Imola for a girl? Thoughts....

[1Rectory]

Considering using Imola, as the name for are soon to be born baby girl, with Mae or Rose as a middle name. Know it's unusual, and can't find out much about its use as a name, and don't want to discuss it with family... Thanks

No tatiana they really wouldn't...as they are commonplace names with no fixed connotations....

Racetrack was my first thought.

It was a horrible weekend at Imola. Two young blokes killed in horrific car accidents, it's really not a connotation you would want is it?

And that's without the ebola/immolate/enola gay/diarrhoea medication thing.

And anyway it us reasonably common to name a child after a sporting hero...But not the place that caused their death!

Anyway, it's not necessarily an Italian given name. Could just as easily be Romanian.

While posters here have clearly never heard of it, Imola is not a particularly unusual name.

It’s only primarily associated with the racetrack to a person who has a) never heard of it as a personal name b) isn’t familiar with the town and c) is preoccupied with racing - which a vast number of people in the world don’t give a stuff about.

I'd heard of neither the name, nor the racing track, until this thread (in spite of having an F1-loving DH and the book Senna on our bookshelf).

But trying to compare Imola with Paul, Ruby or Amelia is deeply disingenuous.

I think you’d be surprised at the name recognition of Imola. It would be a bit like calling a kid Trafford. Even people with zero interest in football would make the connection.

Made me think of Ebola!

In other words, names sound like illnesses when you don’t like them and it suits you.

Ruby shares the same number of letters with Rubella as Imola does with Ebola. Amelia and Anaemia sound no less similar than Imola and Ebola. In fact if you pronounce Imola correctly it doesn’t sound much like Ebola at at all. The point stands.

Bottom line is, if you don’t like a name, it’s unfamiliar, you don’t know how to pronounce it, you don’t like certain assocations, that’s fine. But you can’t browbeat other people to you POV.

Wow. Ok, this has been such an eye opener and a very interesting read. So glad we posted and thank you to everyone whom contributed or continues to contribute...your honest opinions are exactly what we wanted and this is what got. Thank you. So whilst we have been sat here quietly watching things unfold a few things to clarify. Yes we are in the UK, yes hubbie is a F1 fan and we are fully aware of the negative associations with what is otherwise considered a classic old school track. The ebola thing has come as an immense surprise mainly because to clarify for those that aren't familiar with the pronouncation as far as I am aware it is NOT I-molar but Imm-alah as another posted has suggested. We thought as a word this sounded very pretty and is actually quite on trend with popular ola, la end sounding names. Obviously despite this, it is clear it is going to throw up some difficulties in the UK with the pronouncation and the inability to look beyond its negative association. It's such a shame but has highlighted to us, that's it's simply not gonna be an option. Mae is my nans first name, I love my nan she is deeply maternal, fun loving and caring lady and I'm afraid for that reason it's likely to stick. We are not discussing names with friends and family as we have not shared the sex of the baby with anyone except our dog (for the record counts as a person albeit a not very helpful one when it comes to testing out names). Thank you again for your thoughts so far, we would be interested to know if any previous posters change their opinion knowing and being able to hear the correct pronunciation despite all the other points already made?

All I can think of is moles and not the animal type

I think you’ve had a name change fail, OP.

It’s very likely that your DD will spend half of her time correcting people’s pronunciation of her name and the other half saying ‘yes, like the racing circuit.’ Only you can decide if that’s OK with you.

How about Marina, as a nod to the San Marino Grand Prix?

Thanksyesithaspockets. Yes, I think that is absolutely without any doubt clear. Not a fan of the sound of Marina but I totally get your reasoning and it's interesting that you have mentioned it as I previously studied Marine Biology, could be the perfect nod to myself and hubbie. Food for thought, I certainly won't be too dismissive.

Isla is beautiful but a bit too top ten for us I think. Suggestions of Imelda are interesting though. We also loved Elena Rose or Mae but have a niece called Ella (far too similar). The flip end of that is Molly but feel it lacks confidence and is a bit too cutesy. This naming lark is tricky.

I’m so so so sorry but the first thing I thought of was Ebola! :(

Sorry OP, no because of the Race Track thing! Enough people will say 'as in the race track? As in where Senna (and others) were killed?'

Doesn't DH like any other race tracks/ drivers, whose names could work somehow?

I am surprised an F1 fan would be drawn to such a negative track, historically.

Ps: I like Mae. use it as a first name? It's more unusual as a first name.

I know the OP has already responded, but the reason Ruby doesn't make me think of 'rubella' and Amelia doesn't make me think of 'ebola' is because they are familiar names, names I've heard all my life.So the first thing I think when I hear them is that they are names. Ruby in any case means a precious stone, so that is the primary association for me. Rubola would make me think of rubella and ebola, though. Amelia I don't like for other reasons (the mealy bit in the middle).

Imola is a name I've never heard before, and my first thought was 'immolate' because that is what the word looks like to me. Imola Mae does also sound like 'Enola Gay' in a way that, say, "Amelia Mae" doesn't.

If you are looking for an unusual name, Mae does not fit the bill either as it is so popular in various forms as a hyphenated name.

Awful name op sorry.

So in other words it’s not actually about Imola sounding like Ebola it’s simply its unfamiliarity at issue.

If you’re familar with the name Imola, the same principle applies as to Ruby and Amelia. It’s a name first.

I know a lady called Imola. She's not English though

God no.

I can see why you like it and the sounds are actually very fashionable right now.

I’ve never heard of the racetrack and didn’t think of Ebola, but I did think of immolation unfortunately.

How about:
Amala
Imara
Ilona?

Another for ebola

Another for Ebola. Or mole

what about
Imelda?
Iona?