Alternatives to… (unusable baby name)

[Romelo]

The name is Roma. I first heard it on a little French girl who was a friend of a child I au paired for. Thought it was beautiful then, still think it’s beautiful now, plus we love the connection to the city as our first proper holiday together was to Rome. But I think it’s just too contentious to use, given that it’s the name of an ethnic group.

What would you suggest as alternatives? Can’t end in E/IE sound so Romy is out. We’d prefer shorter names of no more than 2 syllables as the surname is long and complex.

Roma is a lovely name, and there is no reason at all that you can't use it.

Roma was a thing in the 20’s and 30’s here in Australia. I grew up with one at church who always seemed elderly to me and I have a neighbour in her late eighties now called Roma. But we’re Catholic so I rather think it wasn’t an ethnic group in mind when naming.

I have Italian family and to them, it would be like calling a child “London”. Some family names - Alda, Alba, Carla, Silvana, Laura, Lena, Lila,

What about Romina? You could put this name on the BC and then gave her the NN Roma, in case you don't feel like you can give her the name itself?

Rosa
Runa
Rowan
Riva
vienna
florence
cora
flora
zara
clara
dana
sienna
lola
alba
thea
willa
bella
mila
cassia
calla
sofia
stella
opal

Thanks everyone!

To clarify, the reason I don’t want to use Roma is because it feels appropriate to use the name of an ethnic group as a name. It just doesn’t sit comfortably with me. I know not everyone will agree, but it’s my child that has to wear the name and I don’t want her to be judged negatively for a decision she had no control over.

I love some of these ideas! Love Gaia, Romola, Ramona, Paloma (longer than I’d like but quite simple?) also quite like Una and Yara.

Sorry, it feels inappropriate

I'm a Romany and I will be honest with you, I'd probably be a bit upset at the name Roma. Purely because I feel we get a lot of hatred for our ethnicity so for it to then be used as a pretty name would feel like a bit of a slap.

Some really beautiful suggestions on here though OP

I think this is a great choice.

There’s nothing controversial about Roma - it’s usually a religious name, to honour Rome as the centre of the Catholic Church, it’s nothing to do with the traveller community. However, i have to say it makes me think of depressed elderly barmaids, and I think Romola is much nicer.

i meant to say above I think Romola is a great choice!

I think Oona is a great choice also, but in the UK I would spell it like that, as Una can be mispronounced as Yew-na

Thank you @Brideandprejudice for your input. I would feel the same in your shoes I think.

Romola is beautiful.

Why no ee endings?

Mona
Flora

That said, I think Roma is perfectly fine (and quite pretty!). It's more of a region than an ethnicity, like Paris, Florence, Savannah, and Devon.

No ee endings is personal preference and also my name, husband’s name AND surname all end in this sound and we want to branch out.

Rhona - underused and similar sound

Rhona - underused and similar sound

I love Romy.
Romilly ?

Too close to Aroma, otherwise pretty but the link with an ethnic group would put me off.

Ramona in nice

Rona? Have you been living under a rock for the last 2 years?!?

I once had a ballet teacher called Rhoda. But you may think that is too old fashioned.

Ramona ?
Aroma .. ok not that one 😂

not keen on Rona or Rhona sorry! Far too “corona”.

Gaia is leaping out at both of us. Love that it’s an earth goddess and also an Italian name.

I think Roma is perfectly acceptable to use, but then here in Ireland it's a quite common abbreviation of Rosemary, nothing to do with Catholicism or Rome! I love the name!

Gaia is a lingerie brand too.

A name like Francesca, Sofia or Simona is very Italian.

winona (win for short)