June, Kate, Iris, Irene, Leonie, Erin---which do you like/hate?

[Kokeshi123]

We're a little limited due to being a bilingual family (Japanese); can't have a name ending in "a" and I don't want a name that all the other bilingual families choose like Emily or Naomi.

Which of these is your favorite and least favorite---and why?

Love Leonie...it was on my list when I had my dd

Really hate Erin...not a pretty name imo

I’m a Kate (female!) and my Japanese colleague called his son Kate. It took him ages to tell me the name! Yes---Keito (the Japanese form) is most often a boy's name, but has occasionally been used for girls too. Ditto June (Jun). Of course, with Japanese there is the option of using feminine-type kanji to let people know, but I have to admit that it puts me off a bit.

Bilingual names are such a minefield! There are loads of easy J-E options for girls, but I don't want yet another Emily or Erika etc.---want something that's just a bit different.

Iris (Airisu) is obviously a female name, though women's name's don't often have four syllables here. Irene (Airin) can work too, but then... the English pronunciation is an issue, and it's obviously a bit of a marmite name. Leonie would be Reoneslightly different from the English but doable. Erin is the most practical choice as the pronunciation causes no issues in either language and it's also spelled the same in both, but then I don't like quite it as much as Leonie. I think Leonie may have the edge.

Thanks for the comments, everyone!

Irene - I don't hate it but I had an auntie with this name, so for me it reminds me of an older lady.

Erin - this is actually the name I have at the top of my girl list! I think it is a cool name, not too pretty or babyish, and will suit a girl into adulthood. I used to have a pet called Erin - it has been a favourite of mine for years.

Please please please do not chose Katherine and shorten it to kate, just call them kate. It is so so annoying and nobody has ever called me Katherine.
Also I'm not mean 😂

My order is:
Iris
Kate
Erin
Leonie
Irene
June

I love Iris. It’s one of my favourite names. I like Leonie. Kate is ok. I don’t like June, Erin or Irene.

My friend who is half Japanese had a Bibi - very sweet!

My favorite is Iris and I think is perfect for a Japanese family. Leonie I think could be problematic because in japanese l become r and so Leonie become Reonie.

I love Sabrina!

I love kate but then I have a three year old kate (as a stand-alone name). It’s really uncommon in this age group. I’ve never met another her age. I think there were only 56 born her year in uk

Sorry one of 1156 born that year. Still not many!

All beautiful names. I especially love June and Iris.

I love Iris and Kate.

@Trinacham

Irene - I don't hate it but I had an auntie with this name, so for me it reminds me of an older lady.

Erin - this is actually the name I have at the top of my girl list! I think it is a cool name, not too pretty or babyish, and will suit a girl into adulthood. I used to have a pet called Erin - it has been a favourite of mine for years.

This is exactly the reasoning that DD1 is an Erin. It wasn't the greatest little baby name to be honest - but she's really really grown into it as a strong willed and smart young lady. (Both my girls have names that suit them more as they get older and are more arse-kickingly awesome young women names - my logic being they will be a woman longer than a cute little 3-4 year old)