Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Honor or Honora

29 replies

Flutterflybutterby · 11/12/2021 00:52

I adore the name Honor, but it doesn't work at all with my surname which begins with an 'ala' sound and is three syllables long. Sort of runs together.

It's my favourite baby name and the one I'd choose if not for this issue. I love virtue names!

Have recently met a baby Honora, pronounced similarly to Annora but obviously this depends on your accent and pronunciation. This would work with my surname.

Do you like it?

Other virtue names I love are Joy and Mercy, but Mercy seems to be hated on Mumsnet. Sad Hope and Faith are old favourites but maybe too popular now. What do you think of these names?

If relevant, the child will have duel citizenship with Britain, but won't be growing up in Britain - although will have British family and friends so don't want a name that is widely considered awful in Britain for any reason we aren't aware of. I think from the other thread it seemed that Mercy seemed to be disliked due to having un-feminist connotations (it was said a few times that a girl called Mercy implies that she needs to be gentle and forgiving while boys get strong names). But we actually love Mercy from a religious perspective (we are religious and live in a more religious culture, where the name Mercy is more to refer to God's mercy rather than to say anything about the child) so didn't think of this until it was brought up. This kind of issue is what I'm wondering about - any other cultural issues I might have not considered with any of these names?

(I know Joy might be a grumpy little thing, have considered that issue with Joy Grin)

Thank you.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Flutterflybutterby · 11/12/2021 00:55

Actually, it might be relevant that Mercy is actually my favourite, even above Honor, but I crossed it off the list as it got such a unanimously negative response last time it was posted about on Mumsnet. Are there any other reasons that it is hated other than the one I mentioned in my OP? Or is this the main reason?

OP posts:
whatausername · 11/12/2021 00:59

I think to be able to have and show mercy requires a lot of strength, personally.

I like all your choices bar Honor. Sorry to be crass but it sounds too similar to "on her". I realise she won't be raised in Britain but given her strong ties to the country it is possible you will move back there one day and if that were during her teen years I don't think she'd thank you for the name "Honor". Honora is a good alternative.

Just my opinion of course.

My favourite from your list is Faith.

Flutterflybutterby · 11/12/2021 01:03

@whatausername

I think to be able to have and show mercy requires a lot of strength, personally.

I like all your choices bar Honor. Sorry to be crass but it sounds too similar to "on her". I realise she won't be raised in Britain but given her strong ties to the country it is possible you will move back there one day and if that were during her teen years I don't think she'd thank you for the name "Honor". Honora is a good alternative.

Just my opinion of course.

My favourite from your list is Faith.

I really agree with you about mercy! To me, to have mercy is a very positive thing and the opposite to weak or people-pleasing as suggested on the other thread.

Thank you for your opinion. I love Faith and big sister's name is Tabitha - I always thought Faith and Tabitha sounded lovely together!

OP posts:
whatausername · 11/12/2021 01:04

@Flutterflybutterby

Actually, it might be relevant that Mercy is actually my favourite, even above Honor, but I crossed it off the list as it got such a unanimously negative response last time it was posted about on Mumsnet. Are there any other reasons that it is hated other than the one I mentioned in my OP? Or is this the main reason?
You seem to truly love the name Mercy so I'd go for that. It is your child and your choice. She won't be a downtrodden, side-lined, unfeminist woman if she is raised with an enquiring mind and a strong sense of worth. Okay, maybe I am over-simplifying things a bit but my point is the name will not make her less than she is.

Imo, the reasons to avoid a name are ones where you need a "strong personality" to carry them well, where they are too easily a joke or if you don't want to constantly correct spelling or pronunication (this doesn't bother me and many others).

TheSandgroper · 11/12/2021 02:05

From my family tree and historic fluid spelling, Honora is sometimes known as Hanora/h or Hannorah.

I think Honora is currently underrated.

Changechangychange · 11/12/2021 02:10

I really like Mercy! Go with that. I’d think “nickname for Mercedes” before the quality of mercy.

itiswhat · 11/12/2021 02:21

Honor & Honora are absolutely beautiful names!

Kanaloa · 11/12/2021 02:35

I love Joy, it’s so pretty, simple and underused. Mercy is an interesting name but it’s a lot to live up to.

Honora is ok, I really dislike Honor. As a pp said, I just think of ‘on her.’ There’s a scene in Scrubs where Turk’s wife suggests the name Honor and Turk criticises it saying boys will say ‘did you get on her? Yeah I got on her too.’ Since then I can’t think of it any other way.

Kanaloa · 11/12/2021 02:38

Although I will just say if Mercy is your top favourite name don’t cross it off because mumsnet dislikes it. If everyone did that we would have a world full of children named Florence, Thomas, Charlotte, and James. All lovely names but it takes all sorts to fill the world. Mercy is a fine name - unusual but you tend to find unusual names suit the person they belong to.

IVflytrap · 11/12/2021 07:52

Absolutely go with the name Mercy if it's your favourite. Stop giving a crap about what you think Mumsnet thinks. People on here have different opinions, anyway, we're not some giant hivemind. Grin

I personally like Mercy, and I'm sure there are others, but on those who strongly dislike something will shout the loudest, that's just how it works. Mumsnet is not representative of real life, and Mercy is not widely considered awful in Britain. To be honest, it's not widely considered much at all. Plenty of people IRL will either like Mercy when they hear for the first time on your baby, it or feel neutral about it. But all that ultimately matters is whether you like it. Smile

scottishnames · 11/12/2021 14:56

Mercy is an admirable name, especially in times like these. The world needs more mercy.

There is also Honoria, as well as Honora. And Onora.

GemmaRuby · 11/12/2021 15:00

If you like Mercy then I think you should go for it, don’t be put off by a few negative comments.
It’s not exactly my cup of tea, but there’s nothing particularly wrong with it.

I much prefer Honoria to Honor or Honora. And Joy is lovely.

Pineapples9087 · 11/12/2021 15:40

Go with the name you love the most, Mercy. Gorgeous name imo. Mumsnet don't like either of my daughters names...but I chose what myself and dh wanted. She is your daughter, don't be put off by what strangers on the Internet have said!

PenguinLove1 · 11/12/2021 15:58

Tabitha and Joy

Sounds lovely 😊

Edenember · 11/12/2021 17:36

Sounds like you really love Mercy. Go with that.

BrightonOrLancaster · 11/12/2021 17:57

Honorine is a French name and I think it looks more "complete" than the other two

BrightonOrLancaster · 11/12/2021 18:05

FYI in french its pronounced onor-een.

IamnotwhouthinkIam · 11/12/2021 21:18

Mercy does have some religious connotations which is likely why it's not that well used in the UK (which is statistically more and more secular these days) - but still no-one would judge you (or her) for having a "religious" name imo, so I say go for it if it's your favourite! (and I agree that I don't see the concept of mercy as at all weak).

Personally my very favourite virtue name is Verity - I just love it's subtlety as the meaning isn't as obvious as some, but Felicity, Hope and Faith are lovely too (and to be honest any of those would be my preference over Honora, Mercy or Joy as I just prefer their sound, sorry). I love Tabitha btw!

WeasilyPleased · 11/12/2021 22:37

I love the name Mercy. It's an amazing strong quality to have and I don't see it as weak or submissive in any way. Tabitha and Mercy sound delightful.

Luredbyapomegranate · 12/12/2021 01:07

Love Honor.. Honora makes me think of Jeeves

Mercy is OK, it just reads as very very religious ie a strong flavour - so just give her a more neutral middle name so she has options.

Like Hope, also like Constance/Constancia

Anoushka1986 · 13/12/2021 10:16

I've met an Honoria before. I prefer this to Honor or Honara. Verity is pretty too.

evilharpy · 13/12/2021 10:24

If you're after a virtue name, I know a little girl called Blessing. Not a name I would have considered in a million years but since meeting her I've grown to sort of love it - helps that she's a lovely smiley cheerful little girl who really suits her name.

hivemindneeded · 13/12/2021 10:26

I prefer Honor. It's straightforward. Honora will spend a lifetime repeating, explaining and spelling her name for people.

Honor is pretty.

Other virtue names that are less overt are
Allegra (means Joy)
Freya (means happiness)
Hilary (ditto)
Vera (means Truth)
Verity (ditto)
Constance

Do you like any of these?

finova · 13/12/2021 10:32

I’ve always loved Meri as a nickname for Meredith

RobinPenguins · 13/12/2021 10:34

I love Honora! I only found out at her funeral that my Nana Nora was in fact called Honora but no one ever used her full name.