Picking a name no-one else likes?

[tiggerian]

My OH and I are planning on TTC 2013 and we've falling in love with the name Arya - we pronounce it ar-yah (it's how we'd pronounce it where I'm from - not native English speaker). Problem is, every time we mention it we get a wrinkle on the nose! We just really love it!!

Everybody says its not the name. its just that they haven't ever heard it before and names like Poppy, Ruby and Ellie sit better with them, but those names aren't in our taste and we'd never pick a name like that anyway.

Would you disregard other peoples opinion and use the name anyway, or would you not use it because your family/friends dislike it?

Problem is.. every other name we've mentioned they dislike as well and I just sort of feel - I'm not naming my child to please others. But should i be!?

We had mixed opinions on our eldest sons name (Tristan), only positives on our second son (Noah) - never had purely negative opinions before...

[grackym]

That's why in our family, we don't share names until the child is born. My grandmother muttered "oh dear, not grace" when I was born, but my mother never had any other problems.
I think, if you love it and it goes with your last name- go for it!
Arya is not my style, but it's a lovely name, I wouldn't listen to them if you and your husband have agreed on it!

[emiliaj]

I rather like Arya- it's quirky and stands out in a soft pleasing way. I pronounced it as you wanted it pronounced first time I read it.
My suggestion, tell people you're not sure between Isabella or Sophia. Then when she arrives "surprise" she's Arya and people are left speechless and it's too late for them to offer their opinions.

Emilia

[ottilie]

We're not telling our families for that exact reason! They'd judge and told us we're crazy.
Choose the name you two love! People have different tastes, and not everyone is going to love the name. They'll love your kid, and that's what matters.
And I like Arya, not at all difficult to say or spell.

[nat108]

You live in an English speaking country, right? If so, you realize that Arya is ar-ee-uh? And that ar-yah sounds like "Are ya going to eat that"?

Little ar-yah will spend her life correcting people who call her ar-ee-uh (I know from personal experience as a tar-ah that is constantly call tair-ah). Why not save her the annoyance and go with ar-ee-uh?

[shvibziks]

Well it's your kid, don't care about what other people thinks (unless you're thinking about naming your child something celebrity-weird, then I think an advise here and there might do you good). Arya is a lovely name, it personally makes me think of the Game of Thrones character, but she's not a bad reference so. Good luck!

[bluejuniper]

I rather like Arya- it's quirky and stands out in a soft pleasing way. I pronounced it as you wanted it pronounced first time I read it.
My suggestion, tell people you're not sure between Isabella or Sophia. Then when she arrives "surprise" she's Arya and people are left speechless and it's too late for them to offer their opinions.

Ha ha - love this idea!

Go with your gut. It's served you well with your boys names (I think they're both great) so you must be doing something right. And you're lucky to have found something you both not only agree on but love.

When my time comes I don't think I'll be sharing ideas with my family beforehand as I know some of my faves can be seen as strange and I don't want to be second guessing once DH and I make up our minds

[tiggerian]

You live in an English speaking country, right? If so, you realize that Arya is ar-ee-uh? And that ar-yah sounds like "Are ya going to eat that"?

Little ar-yah will spend her life correcting people who call her ar-ee-uh (I know from personal experience as a tar-ah that is constantly call tair-ah). Why not save her the annoyance and go with ar-ee-uh?

I don't think its going to be a massive problem at all - we live in a town with a very mixed population and you hear all sorts of names from all over the world without people thinking twice about it.

I don't like Ar-ee-uh. It doesn't sit well in my mouth and I know I'd just call her Ar-yah anyway. As would my family, my husband, her brothers and our friends, but if she wants to go by that pronunciation on her own I've got no issues with that at all.

[tk.]

I honestly think their reaction has more to do with them not being used to the name yet. If they are okay with Poppy and Ruby, which people turned they're nose at when they came back, they'll be okay with Arya in a couple of years - you're just ahead of the curve

[bellefleur]

I would use it regardless of what family said. But I don't plan on sharing with the family until I actually have the baby, it helps a lot. Good luck!