Baby girl name Amara....

babyarnoux

My husband loves this name and I think it's a really pretty name, but I still have some hesitation on choosing it for our daughter. (I haven't really found another name I love...no name stands out.) My name is Amber & hub's name is Seth. Does the name Amara fit or seem out of place? Does it sound like a name you could call a baby/little girl?

MixedBerries88

Amber and Amara are pretty close in sound due to the AM. My mom and sister have names that start with the same syllable and it can get confusing when my dad starts yelling from across the house. That said, it doesn't seem like a natural fit with Seth and Amber. But I guess the question is, do you care if your child's name is a different style than yours?

According to BTN, Amara is of Westerh African origin and is a legit name. I'd also suggest:

Mara
Maura
Maureen
Marina/Marnie
Maren
Marie
Mary

gonetothesea

Do you pronounce it A-mAIR-ah or A-maRR-ah?

babyarnoux

uh-MAHR-uh

gonetothesea

Oh! Well, that's pretty. And it doesn't sound similar to your name at all.

nycitygirl1

It's pretty and sounds like an African American style of name to me - and from your photo it looks like you both are white?This may not matter to you but I had a friend in college who happened to be white and had a very black sounding name (it had an apostrophe in it) and people were always surprised when they met her in person. Just something to consider.

jessnjuan07

I think it's lovely. We have considered it if we have a girl. Our child would be half white half latino but I would not side eye a white child with this name. Many white little girls have similar sounding names nowdays so if you and your husband can't find one that you like better I say go for it.

MamaWren919

I think it's pretty. I know someone with this last name, so I immediately knew how to pronounce it. It's different, but I like it!

babyarnoux

Thanks so much for your feedback, ladies!

sherbear82

Side note: I know a child named Amariah, but it's pronounced the same as the name you're asking about! I cannot figure out where the "i" comes from, and the first time I taught her, it took all my willpower to remember how to pronounce it.

LizWhiz87

NMS, but it is a nice name. 

DogLoverX3

NMS

mistycray

I have a friend named Amara. She's French Canadian and Spanish and absolutely beautiful. So on that note, I say yes!!

g8trkim

My daughter has a classmate named Amara. I think it's cute. It's a bit close to Amber though.

queenwog

NMS but it works. I know someone who named their daughter Amara.

hummingbird35

I had a hispanic friend named Amara growing up. She turned out to be a total train wreck but the name is pretty.

kemerson531

I think it's beautiful. And at least the way I'm saying the two names in my head, Amber and Amara don't sound that similar at all. To me, the Am in Amber would rhyme with ma'am, while the Am in Amara would sound like "um" like umbrella. Maybe that's just me though! Still a lovely choice!

rpazzaam

nycitygirl1 said:

It's pretty and sounds like an African American style of name to me - and from your photo it looks like you both are white?This may not matter to you but I had a friend in college who happened to be white and had a very black sounding name (it had an apostrophe in it) and people were always surprised when they met her in person. Just something to consider.

This is racist. Why would it matter if her name is African-American sounding & why would that be something to consider if she is white. Should she try to stay away from.black sounding names bc ppl may judge her...?think about what you are saying, really?!

rpazzaam

This name is a beautiful name and on the short list if our baby is a girl. It's very multi cultural to me as I can see it from many different heritages. Pls don't get caught up in the idea of "black sounding" names. It's so offensive and just wrong, esp to black ppl.

g8trkim

g8trkim said:

My daughter has a classmate named Amara. I think it's cute. It's a bit close to Amber though.

FYI the Amara I know if blond haired and blue eyed. I never really thought twice about her name matching or not matching her race.

nycitygirl1

rpazzaam said:

It's pretty and sounds like an African American style of name to me - and from your photo it looks like you both are white?This may not matter to you but I had a friend in college who happened to be white and had a very black sounding name (it had an apostrophe in it) and people were always surprised when they met her in person. Just something to consider.

This is racist. Why would it matter if her name is African-American sounding & why would that be something to consider if she is white. Should she try to stay away from.black sounding names bc ppl may judge her...?think about what you are saying, really?!

Please don't put words in my mouth. I never said people would "judge" her for naming her daughter a name that sounds African American. What I did say is that the name sounds like an African American style of name (I was making no judgment on that and actually said it was a pretty name) and that it was something for her to be aware of, as I had a friend who ended up in some funny and occasionally confusing situations because she had an African American sounding name and people assumed she was black until they met her in person. My friend got annoyed at her parents for giving her a name that people assumed was of a different race because she'd often have to explain this upon arrival when meeting new people, job interviews, new room mates, etc etc. There was another thread on here recently about naming boys names like "Shannon" and the poster was saying that while it's a unisex name until people meet him in person as they just assume Shannon is a girl so there's always this explanation that has to take place which can be tiresome.

rpazzaam

Just bc you don't realize what you said was racist doesn't mean it isnt..why should she have to consider it being an African American sounding name? Why does she have to be aware of that? What are some white sounding names that won't cause so much conversation? Its not an offensive name, nor does it "sound black". Pls realize if someone is asking you to explain why you have a black sounding name that it's discrimination & not at all normal. Sheesh! You don't even see how offensive that is do you?

nurse714

rpazzaam said:

Just bc you don't realize what you said was racist doesn't mean it isnt..why should she have to consider it being an African American sounding name? Why does she have to be aware of that? 

Butting in to say that some parents may want to think about if a name is very common among a race that their child isn't a part of. I'm not white and I grew up getting teased all through grammar school for having a "white name". Even as an adult, guys of my race, who tried to pick me up would ask me my name and so many would say I had a "white name". I can't be 100%, but I even felt going into interviews that people did not expect me to walk in. None of this bothered me, but I did notice it, but no teasing that I got as a child bothered me, but it might upset another child that may be more sensitive than I was, so I see nothing wrong with thinking about those things when naming a child.