Name vote please!

[Tinasan]

I'm 34 weeks pregnant now and we have come up with a shortlist of names...I am not completely mad about any of them so would appreciate feedback on what you all think. My dh is Italian so the names we've picked are Italian, to match our surname, but we've tried to pick ones that kind of 'work' over here too...please let me know which ones you like/or alternative suggestions (we know we are having a bambina hence the focus on girls names!)

• Elena (Helen)
• Chiara (Clare in Italian - pronounced Kee-ara)
• Elisabetta (Elizabeth - we'd probably shorten to Elisa or Beth)
• Luisa (Louisa)

Thanks!

agree with fimbo about poss. mis-pronunciation of Elena. Like Luisa the best.

Chiara sounds lovely.

Louisa

I'm not keen on Chiara but think that the others are all lovely and very pretty.

chiara or luisa ( knw a little with that name and its quite cute)

I love Elena - nearly called dd that but dh changed mind on day. Have always loved Chiara, but you'd come across lots of people who don't know how to pronounce it, if that bothers you!

What about Isabella or Francesca or Mia as other ideas? all very English and Italian...Have come across some Italian girls called Emma and Susanna too, and Emelia/Amelia works in both languages as well

Elena

Isabella is Spanish, the corruption of Elizabeth

Thanks for the suggestions Thirtysomething - my dh is Francesco, as is his nephew so I think Francesca would rather confusing! Isabella is Spanish for Elizabeth as slalomsuki pointed out - I love Isabella actually but dh isn't keen. Finally Mia - well it's not really a name in Italian, it just means 'my or mine' so that was no-go for dh too!

Just read "Isabella is the Latin variant of Isabel meaning God is my oath".

Sorry I don't really go for any of those names you're considering, just my personal taste though. Chiara sounds best but you will continually be telling people how to pronounce it. I'd prefer thirtysomething's suggestions: Emilia is nice, or maybe Antonia?

Chiara -- lovely. Mind you, the others are all good too so you can't really go wrong.

Not really my cup of tea any of them and if you don't really love them either I think you should think again!!

Oh, I do really like the names NAB3, it's just that there isn't one that I have my heart set on, iykwim? Every day I change my mind about which one I like the best...

elena and chiara are both lovely

I like Elena or Elisabetta. I'm afraid I don't like Chiara, it sounds a bit Kia-Ora the drink to me

It has to flow nicely with your surname. Avoid the same sound i.e. Elisabetta if the surname begins with Ta (obvious I suppose). Also be careful that the initials don't spell out a word (i.e. mud).

Luisa, I love the name Louise/a!

Isabella may be Spanish but spent all my holidays in Italy as a teenager and had several Italian friends called Isabella! Just assumed it was their version of Isabel - lots of them abbreviated it to Isa or Bella too, although granted Bella sounds like a Tweenie!

Another name which works in both is Anna...

I think they are all really lovely names but like Chiara the least (only a couple of us, it seems to be a fave on here)
My favorite is Elisabetta.

Luisa. Like it a lot.

I really dislike Elisabetta (sorry if that's your favourite but you did ask!)

Trying to figure out why though since others really like it. For one thing, it looks too fulsome and then the final 2 syllables be-ta seem clumsy to me ( at least when I say it)

Hi, I am Italian.
Luisa is definitely old fashioned likewise Elisabetta (Elisa is becoming increasingly popular instead). Chiara, though being the name of a popular Italian "saint", has been widely used lately. Elena is a Greek classic name. Ciao!

eli can you think of any other names you like? I had a friend at school called Lucia and I think I quite like that name