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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.

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astoundedgoat · 13/12/2021 10:39

Mercy is gorgeous. Prefer Honor to Honora - thinking of gorgeous Honors like Honor Blackman and Honor Fraser.

I love virtue names. Temperance is much underrated I think!

WashableVelvet · 13/12/2021 10:58

I like them all. Mercy is lovely! Charity is also worth considering I think. I’ve also encountered Unity which I think is lovely

HollyandIvyandAllThingsYule · 13/12/2021 11:03

As the name has meaning to you and relates to your faith, I’d pay absolutely no attention to what Mumsnet thinks of the name! - If you love the name Mercy then you can use that. It absolutely doesn’t have to be un-feminist.

I do like Honor but I don’t think Honora is nearly as nice.

Flutterflybutterby · 13/12/2021 12:00

Thanm you so much for the replies! I feel so happy about Mercy! And you've all been so nice, thank you for that. Sometimes I feel nervous to post on Mumsnet because people can be so mean! But you've all been really kind Flowers

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