girl's name Vilma / Wilma

[bflmpsvz]

Hi! I really like the name Vilma but noticed that in English speaking countries it is considered awful. I like Vilu, Vila, Vilhelmina, Vilemina for nicnames. Where I come from Vilma is considered a bit unique but not weird. I like Willow and Willa too, but they are not an option since where I come from it is not common to use an English sounding name. Also do you think it goes well with Levi (pronounced the french way)? Is there anyone who likes the name too? I don't mind if the mainstream dislikes it but do you think more free spirited people might actually like it? Or is it a no go for everyone?

How about Willa? I go on about this name all the time on here- met a little Willa recently and been obsessed with this unusual but simple name ever since

Thanks for the reply! I love Willa, and I would call her Willa for a nickname but we live in a country where it is really weird to use English names unless you have a foreign partner or at least a surname. Vilma on the other hand has been used here for centuries and while it is still quite unique it fits here and noone would raise their eyebrows if they hear it (however if I used Willa everyone would raise their eyebrows even if they thought the name is beautiful because it is simply not common to use English names in my country). But then we do travel a lot and I imagine she might study/move to an English speaking country so I still care about how it sounds elsewhere.

I like Vilma. But can see people getting it confused with Wilma

What about Vida?

If you don't live in the UK surely it isn't a problem how it would be perceived here. Lots of foreign people come to the UK with names that aren't common/popular here. It isn't an issue. Call your baby what you like and don't worry about what someone in a different country thinks!

I personally think it's awful.
My first thought was The Flintstones. A while ago, yes, but my first thought all the same.

I like Vilma.

The question of Vilma ws Wilma is ultimately simply about pronunciation. Do you want it to sound like an English person saying William or like a German one saying Wilhelm?

Willa is to close to villa imo. Which makes it a bit weird (at least to me).

@honeybunlatte Yes, but then I myself studied in the UK and hate the idea of telling all my English friends my baby's name and them thinking what an ugly name. Also my name is Tereza and when I moved to UK for my studies and found out that only 60+ women have that name I started disliking it :D. I am just generally curious whether there might be a group of people who consider it hippie/free spirited/unique name rather than just an ugly old lady name.

@CravingCheese thanks for your reply. If we decide to use it, it will definitely be Vilma as that is the common spelling in my country. I wrote Wilma in the title only so that if someone else is considering this name it jumps out in the search...

Your daughter may never even visit England though. That isn't a good enough reason to not use a name you love. I don't think many people in the uk will consider Vilma to be an old lady name. They would think its unusual and isn't English thats all. As your daughter won't be English it shouldn't matter.

Tereza isn't an ugly name at all. It just isn't popular in the uk. There are plenty of women with the name Teresa though so its just the spelling that is less common.

You're welcome. Vilma is adorable imo :)

Naming babies when you have your foot in various countries / cultures is very difficult imo. My DH is British(although his late father was Italian), I'm not British and we don't live in the UK (anymore....).

Names my DH thinks are new/interesting often sound like 80ies/90ies names to me, for example.

Are the Flintstones even still a thing nowadays? Do children still know them?

Tereza is a pretty name imo. I wonder whether we could put Teresa on our list. 🤔Now that Theresa May is a bit less... Prominent.

My MIL is called Teresa. It's not unusual. Also, why would you start to dislike your name because you perceive it as unpopular in a foreign country. Can't say I've ever given perception of a name in a country I don't live in a second thought. My eldest has a name that can be spelled differently in different countries, but as we live in the UK, he has the most common spelling for here.

I love Wilhelmina.

What about Mina for a nickname? But honestly who cares whether it’s popular in the U.K.?

Love Wilma/Vilma! Did you end up using it? X

Yes would be interested in an update @bflmpsvz

Like it and Wilhelmina and Willa

Although Willa sounds like a londoner calling out Willow.

@EllieD33 @Whatsyourflava Hi! Yes we did end up using it and we love it! Expecting our 3rd now and trying to find a name that goes well with it. Thinking about Kvido for a boy…nor sure about a girl..

Congratulations!! Kvido is lovely!

If you like the name you should use it and not worry what people in another country might think. British people use names that are considered frumpy and old fashioned elsewhere eg Sylvie