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Baby names

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Original poster

Annika/ Anneka

26 replies

Oysterbabe · 23/12/2016 07:44

What do we think of this name and which spelling? Any obvious problems I'm missing?
We saw someone on TV with this name last night, which made us think about it, and we're both quite taken with it. I think it flows nicely with our surname, which is similar to Lewis.

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oleoleoleole · 23/12/2016 07:46

I would pronounce them differently.

Annika - ann i ca
Anneka - a nee ca

AeFondCrisp · 23/12/2016 07:48

I know a baby Annika and think it's really nice. Unusual but not strange.

Helloooooitsme · 23/12/2016 07:49

I only know the Anneka spelling. I think it's lovely.

cbigs · 23/12/2016 07:54

Sorry op not keen on either . Don't know why just annika rice to me bit old fashioned ... so many prettier girls names imho

Sophronia · 23/12/2016 10:39

Annika is lovely

MiriAmmerman · 23/12/2016 11:01

Love it. My preferred spellings are Annika or Anneke. (Not so keen on Anneka for some reason).It's very popular in Scandinavia and northern Germany.

AmberEars · 23/12/2016 11:03

I know an Annica just to throw that into the mix!

1horatio · 23/12/2016 14:13

I really like Annika. It reminds me of Pippi Longstocking, tbh.

I actually don't like Anneka. I'm not sure why...

DramaAlpaca · 23/12/2016 21:27

I'd pronounce them the same. I'd go for Annika, personally.

SoTheySentMeA · 23/12/2016 21:46

Its up to you but I really wouldnt call your daughter this.

Anneka was my given name. I absolutely Hated it! Lots and lots of people have told me over the years what a lovely name it is but all I ever felt was how much unwanted attention I was forced to bring to myself over it. My mum got the name Annika from pippy long stocking but she liked the other spelling better so I had the wrong spelling for the pronunciation. When people want to write it down they always spell it wrong so I would have to explain which spelling it is, and when they read it out from paper they inevitably pronounce it wrong meaning I would have to correct them. If you have a shy or socially awkward child like I was, this name will become a fucking nightmare and a burden.

I began insisting people use a shortened nickname of it around 13ish, refused to acknowledge the original name from the age of 18 onwards and changed it at 25 to the nickname that most people know me by already, which I have never regretted.

Also somehow I still occasionally get Anneka Rice jokes now (20 fucking years after she went off air Hmm) if people find out it used to be my name, and as a teenager I was granted the nickname Anorexic Anneka by bullies...

Just please dont!

ViewBasket · 23/12/2016 21:52

It's nice and underused.

Other ideas - Anya, Anna, Annette, Anneliese, Astrid, Agnes.

WyfOfBathe · 23/12/2016 23:43

Pronunciation could be tricky - I know two girls called Annika, one pronounces it "an-ih-ka" and the other "an-ee-ka". They're both from South Asia rather than Scandinavia/Germany, but I don't know if that's just a coincidence.

I do really like the name. You'll always get people who don't like their given name (I haven't used mine since I was 11) but that doesn't mean that your daughter won't like it.

Mottled · 24/12/2016 14:24

Love the name Annika, OH didn't unfortunately. Also like Anna, Anya & Anouk. Kids that bully focus on anything anything, if 'SoThey...' were called Sarah or Claire she would still have been bullied sadly.

MissClarke86 · 24/12/2016 14:26

I've seen it spelt as Anica too

SorenaJ · 27/12/2016 07:26

Annika is lovely

BigGreenOlives · 27/12/2016 07:33

I know an Anika who is late teens, Indian. Easy name to say & spell, works in lots of cultures. Go for it (whichever spelling you prefer).

Jooni · 27/12/2016 12:03

Annika is a lovely name. I like both spellings, and Anneke. I'd probably go with Annika for ease.

whirliebird · 02/01/2017 16:02

My oldest daughter is called Annika and she has a friend called Anneka! They are just pronounced the same :-)

Sugarpiehoneyeye · 02/01/2017 17:45

How about Danica, I love this name, but appreciate, you may not. 😀

WallisFrizz · 02/01/2017 17:47

I love Anneka.

badtime · 03/01/2017 00:16

Sugarpie, Danica is actually supposed to be pronounced 'Dan-eet-sa' (or 'Dan-it-sa' - we don't have the right sound in English and it should be somewhere between the two).

The mispronounced version does seem to be quite popular in America, though, so it could go the same way as Caitlin.

MrsFionaCharming · 03/01/2017 02:29

I have a friend named Anneka , pronounced to rhyme with 'panicker', which isn't great as she is a natural worrier! It's a lovely name, though she goes by Annie mostly.

AverageJosephine · 03/01/2017 02:34

Annika was my name for both my dd's but I couldn't get my DH on board either time. Dd2 is now Annie which he loved but I couldn't get him to agree to Annika on her birth certificate. I still think it's a fab name. Sweet somehow, strong and unusual without being weird. I started a thread about it years ago on here I think!

1horatio · 03/01/2017 12:11

I really like Annika and Anita.

Plus, Annie is a lovely nickname.

Sugarpiehoneyeye · 03/01/2017 18:50

Oh, thanks for that info BADTIME, I had no idea.
I do like the name, with the correct pronounciation also, very pretty ! 😀

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