Francesca or Zara?

[ScoobyWooo]

DS (age 3) is Matthew and Baby 2 is due in a few weeks. We think we have a boys name that feels right but we are trying to settle on a girls name.

We think we're down to Francesca or Zara.
Which would you go for?

Other girls names that have been on the list but that we think we are less keen on have been Elodie, Edith, Clara and Nancy.

I'm expecting my DD2 and pretty sure I'm calling her Zara, but I'm going to wait till she's out just to see it fits. I was concerned that it was too popular as some other pp have said, but it was only 73 in the baby name lists that came out a couple of weeks ago (down 7 since last year; up just 3 since 2010), which reassured me as I don't want a really popular in trendy name.
Personally don't like Francesca. Way too long and a bit pretentious sounding, and none of the nn's appeal at all. You really don't know what your child will end up being called, whereas with Zara, well it's Zara!
It seems to have a Middle Eastern origin - bit of a dispute between Hebrew, Arabic and Persian as to exactly where it's from :).

Francesca

Francesca

Francesca 100%

Definitely Francesca. It fits with Matthew much better.

Zara just seems a bit "fluffy" and lightweight in comparison

Matthew and Francesca go lovely together op and give alot of options if she wants a nn when she's older

I think Zara goes better with Matthew than Francesca. They are both biblical - Zara (spelt Zarah) is a Hebrew variant of Sarah.

Zara, really pretty and cool

My favourite out of all your names is definitely Elodie, but I love Zara. Definitely better than Francesca.

Zara, though both are lovely.

Francesca for me. Nothing particularly against Zara just I suppose I think of the clothing shop

Zara is lovely

Francesca with Zara as middle name

Zara, very elegant

ZARA!!!

Francesca by a country Mile.

Francesca! It’s a beautiful name.

Do you like Eliza?

Definitely Zara, it's beautiful! I have an inexplicable dislike of Francesca and especially Frankie.

Zara by a country mile.

I love Francesca, such a beautiful name with so many nick name options.
I dislike Zara and I'm surprised by how many positive responses you've got. All I think of is the clothes shop, and it's not a shop I particularly like either. Otherwise I'd probably like the name.

Zara

Zara

Zara is brilliant

Zara

Zara is lovely. I love simple, beautiful names.