Sienna / Siena

[sienanana]

Due baby girl any day now 😬

Have always liked the name Sienna (an old colleague named her baby this about 8 years ago,) and I'd thought about it again recently when thinking of name ideas - particularly having watched Bridgerton on Netflix!

I generally like classic / older names, which I wouldn't really class this as - but DH has now completely fallen in love with it, (though prefers the 'Siena' spelling, after the Italian city), and I like that it was obviously in use in regency times, so not a new fad.

Three questions really -

1. Noted Princess Beatrice's new baby is now Sienna Elizabeth... does this make it a bit cringey to use the same name within a week or two? (Ours wouldn't be Elizabeth, for the record!)

1. Do you think it will take off now in popularity and date quickly? It was obviously in use in regency times, and was #50 in popularity in the baby name records for here for last year.

1. Should we use Sienna for ease, or Siena, which is a bit more authentic and less Princess Beatrice / Sienna Miller / Toyota!

Other options we'd considered for a baby girl are Mia and Eva.

I really like Sienna, but I think I would spell it as that rather than Siena, since I recon she will constantly have people spelling it wrong otherwise (or maybe that's just me!)

Was it really used in regency times? I thought it was a modern name, early 2000s. I remember it being quite popular when I had dd in 2004.

I imagine it might become very popular again though. You could look at some similar alternatives like Serena or Sierra?

@ByThePool2021 Yeah, apparently Siena / Sienna was adopted as a given name (after the Italian City) in Europe in the late 18th century. In the UK there was a Sienna Burne baptised in Manchester in 1806.

Serena unfortunately reminds me of Blake Lively's character in Gossip Girl (showing my age!!) and Sierra I do think of as a Toyota as my parents had one growing up! 🙈

Definitely Sienna. Don't use the incorrect spelling for the name as it'll cause so am y issues.

It's a lovely name so expect it to be popular and used by royalty. Beatrice is a lesser royal and I doubt anyone will think you're naming your kid because of her

You've always loved it so use it.
It's lovely
I don't think it will be faddy

@Lillyofthe Thanks ☺️

The Italian city is actually spelt Siena, so I think that's the original spelling 🙈 Though I know Sienna is more commonly used. Just not sure which is technically 'incorrect'!

Sienna or Siena are lovely (I also love Mia)
Will it bother you that you have to correct people spelling if you go with Siena? If not then go for it.

I don't think I'm too bothered about spelling corrections... I just don't want to use a 'wrong' spelling. Think both are valid though.

I do like Sienna. Just DH prefers Siena 🤷🏻‍♀️ Not sure if it's worth giving poor DD the headache! 🙈

To me it's a very 2010 name. Sienna Miller broke onto the scene and it suddenly became really popular. There may have been a sprinkling of Siennas born in Georgian times but to me it's very much a modern name. I don't think the fact it was used for a character in Bridgerton is evidence of much.

And because it's been popular now for a good few years I'd be very surprised if anyone associated it with the new royal Sienna. Same as with Archie, the name has been so popular for ages now that the Harry and Meghan association isn't that strong.

Siena really is such a gorgeous little city but as 99% of people will assume her name is spelt Sienna, that's the spelling I'd go for.

Sienna is a beautiful name. My dd is good friends with a lovely girl called Sienna in her class, they’re 8. I’ve only seen it spelt as Sienna but that’s not to say Siena is incorrect.

I too think of Sienna Miller when the name comes up, and certainly never thought of the town in Italy, nor it being used in Georgian times!

I very much doubt in 4-5yrs when she goes to school, ANYONE would even associate the name with Beatrice daughter!!!

My day to day job involves looking through 100's of names- from teens to those in their 90's and I don't recall ever coming across a Siena spelling! Why subject a child to having to correct their name every time? 'No, its Siena with only 1 N'!!!

Just to add my surname is a nightmare because it sounds like a quite common surname but spelt wrong
My whole life has been saying my surname and automatically spelling it out and correcting people.
I therefore really wouldn't burden your kid with having to do the same

1. Noted Princess Beatrice's new baby is now Sienna Elizabeth... does this make it a bit cringey to use the same name within a week or two? (Ours wouldn't be Elizabeth, for the record!)

No, not at all, no one owns a name exclusively....

1. Do you think it will take off now in popularity and date quickly? It was obviously in use in regency times, and was #50 in popularity in the baby name records for here for last year.

Well, it's been pretty popular in recent years but I think it could also just about pass as a classic , so no.

1. Should we use Sienna for ease, or Siena, which is a bit more authentic and less Princess Beatrice / Sienna Miller / Toyota!

Don't try and be a bit different with the spelling of a name, it's a bit try hard and people will just spell it the overwhelmingly most common way anyway....

Sienna is a lovely name! I'd go for it....

I actually also prefer the Siena spelling, it feels a little more... authentic I guess? But I do think everyone will assume it's spelled Sienna, so it depends how much you're willing to correct!

@Spikeyplants I originally (years ago!) did link it with Sienna Miller too, when my friend first used it some 10 years ago - but realise now that the breakthrough roles (Layer Cake / Alfie) that I'd associate her with are from circa 2004! So interesting that nearly 20 years later that's still the association of my generation I guess, which is what worries me a little about Princess Beatrice's baby in 4-5 years time. I suppose DD's classmates are unlikely to think of Sienna Miller though! And I think the name has become much more popular in the intervening years, so as @StrychnineInTheSandwiches rightly says, the associations with any particular person are probably much more diluted.

I also do automatically think of the colour, and of the Italian city, but as an architect by trade I realise they are maybe be less common references! I would think of the city and likely query how to spell Siena / Sienna, but appreciate as the name has become more popular, Sienna seems to be the go to for name use.

I have an unusually spelled maiden name and feel the pain of those constantly having to spell things out lol, just wondered on the consensus. No idea why DH seems to prefer Siena, I think he's also thinking of the city! I can overrule him though 😜

I would spell it Siena, like the city. I love the name and I love the city, it's a beautiful place and a beautiful name. I don't know where the second "n" came from but to me it looks really odd to spell it with two "n"s.
The city dates back to medieval times so you could consider this a classic/older name.
As for the Beatrice connection, I doubt anyone will link it to her. Once the Queen passes on and Charles is king, Beatrice won't be a main royal anyway, so you'll hardly hear anything of her.

@APerfectSky Sienna with two n's is originally derived from the place name Siena... so it is more authentic. But I guess it's about what is easiest for DD! 🙈

I've recently met a Ciena, not keen on that spelling though

@choosername1234 Yes I definitely wouldn't use Ciena! Though have to say my DH floated that as well 🙈

Is it derived from Siena though? I had always associated the double n spelling with the colour burnt sienna.

@HilaryThorpe

Is it derived from Siena though? I had always associated the double n spelling with the colour burnt sienna.

burnt sienna also comes from Siena, it's a pigment made from earth from what was the Siena region. Sienna is just an anglicisation of the spelling, probably a throwback to when spelling wasn't standardised anyway. So either is probably perfectly acceptable but OP, if you want to link it back to the city then I'd go with Siena.

Sienna is lovely but very popular at the moment, but then again so are Mia and Eva.

@RuthW Yeah, at the moment where I am Mia is #17, Eva is #41, and Sienna #50... so it is the least popular of our choices! Though still top 100. I'm not too concerned about that if I'm honest.

It's your DD who will spend her whole life spelling the name, not you. Most people will spell it 'Sienna'.

What about Savannah? (I think Sienna Miller actually has a sister with this name?)

Saffron?

I have a surname that can be spelt 2 ways — around 1800 some family members opted to go one way and the others the other way. I retained my maiden name so have spent my whole life spelling my name but it hasn’t really been a problem and I haven’t lost any sleep over it.
All your daughter needs to say is That’s Siena with one n (the same as the city)
I loved my trip to Siena — lovely place and a long history — what a fabulous trip in the future awaits your daughter and her family.
Good luck.