Ivalo

[Ty89]

Hi everyone,

I was wondering what your opinion is on the Greenlandic girl name "Ivalo", given to a non-Greenlandic baby girl. Possibly nicknamed "Iva" or "Lola". And which sibling names would hypothetically go well with it.

Thanks! 😄

I’ve a low insert word of choice here

not sure it works in English

Hi OP, when I clicked your thread I thought 'lovely unusual boys name'.

I just assume that a name ending '-o' is a masculine name, so that's the main thing you'll struggle with I think... It sounds like a variation of Ivan. People will expect a boy.

It's nice and unusual but I wouldn't use it for that reason.

Isn't Ivalo an airport in Finland?

(However, Ivo is sweet for a boy and Iva is nice for a girl)

It's a place in Finish Lapland.

Like the pp, I also thought when I saw the thread title, that it was a boy's name.

I thought it was a boys name when I read it.

I really like it. It's the middle name of one of the Danish princesses.

I dont think it is likely to cause issues and yes you could ,hose nicknames but Ivalo is so pretty in its own right.

It's an ok name but a bit try-hard IMO. I also personally dislike names with the sound of "low" in them. But the choice is yours, of course :)

It’s ok. I would think it’s a bit daft to choose a specific name from your culture then try to tell people her name is Lola.

I like it but prefer Iva.

Beautiful name, but I know it as a Finnish name, it's a place in Finland high above the Arctic circle. It has wonderful associations for me of the most extraordinary winter I spent in the country some years ago, like living in another world....

Ivalo is a location in Lapland, not used as a person's name. However, Inari - also a location in Finish Lapland - is used as a boy's name. Other Lapland locations used as names are Saana and Malla for girls.

Ivalu is a Greenlandic Inuit feminine given name meaning "tendon, thread, sinew." It was among the 10 most popular names given to girls born in Greenland during the past decade. Ivalo is a Danish variant.

Like I said above it is the name of one of the Danish Princesses Princess Josephine of Denmark, Countess of Monpezat[1] (Josephine Sophia Ivalo Mathilda; born 8 January 2011)

Why go to the effort of finding an extremely unusual name (for those outside of Greenland) only to contrive and use a different name. Make up your mind.

What's the correct pronunciation?

I like it. But I'm Danish.

It's likely that many people will assume it's a masculine name.

I think it means needle or sewing doesn't it? I know a Greenlandic Inuit lady called this. Note that often Inuit are named after ancestors and a lot of thought goes in to choosing a name that fits. I'm not sure it would be offensive to an Inuit that you used that name but I would probably research the language and meaning of the name a bit more first. Personally I find it an odd choice for someone with no connection to the culture or people.

I'd assume it was a boy name

You asked for our opinions on the name so many of us knew it is a location in Lapland. Sorry not aware it is a Danish princess's middle name. Other sibling suggestions here worthstart.com/inuit-names/

Inari is a female name. Not used on boys.

If you have no connection to Greenland and/or Inuit culture I would not use it. It is a difficult name for english speakers and a strange choice for someone who has no connections to the land/people. There are beautiful unusual names that are more easier to pronounce and work better.

I love it. I would have no problems recognising or pronouncing it and I also know it as a Danish girls name like someone above. Yes it is also a place name in Finland. I don't see any issue using it. It's no different to someone using Paris with no French connection or Siena with no Italian connection.

Too much like the boys’ names Ivo and Ivor

Ida or Adela maybe?

I think in the UK it would be mispronounced constantly or mistaken for a boy's name. Unless you have a compelling reason to choose it, I wouldn't recommend it.

Ivalo is a place in Finnish Lapland, with apparently the most northerly airport in the European Union.

We flew there when taking the kids to see Father Christmas.