Luciana

[Salmonpinkcords]

Is it too much? I had vetoed it but due a shortage of other names it comin back into play. DH really likes it but I’m just not sure if it’s too much.

Very nice name, OP.

Am assuming it's pronounced Loo-see-AH-nuh?
(Or is it sometimes Loo-chee-AH-nuh?).

Plenty of scope for shortenings/NNs too.

I think we would be pronouncing loo-see-an-nuh

Well, it's a definite yes vote from me. Extra bonus point as more unusual than Lucia, a name I love.

I know someone called this but she says Loo - chee- ana.

I'd caution against using anything you're not really that keen on yourself, though, which you say in your original post.

Do you want a few alternatives?

I like it.

Much prefer Lucinda, and it won't have the conflicting pronunciation issue.

I would always pronounce this Lu-chee-ana, I think you would get a lot of people saying this. Otherwise, nice name.

It's beautiful

Loochiana here too, like Luciano.

I like it. There will be general pronunciation divides with this name: Loo-see-an-na, Loo-see-aah-na, Loo-chee-aah-na etc.

It really is Loo ch Iana.
It's Italian so most people will say the ch.
Nice name though!

Yes Zuzu I would love some alternatives - baby due week!

The issue with pronunciation does bother me a little

Ooh next week, exciting! Let us know what you decide.

Fwiw lots of names have various pronunciations, you just tell people how to say it when you first meet them:

Eva (Ay-va/Ee-va)
Alicia (Al-ee-see-a/Al-ee-sha)
Esme (Ez-mee/Ez-may)
Sara (Sair-ah/Sar-a)
Helena (Helen-a/Hel-ay-na/Hel-ee-na)

It's Latin so it can be loo-see-an-nuh. I prefer that to the Lu-chi-ana Italian pronouciation. If you think it's too much you can always have nicknames Lucy, Lu-Lou, Lou, Lucia, even Ana. You might find it suits her and grow to love it. I have a child with a similar name, I wasn't convinced but DH loved it. When the baby came along, nothing else fitted. Now I love the name.

Most people don't speak Latin in every day life!

I hate to be a pedant (actually, I don't, it's my default setting, sorry!) but if it was Italian it'd be pronounced loo-cha-na (i.e. 3 syllables, not 4 as described above).

I'll throw in an off-the-top-of-my-head suggestion, if you like the Italian-ish feel but don't want the hassle around pronunciation. What about Fulvia? Pretty, unusual, but pronounced as written.

Tuo Fulvia sounds and looks a bit lot like vulva so wouldn't go with that.

Alvia
Alvivia
Vivia
Alvira are all nicer imho.

OP Luciana is a gorgeous underused perfectly easy to pronounce name once you've chosen your pronunciation of it. My DD has a name that can be pronounced many different ways but we've said how we like it and never had a problem ever. If someone says it wrong DD gently corrects them or I do if said to me and it's never been a problem.

I had literally never thought of that.

I do agree, though, that once you pick a name and agree on your pronunciation of it it's generally not a problem. My DD has a name that's written exactly as pronounced (so I thought would be unproblematic) but is often mis-heard as a more common name. She just says 'Sorry, actually it's [name]' and mostly that's all there is to it.

I naturally would say Loo-CHA-na. I find Loo-see-ah-na a bit flowery.

Tuo

I agree as my DD has an S is her name that can be pronounced as an S sound or a jzuh sound. Also an A that can be pronounced Ay or Ah so a double whammy. Never had a problem, much like your DC.

The person I know with this name in Italy is actually Romanian so maybe that's why she pronounces it with 4 syllables?

Similar but more lovely imo is Lucina

If I read if on a school register would presume the child was Italian and would pronounce it Lu-cha-na. I have known a Portuguese and a Spanish girl who both pronounced it Lu-see-ana. I can't imagine it going great with many British surnames to be honest.

I think it goes fine with our Surname to be honest but I’m still not 100% convinced. However right now we have nothing else!