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

I really like and would use both of them.

Beatrice and Felicity sounds very upper English middle class in a vintage sort of way.

Beatrice and Ffion more like you named them as individuals not a sibset, if you get what I mean?

Either way, both lovely names and both sound nice with Beatrice.

@FunnyInjury

All those saying Ffion is a girls name will be Welsh, where it is indeed overwhelmingly used as a girls name. I’ve never known a male Ffion or even heard of one. Male Ceri’s - lots over about 40 and Celyn’s - a fair few 30ish and older. Never a Ffion though.

Fionn, the Irish Gaelic name is a different name from a different language that just happens to sound similar.

Welshie here, Ffion is a fairly common (girls’) name where I live. It is most definitely a girls’ name and means foxglove.

I’d be very surprised if the rugby playing guy on Anglesey is actually called Ffion. It’s like being called Lily or Isabelle in England. My money is on him being Fionn (pn Finn and not a Welsh name).

I think op that the Ffion confusion in this thread probably shows that you should go for Felicity! Also think it goes really well with your other dd’s name.

I would assume Ffion was Welsh. But then once met a Geraint who wasn’t!

@FunnyInjury, as pp, Ffion means Foxglove, so it would be a strange name for a boy.

There is a rugby player called Ffion warriors.co.uk/teams/ffion-lewis/

The wife of a former Tory party leader is a Ffion.

I have a relative called Ffion, she's female, as was the Ffion I was at school with.

Fionn, I think, is pronounced Fin.
Ffion is pronounced Fee-on.

Fionn is not really pronounced Finn. In Ulster it is a bit like how they might say Finn, so with a but of an uh sound, like fun. Elsewhere in Ireland it is Fyon (all one syllable but with a clear 'y' sound). I am from Ulster.

I prefer Felicity. I have known a few and they all had different nicknames.

Fliss
Fel
Flick
Liss

@ParisJeTAime, thanks, but I don't really get it.Are you saying it's either Funn or Fionn rhymes with Yonn?

It varies between different regions / dialects.

www.teanglann.ie/en/fuaim/fionn

It is not usually Finn as the English and Welsh would say it IME though.

I listened to the 3 and one was how I'd say Fun,one was how I'd say Fyun, and the other was how I'd say Fune or Fewn.

Yes, I say it a bit like fun, as I'm from Ulster. Basically, if you aren't from Ireland and you like the name Finn, the best bet might be to spell it Finn .

or seeing as I'm a Welsh speaker, Ffyn, Ffiyn and Ffiwn.

Definitely not Ffion.

Oh love the Welsh translation! Ffyn!

It's not a translation, Paris - you'd be calling your baby son Sticks. Like walking sticks.

More likely to be Bea and Fee surely?

But nature names are all the rage! Might start a new trend .

(For clarity I would NEVER)!

There may be a Ffyn walking around in Wales, but as a name it doesn't really work.

I'm glad you're moving away from Ffion as Bea and Fi may end up with 'beefy' being the pairing if you ever call them for tea etc.

I still think Felicity is lovely but as you're looking for other names, how about one of these - they can all be shortened to something other than Bea or Fi.

Henrietta
Harriet
Imogen
Philippa
Eliza
Sophia
Florence
Alice
Eleanor
Helena
Eloise
Miriam
Naomi

Ffion is a girls name - at least I have never come across a boy called that ( and I am Welsh speaking).
Perhaps some parents were trying to be U-neek . It means foxglove.

I would be wary of using it if you aren't Welsh, as your child will get a lot of Fuh..fuh..I..on, from people who will be pretending it has a stutter sound (speaking from experience here), and constantly asking about it. I imagine the continual conversations of "Yes, it is said like that, No, I'm not Welsh" will get a bit tedious.

Thanks for the Fionn pronunciation Paris - my saying Finn was based on having met one Fionn who pronounced it Finn!

I prefer Felicity - as think it goes really well with Beatrice and a beautiful name. It is in line with the pretty, unusual but not too unusual level that Beatrice is too :)

Don't pay attention to the Flick your Bean - never would have entered my brain. I actually know two sisters called Beatrice and Felicity. They were known as Bea (Trixie as a teen) and Flossie. All the nicknames are lovely.

I think Ffion could be a middle name maybe? A little too unusual for a first name personally :)

I love the name Ffion but I prefer Felicity with Beatrice- nickname Fliss not Flick though

Felicity. Ffion looks and sounds like Fionn to me, which is an Irish boys name

Not really, @gradetoolisted, if you rtft.

Ffion (FEE-onn) is a popular girl's name in Wales.

One thing though is that it will probably be said Fee-un in an english accent, and sounds a bit meh.

I have a Felicity and if we had a second DD then Beatrice is my favourite choice

Christ @KirstenBlest, I clearly stated that it looks/sounds like that TO ME and stated a preference to the two names as asked by OP. Relax.