Osla

[Augustwine]

What do we think of this girls name? I have Scottish and Norwegian grandparents and apparently this is a name from Shetland so a bit of both. It also sounds a bit like Oslo which is one of my favourite cities and sounds a bit like Isla but less popular. I worry that it sounds a bit made up as I’d not heard it until I read it in a book.

If you have heritage within which the name resonates, why not use it. ‘Oslo’ is sort of ‘Oshlu in Norweigan isn’t it? People do quickly get new names.

Hmm, I can't quite get my head around it. Not sure why. It feels like Orla but with the wrong letter in place.
I neither like nor dislike it.

My immediate thought when I saw the thread name was that it might be Scandi. But it's not a name many people will be familiar with, I had no idea it existed, so naturally it follows that some people will think it's made-up and others will hear think it's a mispronunciation of Isla. People who matter and will have a relationship with your child will get used to it fast. I guess it depends on how much the assumptions of strangers and distant acquaintances matter to you.

I don't love the name itself but also don't like Orla/Isla type names so I just don't think it's my cup of tea.

So do you pronounce the "s" like in Oslo or silent like Isla?

Like Oslo

It feels funny to me, I think it's the Oz sound.. Only one opinion though!

Love how it looks when written (I chose my oldest daughters name from a book I was reading because I loved how it looked, obviously I really liked the pronunciation as well). I like the pronunciation of Osla, yes it's not very common but it's a pretty sounding name that would suit any age.

I am not keen but nor do I hate it. For me its a bit oh ok.. Scandinavian myself and Oslo is amazing yes 😀

I think it sounds like a government agency. It's very close to COSLA and I'd assume it was an acronym 😬

Have you thought about Ulla. Similar feel but prettier I think?

hmmm, i agree it sounds a bit made up and somewhat like an acronym. I'm not keen, i think you could spend a lot of time saying "no, Osla, not Olso / Isla / Orla"

Hm when I first saw this I didn't really like it, but now the more I look at it, the nicer I think it is...

I have a thing about using traditionally male nicknames from girls names (my current favourite is Vinnie as a nickname for Lavinia) - so I love that you could call her Ozzie as a nickname if you wanted!

I think all the best names are ones that grow on you, anyway!

It sounds like the name of a secret cabal in a Philip Pullman novel. The Osla.

It makes me think of Ozma from the Wizard of Oz. I quite like it.

Sounds too much like Ostler for me

It sounds more like a Viking bloke’s name to me. Like Gunn which is a Swedish girl’s name sounds male in English.

I think Oona, Olwen, Arwen, Honor, Astra, Aster, Elva, Ida, Thora, might all be better.

The way Brits pronounce the s in Oslo? Or how someone Scandi would do so?

Can't think of a better way of explaining the difference... is the s more like the last sound in 'Roz' or 'Ross'?

Would the s make a /s/ or a /z/ sound?

It 'might' sound nice with a Scandinavian accent, it won't sound nice in the U.K.

with a soft ohsssla. Here it'll be hard Ozla

I don't like it but I can't elaborate why. I have been trying to figure it out, but I am not sure. I just don't like it. MAYBE it sounds more like a place or a product than a child's name? Also it confuses me because the 'Os' sounds like it is a boy's name, but the 'la' like a girl's name, so it doesn't seem feminine or masculine to me. Also think it will be pronounced Oz-luh in the UK which I assume isn't right.

I would pronounce it like Ozla which I thought was pretty (but strange at first) but looks like others disagree so may think again