Serena Ariana, is it too much?

[aliza87]

I am set on the middle name Ariana for my Iranian baby, I don't want her first name to be Ariana because it is quite long, so i love Serena as a first name, works in both cultures but I love Ariana too. Is it too much as a middle name?

Middle names aren't used that much. I'd go with whatever sound best with the surname.

They both go well with the surname, will probably go for Ariana Serena... it does flow better.

Too much!

Serena Ariana is a bit much, but it's not terrible and she'll just be Serena 95% of the time.

I know a family where all the children are known by their middle name. The parents thought their eldest's names flowed better with the chosen name in the middle, and the middle name first and so kept the pattern with their other children.

The children all manage, so if you go for Ariana Serena known as Serena you should be ok. She could prefer Ariana for ease though, so bear that in mind.

I thought you were double barrelling it - in which case, yes, too much. But as it is just a first and middle name it doesn't really matter as no-one ever uses their middle name. So go for it, if you like both of those names.

Don't use the middle name as the day-by-day name, it is a PITA.
Anything that you use your full name for, you will be called by firstname and lastname, so Serena Smith full name Ariana Serena Smith would be assumed to be Ariana Smith.

No op just go for it! Seriously! Both my sons have absolute mouthfuls for names because they have 2 middle names each but it doesn't matter because middle names are rarely used! I still like them though because for each we chose to remember / honour a family member (e.g. DS1 has our grandfathers as middle names) which I love and stand by the decision. If you love the name then I think you should do it. And they are both beautiful names!

i think if u luv it go 4 it

I think it’s a bit much, but if you like it you won’t hear the middle name much anyway
Ariana Serena is the better way round though as you say.

Some names we’ve been looking at:
Nuri
Elehah
Layla
Yasmin
Daria
Allysiah
Suri
Avalie
Sadie

Thank you all for the encouragement and willpower to go ahead! Yes I do agree that Serena being a middle name and used as a first will be a huge pain, so she will probably be called Ariana Smith for example most of the time and Serena will be her middle name. It goes much better that way round anyway. I thought Serena was nicer than Ariana but I guess the order doesnt work so Ariana will have to be the first name..

Snufflesdog I like a few on your name list although the pronunciation/ spelling issues for some of them concern me. Yasmin is nice but many people will pronounce it as 'Yasmeeeen" which i really dislike..

Swapped around does work much better OP.

Yes swapped around works better, having the S after the A but honestly either way it’s a lovely name and you won’t say the full thing much

Serena is much nicer. Stop focussing on the flow? No one uses middle name.

Yes that is true, I do prefer Serena as a first name even though it flows better swapped around...

Definitely Serena first. You can use whatever second name you like OP. It doesn’t matter.

Thanks so much everyone for your input, it has really helped to make the decision easier!