Some rather unusual names - which ones do you like?

[caitlinrose]

These are not on our list but names I encountered this past week. I'm curious to hear what you think of them and whether you find all of them usable:

Ayaka
Citra
Lindsay
Christabel
Makena

Makena is a name I loved as a teenager and I'm sort of liking it now. I pronounce it like Makenna/Mackenna. Would it be usable?

Which spelling of Lindsay is best? And I am aware that Lindsay is one that's not unusual ;)

Gosh, you’re awfully touchy in response to a pretty mild comment OP, but fine. Hope you get what you want from your thread and have a nice day.

Mine too.

If I had to pick one I'd go for Cristabel because of the suffragette. Lindsay isn't horrendous but it's not very exciting. I wouldn't use any of the others.

I really like Christabel because of christabel Pankhurst - good association. Also lots of nicknames - Chrissy and Bella etc.

McKenna just makes me think of that bald “I can make you thin” hypnotist guy who writes all the cheesy sounding self help books.

Agree that Ayaka could sound a bit horrible , particularly with some uk dialects that a strong k sound.

the rest are all ok

I like Christabel - also make me think of Christabel Pankhurst (the suffragette). It's familiar but never was wildly popular like some of the other Chris names like Christina, Christine, Kristin, Christopher so seems less "eighties" (or whatever decade those names are seen as!)

Lindsay also doesn't seem as "dated" to me as it's been used pretty consistently in Scotland (where as someone said already it's also a surname). I've seen the Lindsay spelling most often but have also seen some crazy spellings. I think Lindsay or Lindsey is fine; I'd stay away from Lynzi, etc.

Ayaka - I'm not familiar with the name but find the sound harsh. If you do have Japanese heritage or connections, I think Aiko and Akira are nice.

Citra - made me think of the beer, but I think the name is pronounced CHEE-tra?

Makena - I'd read this as mah-KAY-nah, and assume it was the East African name, not a variation of MacKenna.

Traditionally it’s Lindsey for a girl and Lindsay for a boy. Quite popular 60 or 70 years ago. I rather like it.
Christabel is very pretty and as it’s never been exceedingly popular isn’t too dated. Easy for nn too.
Makenna isn’t too outlandish but I’m afraid the other names aren’t very pleasant

Ayaka
Citra

Not sure on how these would be pronounced as never heard of them before.

Lindsay - I have a cousin Lyndsey. Know a few others with various spellings. I understand it can be used as a boys name to but I always think of it as a girls name not boys.

Christabel - Think a bit hhmmm, not my personal choice. There is one in YR1 at my DDs school.

Makena - Thought this was a very common 80/90s name in the US - obviously it has various spellings.

Personally none are to my tastes but don’t think any of the ones I know are too offensive or out there.

Don't like any, you may like Kenna or Christie?

Unusual mix of names! I don't know them all but I like Citra. Christabel is ok but a little fussy, I prefer Christina. I know lots of female Lindsey's. I prefer the name Lynne which you don't hear much now. They are probably all dated. Not sure about Makenna, I think I prefer McKenzie for Scottish surnamey girls name as it sounds quite characterful. Makenna sounds more like an actual girls' name though. I like the girl's name Mallory for some reason. That's a surname sounding name. Mumsnet tends to hate the surname names. It can be a Scottish thing though, can't it? I also do like the idea of girls being called things that aren't just flowers or jewels or little decorative things and surname names aren't any of those things which I like.

Ayaka - sounds like ‘yak’ which is vomit sounding to me.
Citra - lemony. Harsh sounding with the ‘tra’ sound.
Lindsay - woman in her late 30’s to mid 50’s. May as well use Tracey, Carla or Kelly.
Christabel - clunky. Can’t imagine shouting in a Christabel for her tea from the garden. Not keen on the spelling, are you pronouncing it Christ A Bell?
Makena - not keen on surnames for names, personal preference.

Wouldnt use any myself.

I like Christabel a

Sorry; fat thumbs.
Lindsay/ Lindsey is a well known name that is , to me , strongly associated with the 1970s when given to a girl. I have positive feelings about it because I have known a few nice people with the name.
I think of Christobel as the usual spelling and of Christobel Kent .

Christabel is the only one I like from that list.

I quite like Christabel actually, but not keen on the others.

About Lindsay - some people have said that Lindsay is the traditional female version and Lindsey the male. It's actually the other way round.

Lindsay is a Scottish surname and the male first name derives from that, it being quite common especially in aristocratic families to use surnames as first names for boys. Lindsey was the variant used traditionally for girls. Obviously this has changed over the years and it would be rare to come across a male Lindsay now. I think Lindsay for girls first became popular in the US, where surnames have tended to be used more as girls' names than in the UK.

Lynsey de Paul
Lindsey Buckingham

Ayaka - yak yak rabbit rabbit
Citra - citrus
Lindsay - Wagner (bionic woman) Lohan (LiLo)
Christabel - poem by Coleridge
Makena - Paul McKenna hypnotist/ Virginia Mckenna (Born Free)

Not keen on them to be honest with you although I do like
Lysette (not Lynette as it means nymph nor Lynn because of Alan Partridge)
Christie/Krista
Miri as a nn for Mirabel (but prefer Miri as Mirabel sounds a bit like )
I love Mackenzie for a girl (Mackenzie Davis - actress) and Madison

Pronunciation guide (well, in original languages)

Citra = CHEETra (stress on first syllable)

Ayaka = ah yah kah (equal stress)

I like Christabel, it reminds me of the unfinished and intriguing Coleridge poem.

As a 90s teen, I saw Lindsay spelt just sit every conceivable way, but that way was the most common.

I would only recognise Lindsey and Christsbel as usable names.

I would pronounce Makena as Makeena.
You would need two Ns to produce the McKenna pronunciation. Why not go with McKenna if you like the sound of that?

Sorry don't like any of them.

Lindsey should be retired.

You don’t see Mallory on here often!

This is my top choice if we have a DD. Absolutely love it.

I went to school with 4 girls and 1 boy called Lindsay/Lindsey/Lynsey.... has never struck me as a rare name....

Cristabel but I would spell it differently. I love Christy. I think you need that second N in Makena if you want the pronunciation correct.

Ayaka is a Japanese name. I think it would be unusual to use unless you have a connection with Japan. Because of concerns about cultural appropriation accusations I personally wouldn’t use it unless I had a genetic connection (as opposed to “had a great time in Tokyo on holiday” or “really like the manga Ghost in the Shell”)

Christabel is the sort of name I would choose - classic but unusual and underused. Name of a child in a story I liked when I was young. Quite a prim name in full but good scope for nicknames.

Lindsay is fine - quite a 90s name, maybe due for a come back? not a personal fave - a bit blah. Personally not a fan of “linds” as a nn.

Citra sounds like a name for a car or a toilet cleaner. Citrine (the gemstone) is similar in sound but feels less like vehicle or bottle of Jif (though still has the vibes in my opinion so it wouldn’t be my choice)

Mackena (however spelled) is not a name I would choose. It sounds like a surname. Paul McKenna television hypnotist. There was a girl in my primary school with this name (90s) - I really didn’t like her at all. Not one I’d choose

I love Christabel

Christabella was on our list for DD, along with Lavinia and Delilah.

Genuine question, OP - what is it that you want to know? Your OP asked for opinions but then you were really shitty with a couple of PPs and said it didn’t matter whether they liked the names or not.

If you’re not wanting opinions (as per your OP) then what is it that you want to know?