Nina or Iona

[Peridotty]

Currently 37 weeks pregnant! Which one is better? A couple of people have said Iona is a bit of a mouthful or don’t know how to pronounce it. Three people thought it was Loner! I like both but maybe Nina more because it is short and sweet. Husband prefers Iona. Thank you.

I have an Iona, all my DC have Scottish names as we have a Scottish surname.
Completely mystified by ppl who are struggling with pronunciation.

I know several Ionas. All January babies and over 50. The a is like a in cat, mat etc not uh.

I too am surprised that Iona would be confusing. I'd have thought the island was quite well-known for the Abbey.

Nina

I would pronounce it the Scottish way- Eye oh na rather than The welsh way!
I grew up in Scotland but moved to the USA last year, hence name is not well known here. Family live in England... not so many Ionas there either!
My husband is keen to have something Scottish and a bit unique.

Nina is lovely. Not keen on the other but that's only my opinion

It is Scottish and not overused. You'll probably start a trend.

Iona. The Island is beautiful and peaceful if that helps with the choice.

Just for the amount of single words I yell at my kids right now, I prefer Nina.

NINA, TOILET! works better than IONA, TOILET! when you bellow it down the stairs because they have “forgotten” to clean or flush the toilet for the eleventy-billionth time.

Love both, for me Iona is the most beautiful

Nina

Nina - one of my favourite names

Prefer Nina, largely as Iona is a running joke in our house from an 'Overheard in Waitrose' type incident.

Iona. Nina's nice too, feistier

Nina hands down. @Hannah021 my sister is a 37 year old Nina. Highly successful accountant. I don’t understand why you’d find that weird? No one has ever said it’s an odd name. I actually love it and if it wasn’t my sisters name it would be first choice for me.

Iona reminds me of the Iona institute a backward anti abortion christian fundamentalist group

Isn't Iona an electric car?

Nina, I think it's quite elegant.

Both lovely

Nina

Iona is beautiful. Nina is very meh.

Thank you for all your replies so far!! Seems like a bit of a tie between Iona and Nina! I think more people have said Iona is more beautiful though?

I'll just add a vote for Iona!

Iona is classier & very beautiful and Nina sounds a bit 1970's average.

I feel like Nina is too similar to the names which are popular at the moment. I love the name Iona because of the hypnotic ‘Oh’ sound. I know an Iona and a Nina and both are so sweet.

Love them both. If I had to choose I'd got for Iona.

Love Iona

Not a fan of Nina it just reminds me of police siren noise and I had a friend called Nina who was always called Ninny which I really don't like!