Oenone

[Guacandcheese]

Please help!

Half Greek baby due in 8 weeks. Boys name is sorted, nowhere near close to a decision for a girl. What do you think about Oenone (pronounced EE-no-nee or eh-NO-nee)? We love it but obviously can foresee issues with spelling and pronunciation in the UK…

Please share your thoughts and any alternative ideas. Ideally would like a Greek name rather than a completely anglicised version, but ideally workable in the UK as well.

Thanks!

That name is almost never going to be said or spelt correctly - and I like classical names.

Areti
Eirini
Iro
Xanthe
Andromeda

I think she will end up Noni.

Do not use that name.

Helianthe? Gives me the same vibes, is a bit easier to pronounce, and is so beautiful

So thats a yes?

Oenone does not mean wankng.

Thanks for all the feedback. Seems to be confirming my suspicions that it’s going to cause too much of a headache for a future child! Back to the drawing board, taking some of your lovely suggestions with me…

Also, I agree that it sounds a bit similar to onanism but lots of names have similar potential for teasing if you go looking for it. I do enjoy some of the very dramatic reactions on these baby name threads! 😂

I think it would be a huge problem here in terms of pronunciation! As lovely as it sounds.
What about Allegra, Athena, Penelope, Clio, Cassandra. Less common- Avra, Anisia, Eulalia, Ovelia, Thalia

My husband’s mates say “oeno” to mean “wino”.

I misread this as ‘Onion’.

I came to say it's nice but the mispronunciation will be constant and stayed for the onanism remarks! What about Ianthe or Cleone?

It's a no from me. Reminds me of Anemone and all I can picture is a slimy sea creature. No one will know how to say or spell it.

I think your child would probably hold it against you forever.

My mother gave me a name no one can spell (or pronounce) and I curse her for it frequently (I hate my name too which doesn't help!!)

Cassandra or Alexandria. Lovely names.

Even though I have come across this name, and could make an -ish attempt at pronounciation, my mind still wants to say 'one-ee-one' i.e won-ee-won

But there are lots of lovely Greek names out there. My favourite is Eleftheria or Electra.

I think it is very pretty. I know one and haven't been aware of people struggling with it socially. It's unusual but not unheard of imo.

Please please please use Xanthe!!

I am a grandmother and will never again name a child but would love to think of little Xanthe out in the world with her beautiful name!!

I first read it as Onone (On one) 😂

I live in Greece and I've never actually heard of that name.
Greek girls I know
Eleni
Andrea
Skevi
Niki
Aliki
Antigone
Panayiota
Flora
Chrisoulla
Frosa
Andrulla
Georgia

We were going to go with Eleni or Ione but went with Iris in the end because of pronunciation over here.

I worked with a Marianthi, who was Mari for short - I liked her name and she never had issues with pronunciation

Antigone!

It's cool in theory but when you say it out loud it kind of sounds like someone saying "pee on me" with a mouth full of food.

I love Greek names but would go for something else. Persephone, Clio, Chloe, Cassandra, Charis, Danae, Thalia, Eleni.

It looks like a pretty name but I would really struggle to pronounce it properly.

In German (and I think in french) the word Onanie is masturbation. Even though the etymology is different, it's a bit close for comfort.

I generally speaking love Greek girls names but I cannot work out how to pronounce this one properly!

Many of the most beautiful names are Greek in origin: Hermione, Persephone, Iris, Artemis, Chloe, Penelope, Antigone etc and it seems most are more easily pronounced than Oenone. It will be butchered in the same way Irene has been.