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Baby names

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Original poster

Sophia or Elin?

52 replies

TywysogesDew · 14/01/2023 22:22

We literally can't decide whether we should choose Sophia or Elin as a first name! Elin is Welsh as a nod to our roots, although we live in England. But is Sophia too popular?

What do you prefer?

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KirstenBlest · 15/01/2023 12:48

@IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads , Elin and Ellen are pretty similar.
Elin (Welsh) sounds like Ellie but with an N on the end

Eleanor, Eloise, Elowen etc don't end in a or ie.

finnmum · 15/01/2023 14:03

I would not choose either. Sophia is over used everywhere in Europe and EL- starting names too. More importantly Elin means "organ" in Finnish and is used as a slang word meaning a d*. 🤐

HappyFannyPetrow · 15/01/2023 15:45

Elin is a Welsh given name, not a Finnish one. If the OP isn’t planning on raising her daughter in Finland there’s no issue with the above surely.

Gwenhwyfar · 15/01/2023 16:07

I've heard it used in Swedish too and Swedes are more like to come into contact with Finnish people...

finnmum · 21/01/2023 21:10

@Gwenhwyfar and @HappyFannyPetrow , I just gave my opinion as OP asked us all I guess. In my experience British get more in contact with us Finns and we do with the Swedes. Right now here above the Arctic Circle we have our town of 65000 people absolutely full of British tourists. ❤And we Finns certainly travel, work and study in Britain (at least did before Brexit).

Europe is intervened today and our kids will generally travel, study and marry abroad even more than we did. My kids are Finnish-Spanish born and raised in London. I lived in Belgium when pregnant with my first DD and found it extremely helpful to ask the local European expat site their opinions about my favourite baby names. It was funny and so informative! People from every single European country giving their thoughts with sometimes hilarious results. Thank God I didn't name my daughters with popular Finnish names Mona or Marika..😅

My bottom line is I personally would not name my baby girl a dick in any European language if there are other lovely names you might want to consider. Whatever their decision is this piece of info is what I would want to know if I was OP.

Ihavehadenoughalready · 21/01/2023 22:39

Elin

Or for a little variation, Elena.

Seasidesunshine1 · 03/10/2023 22:35

Which name did you go for in the end OP? We’re also considering Elin or Sophia (or Sophie) for our little bump due soon.

CowboyJoanna · 03/10/2023 22:41

Sophia

Unless youre Scandivanians, Elin sounds very yummy mummy-ish imo

TotalOverhaul · 03/10/2023 22:56

I don't really care how common the name Sophia is, it is just the most beautiful girl's name ever. i love how it looks, sounds, it's meaning. I'd go with that. I love Elin too - it makes a great middle name. Sophia Elin - so elegant1

YTywysogesDew · 04/10/2023 04:19

We went for Elinor in the end, and Elin for short. It felt like the right solution and allows for her to choose which name to use when she's older. And maybe even use Nel as a nickname as well.

Since choosing Elinor I've noticed it more and more, like a girl in my son's class with the same name and spelling. I've not come across any Sophias yet!

truthhurts23 · 04/10/2023 04:23

is it pronounced like ellen or eleen?

user1492757084 · 04/10/2023 04:25

Elin will be Elin, never Ellie.
It is lovely.

Elin is smart, unusual but familiar.
Do you like Sally?

KirstenBlest · 04/10/2023 06:53

@truthhurts23I , it's EL-in but the i is like the i in 'big' or 'pick' not like the i in 'bit' or 'pit'.
It's not El-een, Ellin or Ellen.

Seasidesunshine1 · 04/10/2023 08:26

@TywysogesDew thanks for responding and Elinor is gorgeous! Beautiful name and spelling ❤️ congratulations on your new arrival

and thanks everyone for your responses! We have Welsh heritage and so would pronounce it the Welsh way (EL-in).

@CowboyJoanna what gives you the yummy-mummy vibes?

peaceinourtime · 04/10/2023 08:55

Elin for sure, it’s a beautiful name. Tiger Woods Swedish ex wife as has that name Elin.

SeptemberTime · 04/10/2023 09:15

Sophia

YTywysogesDew · 04/10/2023 09:26

Seasidesunshine1 · 04/10/2023 08:26

@TywysogesDew thanks for responding and Elinor is gorgeous! Beautiful name and spelling ❤️ congratulations on your new arrival

and thanks everyone for your responses! We have Welsh heritage and so would pronounce it the Welsh way (EL-in).

@CowboyJoanna what gives you the yummy-mummy vibes?

Thanks and all the best with the rest of your pregnancy! With Welsh heritage, Elin seems to be the perfect choice I think!

SallyWD · 04/10/2023 13:20

I much prefer Elin. Its beautiful and understated. I know loads of Sophias and to me it sounds like the parents are trying to use a posh version of Sophie

CowboyJoanna · 04/10/2023 14:21

Seasidesunshine1 · 04/10/2023 08:26

@TywysogesDew thanks for responding and Elinor is gorgeous! Beautiful name and spelling ❤️ congratulations on your new arrival

and thanks everyone for your responses! We have Welsh heritage and so would pronounce it the Welsh way (EL-in).

@CowboyJoanna what gives you the yummy-mummy vibes?

It's a posh rare name that gives vibes of a mum in a mansion who only ever feeds her child healthy food, buys them loads of them pompous Jellycat things, never lets her eat any sweets or "processed foods", and homeschools them or sends them off to boarding school or a nanny.

KirstenBlest · 04/10/2023 14:27

Elin pretentious? Give over, I know loads of them. It's just the Welsh form of Helen or Ellen. A nice enough and not underused name.
I know two or three Elinors, and they're Welsh. The Eleanor spelling doesn't work as a welsh name. I know more Eleanors. None of them are pretentious, and the younger ones are known as Ellie.

LolaSmiles · 04/10/2023 14:32

Is Elin pronounced EL-in, with a soft i sound? As in Elinor but without the or?

Or is it Ee-lin?

Both sound nice and the internet was giving me different pronunciations.

KirstenBlest · 04/10/2023 14:41

@LolaSmiles , it's Welsh.
it's EL-in but the i is like the i in 'big' or 'pick' not like the i in 'bit' or 'pit'.
It's not El-een, Ellin or Ellen.

The El is like the El in Eleanor, El Cid, Eliot etc. The stress in Welsh is always on thee last but one syllable.
Elinor is used as a welsh name but is borrowed, and is pronounced EL-in-orr
i as in big, orr like in sorry.

CowboyJoanna · 04/10/2023 14:43

Elin is Swedish - pronounced EEya-lin.

KirstenBlest · 04/10/2023 15:02

Yes, but with either spelling, I think that most people will say it as Ellin or maybe Eelin

CaffiSaliMali · 04/10/2023 15:02

Elinor with Elin as a nickname is lovely OP. It's on my list for a DD.

Elin is Welsh and as Kirsten says, it's pronounced El-in. It's just a very ordinary name in Wales. My great grandmother was an Elin and her family were very much not posh.

Elin is also a Scandinavian name, with a different pronunciation. I know a Norwegian Elin, pronounced Ee-lin.