Scheherazade

[Allthatglittersisntart]

This is one of the only names I can agree on with my DP,(both Persian and an example of strong heroine who is a powerful storyteller) however I think it is only suitable as a middle name.
I have tried to explain to my DP that it is hard to pronounce and that it would become ‘Shahza’ however he doesn't understand what is wrong with that and I struggle to explain.

I wouldn't reccommend it as your child will have to waste many hours of their life trying to get people to say/write it correctly.

I don't know why but I also don't like the name... maybe because I hate the 1001 nights fairy tales. I read the full versions and they are downright pervy, creepy and disgusting.

Magnificent name. I'm a sucker for the type. But I imagine it will be anglicised or shortened over time.

I don't agree with pp. I live in London and am used to getting to grips with non-British names. Names are important. They honour culture, religion, family and history. It's not for me as a British person to say, It's too difficult to say/spell! It's for me to respect the person and aim to address them properly.

It’s a beautiful name but it’s a no from me. Imagine trying to spell out an email address every time: s-c-h-e-h no, s-C-h…

Scheherazade is also the name of a beautiful poem by Richard Siken - have a read

GORGEOUS name ❤️

This is one of my guilty pleasure names - not my style at all on paper (so I'd not use it myself), but I think it's gorgeous.

Agree with pp that both Hera and Zadie are good, simple and fresh nn options.

It is beautiful but if growing in the west I agree on keeping it a second name.
Shaza is too chavvy.
Dig your heels and don't let your husband win. The baby needs an easy, classic 'normal' name for an easier life.

Lovely name reflective of your Persian culture. I'd go for it :)

Why is it spelt in German/French?

Just name her Layla 🤣

@AlexisBleedyhell Because Farsi isn't written with the Roman alphabet. In Farsi it looks like this شهرزاد. The German interpretation is the one we've stuck with in terms of worldwide Roman alphabet spellings.

Great name. I know one and it’s never shortened.

I think it’s absolutely beautiful. You’d need to be very happy with the nickname though because the long version might not get much use until she is an adult.
I also like Shereen or Shireen if you need a shorter name (sweetness or kindness)

I know Farsi has different alphabet.
She could spell it the English way. The whole Sch and E at the end are unnecessary in English.
I thought op might like many Persians have links to Germany. If she were bringing up her baby in an English majority country I would suggest an English spelling which will shorten the length of the name and make it more pronounciable.

It's one of my favourite pieces of music! Beautiful name

Have you had that conversation in a reception class of 34?

English names are shortened or nick names given. Let alone a name difficult to pronounce correctly, by non native speakers of the names language.

@Allthatglittersisntart I think if you intend to raise her in the U.K., it's unfair on her. Unless you're happy with a nickname/shortening. I like Zade of the mentioned options.

your DH is being weird.

It's always people with a perfectly solid easy name like Jane or Anna who encourage difficult names! I have an unusual though shorter name than Scheherazade and I hate it. Having to spell it all the time, asked how to pronounce it and where it's from when I just want to get on with it is so annoying. It's on my DC's birth certificate so I don't want to change it now too late! People make such a fuss about my name, call me by other similar names... this is humans for you not just my bad luck. Give your child a name that goes well with where they will live because that country's culture will mean more to them than their parent's culture and it will enable them to integrate better than always sounding foreign.

I’m sure we’re all bright enough to learn to pronounce unusual names once we’ve heard how it’s meant to sound… even if they’re shockingly! “not English”

Honestly? It's lovely, but please don't give your child a name that's going to make her life even slightly more difficult than life is anyway.

She-her-uh-Zhahd - emphasis on the last syllable
it’s a fabulous name but a nightmare to both spell and prounounce which puts me off.
no obvious shortening either. Zadie is a possibility.

His first wife is Sheherazade. His current wife is called Alice but they are separated.

I know a Sheherazade. It's Sheh-herr-uh-zaad.
She's known as Shari (Shah-ry)

It's the name of the story teller in 1001 Arabian Nights

I do like those nicknames more !

Not keen if I am honest, it’s too much of a mouthful

[SHUH] + [HERR] + [UH] + [ZAA] + [D]

It's more "sheh" than "shuh".

"Zade" or anything like that doesn't really make sense as a shortening in terms of the meaning, it means "born of" or "child of".

Also, the reason the German form is used is because it has come from the Russian Шехераза́да (Šexerazáda, so the etymology of this Germanised spelling differs from the modern Persian (Farsi) name, شهرزاد (Shahrzad) mentioned above.