boy name - opinion poll

[arm1]

Awesome-- thanks, spring. I am leaning towards Asaf. I'm concerned that too many people will assume it's middle-eastern. arabic (which we are not). Also am a bit concerned that he will have to correct people his whole life to tell them it's a-SAF and not AY-saf. But I'm starting to care less and less about those issues, the more I think about the name.

[arm1]

Thanks to you too, Pansy-- I appreciate the input!

[spring13]

Awesome-- thanks, spring. I am leaning towards Asaf. I'm concerned that too many people will assume it's middle-eastern. arabic (which we are not). Also am a bit concerned that he will have to correct people his whole life to tell them it's a-SAF and not AY-saf. But I'm starting to care less and less about those issues, the more I think about the name.

Are you Jewish/Israeli? i recognize the name, obviously, but i'd be a little surprised to hear it on someone who wasn't. Same with Zev, though. For what it's worth, my name is modern Hebrew and not one you really found outside my community (same for most of my family's and friends' names), but people tend to realize that it's ethnic instead of just thinking its weird.

[arm1]

We are not Israeli, but have a weird mix of stuff going on (latin, israeli, european, american, etc), making naming very difficult... If we did the more anglicized spelling (Asaph) that might seem more approachable, but will then be hard to read/ pronounce for the latin contingent. I also think Asaph will lend itself more to the "wrong" (i.e., Welsh, as in St. Asaph of Wales) pronunciation, where there is emphasis on the first syllable.

[arm1]

We are jewish, though, fwiw (should've put that in the earlier post)...

[lindseywhite03]

I like them all- I'd like Asaf better if the accent was in the first syllable. For that reason I rank them
1. Zev (I like short names and names with x or z)
2. Judah
3. Asaf

[vivtaliesin]

Zev is so so soooo cool!

I feel like you may also like the name Zebediah, since it has the uber cool nn Zeb.

xo Viv

[arm1]

Thanks, Lindsey and vivtaliesin. I will check out Zebediah, too.

[spring13]

We are not Israeli, but have a weird mix of stuff going on (latin, israeli, european, american, etc), making naming very difficult... If we did the more anglicized spelling (Asaph) that might seem more approachable, but will then be hard to read/ pronounce for the latin contingent. I also think Asaph will lend itself more to the "wrong" (i.e., Welsh, as in St. Asaph of Wales) pronunciation, where there is emphasis on the first syllable.

I'd definitely do Asaf over Asaph, for exactly that reason - it looks more Middle Eastern and less Bible Belt, which is what you're aiming for.

IF you're toying more with Zev at this point, my nephew goes by the nn Zevi/Zevy right now, which i think is super-cute

[goodhope]

[...] I am leaning towards Asaf. I'm concerned that too many people will assume it's middle-eastern. arabic (which we are not). Also am a bit concerned that he will have to correct people his whole life to tell them it's a-SAF and not AY-saf. But I'm starting to care less and less about those issues, the more I think about the name.

I actually think those are valid concerns, worth worrying about, and they are part of the reason I did not vote for Asaf.

Zev got my vote. It's short, uncomplicated, but packs a real punch. I really like it.