Name preference - Ffion or Felicity

[JazzyPa]

Hello,
My second baby is due this summer and I need help with names. We are having a surprise and already have our boys names selected (and keeping to ourselves) but girls names we need help with deciding.

We already have a little girl, Beatrice, who we call Bea, and if we were to have a second daughter we are thinking of either Ffion or Felicity. We like unusual, uncommon but not too 'out there' names.

We aren't Welsh and have no Welsh heritage but always loved the name Ffion (Fee-on), since we holidayed there years ago and heard it said for the first time. Since then it's stuck. We really like how unusual it is. However, I was wondering if it would be seen as out there or weird to name a non-Welsh girl that? The Ff clearly shows it's Welsh but this is the spelling we would go for. And secondly, l've just read somewhere that the slang term for ass in French is 'Fion'. The two words sound different but this has upset me slightly, not because it's put me off the name as such but because if we were ever go to France or French speakers, would her name be laugable? Would this put you off the name? Anyone French, or French-speakers, would you have associated the two? Are there any Ffion's out there who have experienced negativity in regards to this? I'm sure there's many slang terms/meanings from other languages I don't know about for lots of names but I now know about this one, which is unnerving. I do know some French people but would rather not ask for their input, incase it puts me off their name completely. Plus I never share names with anyone I know due to bad experiences previously.

On to our other choice, Felicity. Again I think a really pretty name and I haven't heard of many. The issue I have here is we love to shorten names. Beatrice, is knows as Bea and Felicity would likely be knows as "Flick" (as I've loved it since Neighbours heyday) & I'm not really a fan of "Liss" or "Lissy" as a nickname. So if we put the names together... Bea and Flick... someone said (years ago) oh like "Flick your bean" ... and it's this reason why I no longer share name choices with anyone I know (but equally glad in a way we're thinking about this now and not when it's too late). My question is, did combining Bea and Flick make you think this? Would this be enough to put you off a name? Or am I just being oversensitive?

I can't believe that the two names I love so much, I've almost over researched and it's causing such concern (as I'm convinced this little one is a girl too).

What are your thoughts on the above? Any help would be much appreciated. And any other name suggestions would be greatly received.

Many thanks,
Jaz

Use the one you love most! I prefer Felicity personally and think it goes well with Beatrice - but go with your favourite.

I like "Felicity" and the one I know is an old lady so you be right on naming trend. She is also lovely.

My DP wanted to call our DD "Felicity" but I had the rule that I would not name my child after a living person we know.

I know a Fionn. It’s an Irish boy’s name.

Hi OP, I’m French and have been living in the UK for many years. You asked for an opinion on Ffion and I must say I reacted even before reading the rest of your post...
I’m so sorry to say but it is very very noticeable in French that it is the slang for “ass” when written down. When it is said, I would assume it is a nickname for Fiona.
It shouldn’t put you off the name if you never go to France but if you do or if she meets French people she might be teased. Very common as well to say “ass”.
Felicity is absolutely lovely and we considered it for my DD to come! But French family wasn’t keen because in French it looks weird so it goes both ways :D

Felicity and Beatrice go together beautifully.

I'd also use nn Fliss (again, Bea and Fliss sound very natural together).

Agree with others, Ffion is too much of a contrast.

Felicity is great and goes really well with Beatrice. But Flick is awful, sorry. I think it’s odd to use Ffion if you have no Welsh roots. Fiona is lovely, though, and goes with Beatrice.

If you went for Ffion they'd probably end up known as Ffi and Bea which looks fine written down but would obviously sound like Fee and Bee

Felicity is okay and Liss or Fliss are nice nicknames. Flick isn't nice though, it makes me think of flicking bogeys! Sorry 😞

Fliss is better. Freya is nicer than both of them

I’m welsh and if I came across a Ffion would def assume she was Welsh
I love Felicity and def thinks it goes better with Beatrice

Beatrice and Felicity go very, very well together, and you don't have to shorten the name to anything. All my dc have shorten-able names and all go by the full forms.

I honestly wouldn't use Ffion if you don't have Welsh heritage - I'd go for Fiona instead.

@Liana2021, sorry for hijack, but can I ask what the word is in French? I used to live in Paris and never heard anything other than cul for bum! But I probably didn't hear or understand all of the slang. Not doubting you at all btw, just genuinely curious as a language lover !

Ffion is absolutely NOT a boys name. It means foxglove.

I love them both. Lissy would be preferred shortening of Felicity. I do think that Felicity goes well with Beatrice. Sorry I'm not much help. How about Lucy, Florence or Imogen?

Like both but prefer ffion and not as popular at mo as Felicity

Ffion (Fee on) is a Welsh girls name.
Fionn (pronounced Fyon all one syllable) is a completely different Irish boy's name.
The OP is not talking about calling her child Fionn.

As for Flick and Bea.. I heard the expression once and thought it was awful but it must have stuck in my brain because that is what I thought of immediately when I saw the two names written together. I would definitely be embarrassed on my part for thinking of it rather than laughing at two little sisters with cute names.
As for the French meaning.. I wouldn't worry about it. I have met so many French Fannys. The French aren't bothered that it means something funny in English so you shouldn't be too worried about a French holiday you may or may not go on.

@ParisJeTAime love your name I’m from Paris as well :) The word is “fion”, old fashioned slang but still very recognisable. Cul is much more commonly used though you’re right 🤐

I prefer Felicity

I know a Ffion who is now 13. She's not Welsh and I haven't heard anyone comment on that. I also don't know anyone who can't pronounce her name since it's very easy?! Was Ffion Hague Welsh? I can't remember but it's a perfectly normal name.
Having said that, Felicity is one of my all time favourite names and I think it goes better with Beatrice if I'm honest.

My 24 year old daughter is Felicity. From word go I wanted her nn to be Fliss and I find Flick too ‘hard’ a name plus all the teasing that would come of having a nn like Flick. Beatrice and Felicity (Bea and Fliss) sound lovely names for sisters.

Thank you ! I miss Paris a lot! I will go back when it's allowed / safe.

Just noticed it is in the op as well! Fion...wonder why that didn't ring any bells? I didn't hear a lot of slang when I lived there. The odd bit of verlan sometimes.

Felicity.
As pp has said, it doesn't have to be shortened. Many nicknames evolve gradually and have no connection with a person's actual name.

But Fi or Fe (Fay) are possibilities, if you don't like Lissy. To me, Flick sounds rather harsh, but there was famous children's book and I think film about a special horse called 'Flicka' (which, I think, is also an affectionate way of saying 'little girl' in Swedish).

Ffion for a middle name, perhaps?

@HeronLanyon, it's not spelt Ffyon.

@FunnyInjury, it's definitely a girl's name. It's a flower - foxglove, and as a pp said, it's quite a popular name in Wales.

There's no connection with the name Fiona. Fiona is scottish and means white. They just happen to sound similar.

Felicity is ok, but I much prefer Fliss to Flick.I don't like Flick or Flix.

For me Felicity is very lispy and horsey. I would also definitely hear ‘flick the bean’ if you shouted Flick and Bea across a park.

Ffion is ok, but I think a shortening of Fi would make people presume her name is Fiona.

I like the names Iamnot suggested up thread.

dacw I am definitely discovering that !! Really odd I’ve only ever known two and both spell it Ffyon. Both women. They don’t know each other. In U.K. Curiouser and curiouser !

For a family without any connection to Wales, I would go for Felicity. It's a name we nearly used for DD1 who is now 16 but DH thought she looked more like her current name than either of the other two choices. I like Fliss, Lissy and Fizzy as shortenings of Felicity but wouldn't think anything negative of sisters named Bea and Flick. Beatrice and Felicity go well together.