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Baby names

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

Is it hormones or is it a good name.....?

42 replies

Zsazsabinks · 19/01/2015 22:30

So DD3 and we're really really struggling for names! Options are:
Raphaela (?) Surname,
Zelda (dh choice) ? Surname
Valentina Ray (my current favourite, love shortening to Nina, Lenny and even Tina could grow on me).

Thoughts? Surname is Portuguese, two syllables...along the lines of Silva, Souza etc. but not those otherwise I could out myself!

OP posts:
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Zsazsabinks · 19/01/2015 22:31

Oh, that's

Valentina Ray Surname

OP posts:
DaintyDish · 19/01/2015 22:34

I prefer Rae instead of Ray. All wonderful names. My friend's kid is Zelda and I love her nickname Zee.

BackforGood · 19/01/2015 22:35

Hmmm. If I had to chose one of those I'd go with Zelda, but I'm not really keen.
That said, it's a personal taste thing rather than any rational reason i could give you.

scarletforya · 19/01/2015 22:41

Valentina is gorgeous.
Raphaela is clunky.
Zelda is whacky. Don't do it!

Zsazsabinks · 19/01/2015 22:52

It's because he's a programmer! lol. I think he thinks I don't know about the game with the character Zelda. I do sort of like it in a weird way, but not sure at all.

Valentina is definitely my fave, the other middle name option is Alice...or argh, I suppose anything. We've done all the family names that we have to cover with the older girls!

OP posts:
wesH · 20/01/2015 07:32

Valentina or Zelda, for sure. Raphaela is getting popular, ironically, with parents who want their daughter to have a 'special', unique name. Wouldn't worry about the game reference - the character was named after a real life person, Zelda Fitzgerald, anyway. Robin Williams' daughter is also called Zelda!

KenDoddsDadsDog · 20/01/2015 07:35

Valentina. Drop the Ray / Rae it detracts from the lovely forename . And always make me think of Billy Rae Cyrus

squoosh · 20/01/2015 10:32

I think Valentina and Raphaela are both lovely.

I quite like Zelda although it does remind of Zelda Fitzgerald and her rather sad life.

HaPPy8 · 20/01/2015 10:47

I love Valentina but not sure if Nina is natural nickname from it ...Tina is more likely i would have thought.

SantasLittleMonkeyButler · 20/01/2015 14:13

Valentina is lovely.

RabidFairy · 27/01/2015 19:06

We considered Zelda for the same reason as your DH, OP! Zelda is the princess in the legend of zelda game franchise. She's brilliant and not a passive princess by any means. Robin Williams named his daughter after the same character.

Basically, go with Zelda Grin

FelixFelix · 27/01/2015 19:08

I like Zelda! Valentina is really lovely too. I'm not keen on the Ray bit though.

catbus · 27/01/2015 19:12

Oh I love Zelda! As others have said Robin Williams' daughter has the name. My gamer eldest DD would love it if I had another and named her Zelda Grin
Go for it

skolastica · 27/01/2015 19:14

Love Raphaela - nn Raffa or Raffi. Beautifully soft. The V of Valentina is quiet hard, as is the Z of Zelda.

yummymango · 27/01/2015 19:30

Love Valentina. Ray is meh.

Trooperslane · 27/01/2015 20:30

Would worry about Val or Tina nns for Valentina. The B pronunciation is beautiful though, but UK people will struggle.

Raphaella - agree with Scolastica - stunning and beautiful nns too.

would choose for hypothetical next dd except have v long Scottish surname, along the lines of Anderson

mondaymadness · 28/01/2015 15:52

Valentina is gorgeous! So is Raphaella, I know a little one called Raffi.

lemonpoppyseed · 28/01/2015 16:15

I like Zelda a lot! I also know a Rafaela, with a f rather than a ph, which looks a little less clunky.

ThinkIveBeenHacked · 28/01/2015 16:16

Id go for Zelda Valentina Surname.

Guyropes · 28/01/2015 19:12

Prefer Rafaela and would go better with Portuguese surname.

Have you looked at the Portuguese official name list? It's quite good for inspiration.

PestoSnowissimos · 28/01/2015 19:20

Love Valentina, forget Ray

But don't shorten it, it's too pretty and relatively rare.

Surf25 · 28/01/2015 19:25

Valentina is really lovely. Knew a Valentine who was really lovely, but Valentina would sound lovely given the Portuguese surname. What are your other dds names? (Am constantly seeking inspiration for dc3 who I suspect will be dd3!!)

Are you due in Feb?

Zsazsabinks · 28/01/2015 20:12

Other children are:

Isabel Helen
Winifred Maria (We just call her Winnie)

Think this one is going to be Valentina Rae.

OP posts:
Jackieharris · 28/01/2015 20:17

Valentina

wigglesrock · 28/01/2015 20:34

Valentina Rae is lovely, I love Nina, I always thought it was a pet name for any name ending in ina, so Valentina, Georgina, Seraphina, Angelina etc. Of course that could just be in my head Smile

I went into labour with dd3 on Valentines Day, I'd always said that I'd use Valentina as a middle name if she was born then, she was born on the 15th Smile , I didn't use it and I always sort of regret it.