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?

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

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.

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

All those fancy foreign names like Mary, Joseph and Daniel

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.

Sophia is Greek - it means wisdom.

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

*odd not off, sorry!

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

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.

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

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

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

Yes -it is.

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

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

I have a Sofia and I'm Irish

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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