Please give me your gut reaction too… Alima

[Picklemom]

Interested in anyone's first reaction to that name.

[Orangeisthenewbanana]

Don't like it, sorry.

[ChickenMe]

Just cos it may or may not be from another culture does not mean it cannot be criticised. It's patronising to suggest that because it might be an Arabic name we have to fawn over it. Surely all cultures have "naff" names. There are many enchanting Arabic names to choose from.

[buffythebarbieslayer]

How rude to say it's made up. It's an Arabic name.

There are other countries and cultures out there you know

[Mumoftwoyoungkids]

Sorry!

[Mumoftwoyoungkids]

If dd came home from nursery and said she wanted to invite Alima to her party I'd be searching the pegs looking for Lena / Elena.

I'd then think A Lima Loser as from Glee.

[DaleyBum]

Makes me think of lima beans.

[Picklemom]

Oh dear, now I can't shake the associations with ailments and medication.

Too bad, it's a graceful Arabic name that references multiple family member names. (That's my thing, I like using family names, but tweaking or combining them.)

[Sharaluck]

Alima bean

[Innogen]

A Lima Bean

[BarbaraWoodlouse]

I thought slimming pill too! Probably one that gives you the sharts.

Sorry

[isitme1]

Ive heard of a halima if that helps

[squizita]

"Lacks strength and sounds made up."

I see these comments on MN, and they really puzzle me having grown up in zone 2 London. Perhaps it's because since childhood (80s!) I've know Alimas and other Arabic names all the time. So to me it's completely normal.

I wonder if there's a middle-Eastern mumsnet where they say "Sophie/James/Tarquin ... sounds weak and made up."

[lottiegarbanzo]

Thing is, being introduced to someone with any name creates a totally different impression from looking at a name on a page.

So, in person, I'd think 'nice girl, her name's Alima'. In that context, I'd be more likely to think of other names; Alison, Selina, Amelie, Salima (is that a name? Pops up in my head) as I'd be making sure I'd distinguished it mentally, so might remember it properly.

[Mefisto]

The Alima I know (who is very lovely and suits the feminist/scholar definition given up thread uncannily well) pronounces it a-LEE-ma.

[ArtFine]

It's Arabic and it means a female scholar or someone knowledgable/expert. Wouldn't personally go for it.

[lottiegarbanzo]

Also Lima bean and Llama - cos Lima is the capital of Peru and Llamas live there.

[lottiegarbanzo]

A lemur. Lemurs are lovely.

Is it pr. a-LEE-ma or AL-i-ma?

If it's from another culture though, I'd just think 'that's a name from another culture' and immediately accept it as the child's name.

[babyfedleaning]

A lemur. Sorry.

[sebsmummy1]

I thought it sounded gynaecological so wasn't keen, however if it is a common name outside of the UK I think it is fine.

[ChickenMe]

Lacks strength and sounds made up.

[Tea1Sugar]

A-lee-ma or Al-i-ma?

[ThatOtherTime]

Alamo car hire

...but it's ok, you would get used to it

[BlueStarsAtNight]

Makes me think of some sort of drug that helps with digestion! Don't like it at all, sorry

[EirikurNoromaour]

It's almost as bad as Daelyn.

[MrsDmitriTippensKrushnic]

I had a good friend at school called Alima, although I think her full name was Alimatu. It's a lovely name, but then again she was a lovely person so I'm biased