Neela

[jamenhej]

For a number of reasons, I would love this name if DC2, due in a couple of months, turns out to be a DD. Any thoughts? Nila is another option for the spelling...

[IfItsGoodEnough4ShirleyBassey]

Neeve is really really pushing it for spelling though, and certainly it's no longer an Irish name once you're spelling it like that. Imogen is lovely

[NeckingtheNightNurse]

IfItsGoodEnough4ShirleyBassey

No she didn't it didn't snow she went with Imogen but I think Neeve is lovely As well Neela. Pretty sure Neeve is Irish ?

[jamenhej]

Shamefully I've never seen the Lion King! But I really like Nala, it's lovely.

[SoWhite]

Neela feels a bit 'Futurama' to me.

[SoWhite]

I like Nala, like the Lion King.

[DontKillMyVibe]

If you don't encounter many people with Irish accents it should be fine

[jamenhej]

Yeah! I am now sitting here trying to say Neela in an Irish accent to make it sound like Nuala I can almost hear it actually!

[DontKillMyVibe]

Maybe I'm pronouncing Neela wrong Is it knee-la?

[DontKillMyVibe]

Nuala is pronounced like Noo-la

[jamenhej]

Aha, I see! So now I am wondering whether I actually know how to pronounce Nuala... is it Noola or Nwarla? Or am I totally off the mark with either attempt?!

[Leigh1980]

It reminds me of Narla my friends dogs name. But it is unique and special in its own way.

[OneofTHOSEWomen]

Unless you are Indian or have Indian heritage obviously
But how would you even know what thier heritage is just by knowing thier name? Or even just looking at them?

[DontKillMyVibe]

They should do but depending on region/accent there is not that may much differentiation in how they are said. Though I have an Irish accent so maybe it's just me

[jamenhej]

But don't Nuala and Neela have completely different pronunciations?

[DontKillMyVibe]

Unless you are Indian or have Indian heritage obviously

[DontKillMyVibe]

Neela looks like you were wanting to call your child Nuala but didn't know how it spell it properly tbh

[OneofTHOSEWomen]

Yes, very common Indian name, quite a few in my family. I considered it for DD2 (mixed race, Indian and English) but went with something else. I like it. I don't believe you have to stick to names relevant to your specific cultural heritage.

[IfItsGoodEnough4ShirleyBassey]

Neeve really isn't Irish
Necking. Tell me she didn't go for that?

[NeckingtheNightNurse]

Sounds gorgeous I've not heard of that before. My sister was going to choose the name Neeve which is Irish and means snow I think.

[jamenhej]

Haven't read the 'too white' thread in full, I must admit, but in this specific case, we did wonder briefly about a potential 'mismatch' between the name's most common heritage and the name bearer's heritage, but we hope it shouldn't present too much of an issue, and India is a country very close to our family's hearts and is reflected subtly in DD1's name potentially outs self to those with particularly good Sherlock skills so we hope that overall it would work out.

[IfItsGoodEnough4ShirleyBassey]

X-post. Oh of course, it's Neela from ER. She was great .

[BackforGood]

What IHeart said, although, with the other thread running about the name being "too white" I'm no longer sure we're allowed, on MN to say that it is a lovely Indian name, that I might wonder about if the child didn't have Indian heritage.
It's easy to pronounce, and easy to spell and isn't the name of an object though, so it passes my test

[IfItsGoodEnough4ShirleyBassey]

I like it - easy to spell and pronounce. In theory you could make playground jokes out of it but you'd need to be really desperate (speaking as someone who has a name which you could do similarly feeble jokes with - never been a problem).

I'm now going mad trying to remember where I know it from and why it gives me good vibes - it's probably either a science fiction character or a really nice Indian workmate from long ago.

[jamenhej]

That's cool! I hope I didn't give the impression in my OP that I was trying to say I invented it

[Lweji]

I like it, but then I'm a ER fan and loved Dr Neela Rasgotra. :)