Una or Oonagh

[Jizzyjeff]

If you like this name, which spelling do you prefer?

We both love the sound of the name but disagree on the spelling. Happily dh is okay for me to ultimately get the spelling I want as he says I've done all the hard work... but I'm interested in opinion.

Baby will have part Irish heritage and the surname is double barrelled English name-Irish name, if that makes a difference.

Where will you be living?

London

I thought these were different names, so I’m no help. Oonagh seems more modern to me, but that might just be because of the ones I know.

I think Una.

To my London eye, Una looks nicer and it's so generic in many languages, everyone will spell it that way.

Oonagh

I would pronounce Una as Yoona, but I'd pronounce Oonagh as Oona.

I like Oonagh better.

Oonagh is nicer to me. Not much in it though. If Oonagh is the Irish spelling then I like that connection to Irish heritage too.

Oonagh never known it any other way. NI parents.

@ditalini

I would pronounce Una as Yoona, but I'd pronounce Oonagh as Oona.

I like Oonagh better.

Same & same

Una - I’m in NI and both common spellings here.

Oh I didn't know about the pronunciation Yoona, I am not keen.

I prefer Oonagh personally so thank you to those who pointed out the pronunciation, I will mention it to dh.

He just thinks if we use Oonagh, she will be spelling it out for people all her life. And our double barrelled name is a bit of a mouthful. I do get his point but I just love the Irish spelling

One consideration is do you want to forever, and thus your child, spelt it. If not go with Una.

Anyone who's ever seen an Italian or Spanish word won't say Yoona. I'd be very surprised if that was common. I mean Per Una isn't Per Yoona, is it?

If I go with Oonagh she'll have to spell it out, if I go for Una, she'll spend her time correcting people on the pronunciation

Oh dear. This is a bit of a minefield.

Una has two ways of saying it. Do you mind that?

Why would you pronounce Una as if it had a 'y' at the front? I'd have said them both the same. Nobody calls the Uno game yuno!

There will most likely be people who call her oonag or oonaff at first. Your DH is right. Unless she moves to Ireland she will be spelling it out.

The only reason I was confident Oonagh would be pronounced Una was because I could see they were intended as the same. If I hadn't, I might have needed to ask how to pronounce Oonagh and I'm sure I won't be the only one.

I’ve never seen it spelt Oonagh. Una is much nicer although it does remind me of ‘Just stir it Una’. Sorry.

Oonagh definitely.

Spelling your name isn’t the end of the world. Even the Amy/Aime/Aimees of the world have to do it

@MrsTerryPratchett

Anyone who's ever seen an Italian or Spanish word won't say Yoona. I'd be very surprised if that was common. I mean Per Una isn't Per Yoona, is it?

Exactly.

I prefer the simpler looking Una spelling - but then it's the one I'm most familiar with (having lived in various places in England and Wales - it would obviously be different had I lived in Ireland or N.Ireland I think). Ive only heard Una pronounced as Oona btw.

Prefer Una but both used here in NI, roughly equally.... don't know of any really young ones though

This has turned into a tougher one than I thought.

I really don't like the Yoona pronunciation.

I have an unusual name, which i dont mind spelling but hate when people pronounce it wrong as I find it embarrassing to keep correcting them.

I thought both spellings were an obvious pronunciation but I was a bit wrong.

Maybe we will just go for Jasmine or Scarlett 🤣

If you want the Irish spelling, that is actually Una. Oonagh is the Anglicised spelling of the traditional Irish name.

And yes, if you go for Oonagh she WILL spell it out and discuss its pronunciation and where it comes from and is that really two Os and is that a g and h? Together? What? Eh? Are you sure? Did you mean Donagh? Every day. For the rest of her life.

(have a guess what my name is )

On a positive note, once people get it, they never forget you and you are unique. Or should I say Oonique?

Or spell it Oona?