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Baby names

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

Zooey

103 replies

Tibby2 · 15/01/2014 12:30

Just met a little girl and nursery called zooey, not Zoe, Zooey pronounced ZooE what do you think to this name? I quite like it!

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Tibby2 · 15/01/2014 12:30

At nursery not and!

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Naicecuppatea · 15/01/2014 12:32

Don't like it sorry, or even Zoe, think it will constantly get mispronounced and sounds a bit too much like zoo.

MyNameIsKenAdams · 15/01/2014 12:32

Like Zooey. Much prefer it to Zoe.

Tibby2 · 15/01/2014 12:35

Yeah i don't like Zoe at all but really like Zooey they look similar on paper but sound quite different i think.

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loisismyhero · 15/01/2014 12:35

Franny and Zooey is one of my favourite books. I've always liked the name.

SparklingMuppet · 15/01/2014 12:50

My personal opinion is that it is ridiculous. Zooey Deschanel's parent's have a lot to answer for.

squoosh · 15/01/2014 13:25

Zooey is pronounced Zoe.

Poor kid.

BunnyLebowski · 15/01/2014 13:31

Zooey is not pronounced Zoo-ey though. It's pronounced the same as Zoe.

I don't like it either way.

Tibby2 · 15/01/2014 13:36

How would you spell Zooey to be pronounced Zooey? I would of thought due to the actress ppl would read it ZooE when spelt zooey? I definitely would.

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florascotia · 15/01/2014 13:39

In Salingers' story Zooey is MALE - a young man. And it's a nickname.
His real name is Zachary Martin Glass.

squoosh · 15/01/2014 13:39

No, I assumed most people would just think Zooey was an alternate spelling of Zoe.

The only way I'd think it was pronounced Zoo-E, would be if it was spelt Zoo-E, and I wouldn't recommend that!

BunnyLebowski · 15/01/2014 13:39

Zooey Deschanel's first name is pronounced Zoe.

Zooey pronounced Zoo-ey is an incorrect pronunciation. I probably would have researched it before using it.

FaerieBells · 15/01/2014 13:42

Zuey would do it. Like chop suey. Or Huey Lewis and the News.

'Zooey' just looks like 'I have named my baby after a famous actress because I have no imagination'.

Tibby2 · 15/01/2014 14:03

Ok so Zooey dechanel is pronounced Zoë but is spelt like Zooey from the salinger book which as he is a man im guessing isnt supposed to be pronounced as Zoë so surely spelt like Zooey can be pronounced as zooE? Confused!

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Tibby2 · 15/01/2014 14:12

Don't agree it says that person has no imagination just because someone famous has that name. There are many famous actresses and actors out there that doesn't mean if you name your child the same your lacking imagination, just the same as if you name your child the same as someone from a piece of literature ect You could argue from that, that unless you make up your own name from thin air you lack imagination? Popular names like sophie and olivia hardly require parents to have an active imagination do they?

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squoosh · 15/01/2014 14:12

In the book I assume Salinger imagines Zooey to be pronounced Zoo-E, but as already mentioned it isn't the (male) character's actual name. And every other Zooey has been a Zoe.

Honestly, your plans sound like they'll be a major headache for your daughter.

gruffalosfriend · 15/01/2014 14:14

There's a little boy called Zooey at Cubs and he pronounces it Zoo-ey.

BunnyLebowski · 15/01/2014 14:15

Salinger never confirmed the pronunciation but his publisher has said that the male character was pronounced Zoe as well.

The pronunciation Zoo-ey is not nice, sounds daft and has no basis in literature or reality.

Rhubarbgarden · 15/01/2014 14:44

Every time I come across a mention of that actress I think 'ridiculous name'.

Tibby2 · 15/01/2014 16:45

Me and DH both like it; if we use it we will spell it Zuey as I've found a few ppl on the internet who spell it that way to avoid confusion. I personally would love to have a completely unique name, after all you could have a totally normal name, you'll still get stick for something thats life and people are ignorant sad but true.

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BunnyLebowski · 15/01/2014 16:49

Zuey is utterly woeful but it's your prerogative to burden your child with whichever made up name you see fit. More's the pity.

GwendolineMaryLacey · 15/01/2014 16:50

Zoe is lovely. Zoo-ee (which I always think in my head when I see that absurd spelling) is utterly ridiculous.

GwendolineMaryLacey · 15/01/2014 16:51

Zuey?? What fresh hell is that?

HyvaPaiva · 15/01/2014 16:53

Zuey?? What fresh hell is that?

This.

squoosh · 15/01/2014 16:58

Chop Zuey from the list. Wink