Noah/Noa is a girls name across the world.

[Babyboy2000]

I not sure if many of you have noticed, but I went travelling this summer across many different countries and Noa is a very popular girls name, and there is also a woman in the bible called Noah. I like it and was thinking of perhaps using it. OPINIONS!

there's a baby girl Noa in our family

It's pretty, but the first reaction is normally something about it usually being a boys name, if that doesn't bother you then crack on.

Noa - popular girl's name in the Jewish communities.

Noah - I'd always assume is a boy.

DD has a friend named Noa. I like it.

Kate lawlers noa was the first girl I’d heard but have heard of more since. I like it but I think it’s a shame that when you hear Noa/Noah they both sound the same but are different names written down and people might not realise that if it’s not written. You’d also maybe spend your life having to spell it out for people or having it assumed it was spelt with the h. I do like the name though and there are definitely worse problems to have

I love the name and was desperate to use it but my partner veto'd it sadly!

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I wouldn’t use it for a girl because it will be tedious for her.

I'd assume a person called Noah was a man, with a beard, a large family, a fondness for animals, and excellent wood-working skills.

In Hebrew Noa is a girl's name and Noah is a boy's name, but they not confused because they are pronounced differently. Noa is almost the same as in England, whereas the h in Noah is voiced as a throaty sound like the ch in loch.

They are pronounced the same in non-rhotic accents.

Both are lovely and I honestly wouldn’t let it put you off.

I know a devoutly Catholic 5yo Nigerian girl called Noa.

I think it's nice but there's been such an explosion of Noahs in the last decade, and it's still the most popular boys' name in the UK, that she'll always have a Noah in her various peer groups. It might get dull for her having to explain that yes, it's a girls' name too and no, it's spelt slightly differently.

I think Noa is lovely and actually prefer it for a girl.

I wouldn’t worry about it being a boys name too. Lots of children have names that could belong to the opposite sex. There’s a little girl called Charlie at my local playgroup and I know both a male and female Robyn/Robin.

And just think how many women are called Sam or Alex (I think there were about five or six of each in my year at school!).

I've taught a female Noa before. She had Spanish herritage.

I do like Noah but tbh it does have a slightly feminine sound to it, by ending in an 'ah' sound, so I totally think it suits girls too (prefer the Noa spelling for females though).

I know a female Ezra too, which I also think has quite a feminine feel to it too.

I only know one Noah and she’s a girl. British though. Very popular in Evangelical Christian circles.

People will assume Noah is a boy, because that Bible story is one of the best known ones, and it's widely taught in schools (all those animals!)

Noa is a less well known name, and people may or may not make assumptions about the sex of the person when they see it written. But it's a homonym (to English speakers) for the boys name. Like Francis and Frances I suppose

In Hebrew the actual names are not 'Noah' and 'Noa'.

Noa is a girls name. She was in the Old Testament. Noah is a boys name.

That must be Noa with no ‘h’? As Evangeslical Christians would that Noa is the biblical woman and Noah a biblical man.

I love Noa for a girl. I think there are so many names that cross over now that the fact people are more used to Noah as a boys’ name won’t really matter. I’m a teacher and I’ve taught plenty of girls called Jamie, Riley, Sydney, Charlie, Kacey etc.

Those names are hardly ever used for girls, so it's unlikely that you have taught all of them. Casey (various spellings) is the least unusual of them, and I know 3 males and 2 females. The men/boys are Casey but the girls have different 'yooneek' spellings.
Casey and Riley are surnames used as fisrt names.

Noa is ok as a girl's name because it is a girl's name. Someone hearing Noa will think it's Noah as Noah is the top boy's name (England and Wales 2021).

And do you think all women called Ruth accompany their mother in laws to Judah? And all Josephs are carpenters and any man you meet called Paul changed his name on the road to Damascus?

Noah was the third most popular boys name in 2022. It’s not a personal favourite of mine but it’s hardly just associated with the Old Testament.

I think @Changethetoner might have been joking 🙂

@KirstenBlest I assure you I have! Not sure why you’d think I would make that up?! 🤣 I

The probability of having taught all of them is extremely low, that's all.

The story of Noah's Ark appears everywhere in children's toys, early learning and entertainment. A child called Noah is most likely to come across that story and the character even if they have no religous background.

The stories of Ruth/Paul etc. are known to a smaller community and so less obviously connected with the Old Testament. (I've not seen play-figures of them in a toyshop). Children with these names could easily live without coming across the bible stories.