally known.

I never heard of Saphia as a name until this thread.

[JenaiMorris]

And of course biblical names have a Middle Easter origin, don't they.

All those fancy foreign names like Mary, Joseph and Daniel

[TheSeventhHorcrux]

My first thought was that it sounds like a type of sellotape.

I also agree with mmmuffins; its off to give your child a name that insinuates your child is from a different country with no actual connection.

[badtime]

Sophia is Greek - it means wisdom.

In Italian, I believe 'Sofia' is the more conventional spelling.

[TheSeventhHorcrux]

*odd not off, sorry!

[mmmuffins]

JenaiMorris I just an image of the parents of a Mary being asked if their family was from the Bethlehem area, lol.

[Teapig]

I'm definitely in the camp of not worrying about not having a connection with the country the name originates from. I think you if only stuck to names from countries you have a connection with you'd be very, very limited. As badtime and jenai have mentioned that would rule out a lot of popular names like Isobel, Joseph etc. So the lack of connection with the origin of the name doesn't worry me.

I guess my main worry is how it's pronounced. It sounds like there are a few variations so it's likely people would get it wrong and she may end up going along with people calling her Sophia just for an easier life. But I do really like it though so may just have to burden her with it.

[shoppingtrolley]

I know someone called this never gets mixed up it's a gorgeous name!

[shoppingtrolley]

Also she always gets called Saff -- which is v pretty

[Teapig]

shopping, out of interest how does she spell and pronounce it?

[exoticfruits]

Yes -it is.

[shoppingtrolley]

Like Safiya. She might be half Indian. But mainly she is a Londoner!

[wigglesrock]

I think its lovely, really nice. Go with what you love, really really do.

I have a Sofia and I'm Irish

[wigglesrock]

When I called my daughter Sofia it caused a few "whats her name?" because of the way it was spelt but it took about 2 mins to correct people and it only happens very occasionally. It took my Mum about 100 goes to get it

Mum - whats the capital of Bulgaria? Sofia
who's the queen of Spain? Sofia
what do you call your first grandchild? Sofeyea, Sofya, oh feck I can't get it

[mrstowers]

I know a little girl called Safia, pronounced Sa-fee-ya. Her family has no connection to the country the name orriginates from but no-one has ever commented on this. In fact everyone comments on what a lovely albeit unusual name it is. She gets called Saffy as a nn which I think is very sweet.

[PixelAteMyFace]

Pretty name, not too complicated - go for it if you like it.

Those who think you shouldn`t use a name from another country if you have no connection to it must find naming their children a bit problematic, as most names have crossed international boundaries these days.

Maybe my parents gave me a French name because of William the Conqueror

[TheBuskersDog]

I wouldn't bat an eyelid if I saw it on a class list, but admittedly would probably be mildly surprised when I realised the child was white European, as that isn't what I'd be expecting. It is pronounced to rhyme with raffia.

[PixelAteMyFace]

My DH has a cousin called Safia, pronounced with the emphasis on the second syllable.

[MaggieMaggieMaggieMcGill]

I like the idea of Sapphira, with Safia as a nick name.

[Teapig]

Thanks for all the really helpful comments. I still really like it. Not sure though on the spelling. There seem to be a few variations: Safia, Saffia, Safiyah and Safiya. I like the spelling Safia as it's nice and simple but I wonder if people could mistake it for a mispeslling of Sofia.

[nectarini1983]

I like it. Out there's good. Who wants to blend in anyway. ....

[Flossy78]

I have a friend called Safia. I met her at Uni and no one ever had a problem pronouncing her name. We call her Saf mainly. I think it is a lovely name

[maidmarian2012]

I have an old friend called Safia. Shes lovely :)