Soraya????

lauramk31

hi all!  totally an interesting name, right?  My husband's friend just had a daughter, and this is what they gave the child to live with forever?!  S-O-R-A-Y-A!  Everyone I mentioned this name to all said how horrible it was (yes, everything is subjective, but still)...I just can't understand where this name came from?  NMS at all!

 on a sidenote...thinking of our second daughter to be named Eva, Ava (too popular?), Sofia (also too popular?!), Juliana or Eliana (the last 2 names are our top choices...esp. Eliana!)

 thoughts?

better than Soraya, right?

LOL:)

lauramk31

I see your point...but both ppl from the couple are Spanish, so go figure!

 And of everyone who heard the name, haven't found one person who is fond of it!!! LOL!

 

 

fallbride110406

I worked with a Soraya and she was not Arabic. I love the name and don't think it's weird at all.

stahlop

I used to work with an older lady named Soraya.  I always thought it was pretty.  I don't see what's so bad about it.

 

animalcrckr

I think it is a pretty name.  Maybe they listen to NPR,  you know, Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson, the foreign correspondent.

lauramk31

Ok!  I just had never heard it, and was really not a fan of it( same as everyone else I asked!).../

 

But yes, it reminds me of psoriasis, too (and that's what my hubby said, as well, LOL!)

718gemini

IMO it sounds rather pretty, and it's a real name but is still unique.  I don't get what the big deal is.

nmh2001

I think it's a really pretty name too, and it also reminded me of the NPR correspondent! There is a lot of Arabic influence in Spain so maybe it's more common there? Anyway, I like it.

plunderb

animalcrckr:

I think it is a pretty name.  Maybe they listen to NPR,  you know, Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson, the foreign correspondent.

That was my first thought.

cherokeemomma87

I think the name is kinda cool. But then I have always liked the unique and uncommon. Plus I know what its like to get the side eye for LO's name. DH and I went old Irish (DH is irish), and my family had a hard time with the names at first.

NellaJ

I worked with a Soraya who IS Arabic and beautiful. The name definitely has postivie associations for me.

Of your list I don't mind Eva but am not a fan of the rest.

Moneypenny424

I like Soraya.  Based on your response, you'd think they'd named their daughter Bentlei or something.

From your list, I like Juliana.

jlhook0

I taught a little girl with this name but hers had a you-neek spelling- Sariyah. I originally thought of psoriasis, but it grew on me as the year went by.

Of your choices, Sofia is my favorite, but it's soooo popular.

AngelaU1971

I like Soraya.  I used to babysit a girl named Soraya (she's 30 now!)  Her dad is from Spain. 

Furana2011

This is actually one of my favorite names for a little girl, we would use it for this baby but it doesn't "flow" with our last name.  I went to school with a girl named Sariah (Suh-rye-uh, variant of Sarah), which could be the same pronunciation of Soraya, but I prefer the pronounciation Suh-ray-uh and would've spelled it Saraya if we'd decided to use it.

Cinamom

This is a pretty common Hispanic name along with Zoraida (which is also Arabic). I think the name is very pretty.

UK2ME

animalcrckr:

I think it is a pretty name.  Maybe they listen to NPR,  you know, Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson, the foreign correspondent.

My thoughts exactly.  She was the first person to come to my mind too.  

wanderlustsoul

This is my new niece's name and it's an Arabic name, like previously mentioned. It's cute but not my favourite. 

As for you, I like Eva, Sofia, and Juliana.  

Keri Marie

I love this name. It was a character in the book "The kite runner"

Very pretty 

lauramk31

Estwd2:

I think Soraya is a beautiful name. And since you asked, I think it's much prettier than your name choices. Not trying to be snarky; just answering your direct question.

 

Actually, I strongly disagree with that remark...esp. when the names I like are much more common meaning more people like them, as well!  I'd be very curious as to your top name contenders, but like I said, everyone is entitled to their own opinion.  Just out of a dozen folks I asked about this name, not one person seemed to like it.  Go figure!  Thought it was worth posting...

anna7602

I quite like it. I went to grad school with an Iranian woman named Soraya and I know a couple of Hispanic women named Soraya.

It's not super common, but it's definitely not a "weird" name. It's very possible that the name saw a boost in popularity as a result of the Iranian princess Soraya- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soraya_Esfandiary-Bakhtiari. The women I know with this name are all of the age at which their parents may have been influenced by the Shah's choice of a wife.Said princess is still featured in Vanidades magazine every once in a while for her legendary beauty, even though she passed away almost a decade ago, so anything is possible.