French speakers - help with this name?

[ErrantBakedBean]

DH and I love the Cornish name Oula (family heritage and the name means 'owl' which is sweet). My issue is I think it's also an expression of surprise or irritation in France. Am I right? Would our French friends (I dont want to ask them just yet!) think we'd lost the plot?

Yes!

It is, but you can’t trawl through lots of languages looking for potential pitfalls. If you like it use it I would say.

There’s a lot to be said for traditional Biblical/Greek/Latin names!

Ohyes Agree totally - it's just we have several French friends!

How do you pronounce Oula? Oh-la? Oo-la?
I like it, it sounds pretty and I wouldn't worry about what it would sound to somebody French.

It’s close to Spanish Hola as well...

Charm It's pronunced Oo-la.

yeah that sounds very weird in French
Now if you're not going to spend much time in France I wouldn't worry too much about it !

Yes, kind of. It's also a bit like oh gosh, oh my goodness. (E.g. oh gosh, she's a really bad cook.)

(If I'm pronouncing that correctly)

But that only matters if you're in a francophone area or speak French at home imo.

It's lovely. I'd use it if you like it and has a connection to your family heritage.

If sounds fairly odd in English to be fair.

Is it Oola or Owla?

It does sound a bit strange, but I would say the French expression is pronounced more like Oh La rather than Oo La.

When British people appropriate the phrase to mean something a bit risque - oooh la la - they do use the Oo sound though.

Thanks all. I just worry that in the UK we're so close to France, if LO wanted to work or live over there one day (Brexit permitting...) they might be at a disadvantge, being essentially called Blimey.

If you like the name go for it, but if you've got any serious doubts I'd consider choosing a different one. You don't need the stress of worrying about it or feeling you need to explain it to people. Go with your gut instinct.

One problem is is that if you pronounce it Owla she will get called growler.

Owla sounds like Aua (Owla without the l. Pretty much like the bird but with a tacked on a) in German. With means ouch.

And it sounds pretty much exactly like Aula (auditorium) ;)

It's a really pretty name. But Idk whether it's a name I'd pick if I was planning on moving to France or Germany.

But it is a lovely (imo). :)

*name

Don't call her Penny or Connie.

I've heard of oolala! But not Oula...

Thanks. Yeah its definitely Oo-la not Ow-la!

French folks, if you were writing it down (to mean oh gosh) would you spell it oula?

Try having an Orla and being on holiday in Spain 😁

It isn't the same exclamation as oh là là. It is Ou là and used (round here anyway) with a downward inflection to mean things like oh dear, whoops, oh no.
So the name would sound a bit odd.

I should add that I haven't seen it written down so am guessing the spelling in French. I have neighbours who use it a lot though.

Actually I think it would be OK as French people are getting more used to weird and wonderful names.