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Baby names

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

Original poster

Views on girl names

92 replies

Cherchezlaspice · 15/12/2022 13:49

Could I please have your thoughts on these names for a girl?

We’re not having a middle name and the last name will be double barrelled (west African and British last names, both short).

  • Izuka
  • Medua
  • Vida
  • Zikora
  • Ibari
  • Murphy
  • Isa
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MolesOnPoles · 15/12/2022 13:55

I like them all other than Zikora (makes me think of Zika) and Murphy (which I really don’t think is useable for a girl, it’s very much a male rather than unisex name).

BabyYoZenZen · 15/12/2022 14:05

Izuka - seems really lovely, how would you pronounce it?
Medua - made me think of Medea, not the best association (didn't she murder her children)
Vida - love
Zikora - too harsh sounding for me, agree with PP it looks like Zika
Ibari - nice enough
Murphy - nooo, awful especially for a girl
Isa - love!

My favourite is Isa! Congratulations OP

sleepyduvetcat · 15/12/2022 14:06

Isa is my favourite!

ChristmasJingleBalls · 15/12/2022 14:37

Isa or Ibari.

Murphy isn’t a girls name, it’s a surname or a dog’s name. Medua sounds like Medusa. And the others are quite hard sounding.

plid · 15/12/2022 14:49

Izuka - ok
Medua- Gorgeous
Vida- Love it
Zikora- My fave
Ibari - Seems harsh
Murphy - Boys or dogs name to me
Isa - I think bank ISA

emmathedilemma · 15/12/2022 16:32

Definitely not Murphy!!

CurlewKate · 15/12/2022 18:02

Isa is a boy's name.
Murphy is just not very nice.

Original poster
Cherchezlaspice · 15/12/2022 18:03

Reactions to Murphy are making me laugh! It’s a family name on his side and we both rather like it as a girl’s name - think Murphy Brown, if anyone is into 80’s sitcoms. 😂

@BabyYoZenZen Izuka is pronounced ‘Is-zoo-kah’. It’s Igbo. It’s the last day of the week, so a time of joy, rest and regeneration.

Isa is pronounced ‘Ee-sah’. It’s Hausa and means ‘enough’. In the sense of ‘plenty’ or ‘all that one could want’.

OP posts:
BiscuitLover3678 · 15/12/2022 18:57

Vida or Izuka

BabyYoZenZen · 15/12/2022 19:31

Aw, that's a lovely meaning- both names. My fave is still Isa I think but Izuka is just gorgeous as well 😊

ratmatazz · 15/12/2022 19:38

Izuka and zikora are the nicest to my ears and easy to pronounce and spell.

Medua reminds me of Medusa, Isa too close to Isis and Murphy?! That's a surname, also very masculine.

Rauha · 15/12/2022 19:43

Vida is my favourite, it's beautiful.

whataboutya · 15/12/2022 19:49

Absolutely love Vida. Zikora reminds me of a football player named Zokora
Vida wins any list it's put on in my opinion Smile

Kanaloa · 15/12/2022 19:49

Izuka - is this Japanese? If so, are you Japanese?
Medua - I’m not keen on the sound.
Vida - pretty, I also like Vada.
Zikora - I think of this as a boys name. I like Zora though.
Ibari - this has a pretty sound.
Murphy - not keen for a first name.
Isa - I think this is pretty when short for Isabelle, but alone it makes me think ISA.

Kanaloa · 15/12/2022 19:52

Oh, I see you’ve said it means last day of the week in Igbo. It’s also a Japanese name too. Are you an Igbo speaker yourself? Just because when I look it up Izuuka doesn’t appear to mean that - it’s used after every day of the week?

Original poster
Cherchezlaspice · 15/12/2022 20:01

Kanaloa · 15/12/2022 19:52

Oh, I see you’ve said it means last day of the week in Igbo. It’s also a Japanese name too. Are you an Igbo speaker yourself? Just because when I look it up Izuuka doesn’t appear to mean that - it’s used after every day of the week?

Yup, Igbo born and bred. It’s one ‘u’, not two (that would be pronounced differently), and the internet is still VERY bad re looking up anything in West African languages. Googling Igbo words will just lead to confusion, I wouldn’t recommend it. 😂

OP posts:
Luredbyapomegranate · 15/12/2022 20:14

Izuka - my favourite, splendid, and people won’t mess up the pronunciation

Medua - nah, too like Medusa

Vida - nice, Bond girl-y

Zikora - too close to Zoflora, but even if you don’t know that brand it sounds like a cleaning brand

Ibari - nice enough

Murphy - Noooo. Middle name OK

Isa - in the UK it will be said eye-suh, which will be annoying, so I wouldn’t.

Cinnamonandcoal · 15/12/2022 20:17

I like all of them except Murphy. Beautiful names.
People will probably say Isa wrong, and of course it's also spelt the same as the financial savings product so although it's lovely maybe not that one.

Original poster
Cherchezlaspice · 15/12/2022 20:28

Thank you very much, everyone. You’ve been lovely and super helpful!

OP posts:
TempsPerdu · 15/12/2022 20:37

I really like Isaka, Isa and Vida - all beautiful names. I agree that the pronunciation of Isa is quite likely to be messed up by English speakers though.

RambamThankyouMam · 15/12/2022 20:38

The only one I like is Vida. The others sound quite unpleasant.

RishisProudMum · 15/12/2022 20:46

RambamThankyouMam · 15/12/2022 20:38

The only one I like is Vida. The others sound quite unpleasant.

Names aren’t ‘unpleasant’ because they aren’t names you know or are from different cultures. You can state your preference, but referring to a name from someone’s culture as ‘unpleasant’ is rather ignorant.

pimlicoanna · 15/12/2022 20:46

I like Vida only

GeneParmesanPrivateEye · 15/12/2022 21:06

Izuka
Isa
Vida
Zikora
Love them.

Tripsabroad · 15/12/2022 21:12

Medua - makes me think of Medusa.
Zikora - makes me think of Zika the illness.
Murphy - I'd assume you were an American man.
Isa - I'd assume you were Muslim using the Islamic version of Jesus for your son. I think you'd also get lots of Brits saying Eye-sa due to the savings product.

Others seem fine to me.