DH adores the name Roma...

[Calmondeck]

...and I'm not convinced. We're non-Europeans living in Europe; I imagine for Europeans, the name Roma is associated either with the group of people or the city. Or the tomato!

DH is convinced it's what we're looking for - feminine but strong sounding (no ee endings, so Romy is out); easy to pronounce and spell, uncommon but traditional.

I admit, I like the sound of Roma, it feels warm to me. But not all of the connotations (I'm not hugely into place names as people's names).

Would really love people's thoughts and alternatives that might match our impossible criteria.

Backwards it's the Latin for love.
I like it, but each to their own.

If I’m being totally honest it just made me think of Coronavirus as a lot of people around here shorten it to ‘Rona’ or say ‘the rona
I've not heard this!

I just think of the actress Roma Downey!

I always thought Romulus was a boy’s name. There was one in my school. He was a hard nut.

Romily - honestly the auto correct 😬

I don't think there's anything wrong with Roma but prefer and am another vote for Rosa (seems more feminine but also has some pretty strong female namesakes)

I know a lady called Roma. I’ve never made the connection to the ethnic group. I think it’s fine as a name.

I was at school with a Roma. No Italian connections. Back then it was a perfectly standard girl's name. Not as popular as Sheila, Susan, Barbara etc, but not unheard of.

I've just remembered my dil was considering the name for their dd, and we are Romany, (see my thread)
She isn't Romany but obviously ds1 is. He said no, absolutely not, and dil hadn't seen the connection
I think it's lovely but you might have people make that connection, especially as society is learning more about us.

I know a lovely Welsh lady in her 70s called Roma. It’s a lovely name and I’ve never connected it with travellers.

surely 'a' endings are just as overly feminine as 'y' endings? If a is ok, Ramona sounds much stronger.
Or tbh Romy is pretty good.

Quite - especially as 'a' at the end of a noun in romance languages is usually an indicator of a feminine gender noun.

An 'ee' ending is fine - depends on the actual name whether it sounds twee or not.

I was at school with a Roma. No Italian connections. Back then it was a perfectly standard girl's name. Not as popular as Sheila, Susan, Barbara etc, but not unheard of.

Back in the days of Sheila, Susan, Barbara being populat names, I don't think many people in the U.K. were using the terms Roma or Romany to refer to the ethnic grouping. The little girls of that era were probably cheerfully singing 'my mother said, I never should ....' . Along with the older version of 'eeny meeny miny mo'.

The past is a different country indeed - and in this case, that's a good thing.

I've taught a few children called Roma. They were all Russian boys.

I know a grown up (in fact elderly) Roma, short for Rosemary.

I completely associate it with the ethnic group.

@Devlesko I always thought they were an ethnic group, but there you go. Thanks for clarifying.

Thank you everyone for your thoughts, back to the drawing board for us i think!

Yes, they are a race and protected now, has taken a very long time.
Lots of info on the AMA gypsiologist, but has quietened now.

Good luck with the name and congratulations.
It is very pretty, I nearly chose it myself, but went with something more mainstream, for dd sake.

Romany gypsies is my first thought.

Rumena?
Robina?
Or even Rome?
Or names like

Ruby
Rosemary
Rosie
Rowan
Rowena
Rosaline
Rosanna/Roseanne
Rosella

Rumena?

Not if you know what a rumen is.

Robyn?

What about Romy?

What about Miranda?

OP, you really really can't.

"Roma" is the name given to an ethnic minority group from Eastern Europe. People (depending on their political views) will either have a negative image, or think that using this name constitutes cultural appropriation. Don't go there.

People (depending on their political views) will either have a negative image...
In which case they would be racist.

Sorry OP.