Oona

plunderb

I know I've mentioned my love for Oona several times, but I don't think I've asked for opinions on it (at least not recently).

What are your immediate reactions to Oona?

Have you ever met someone named Oona?

I originally preferred the spelling Una, but the Oona spelling is growing on me. Even if you hate the name, do you prefer Una, Oona, or Oonagh?

banannapeach85

I like it. It reminds me of a beautifully illustrated picture book I had as a child. The heroine had this name. I think it was spelled Una, and that version looks prettier to me, although I don't mind Oona.

Oonagh looks like a phonetically spelled grunt to me.

TheWop

I kind of hate it.  It's not pretty or feminine sounding to me at all.  I've never met anyone named Oona. 

Zimger

I think that, thanks to you, it has grown on me! I wouldn't use it myself but I think it's pretty without being overly frilly.

I've never met an Oona. I think I prefer the Oona speling. Una reminds me of Uno (the game) and Oonagh may be difficult to spell.

Is Oonagh the traditional spelling?

Helenahhandbasket

I do like it-- it's very pretty sounding, but it sounds "exotic" to my very American ears. 

I have never met anyone named Oona-- but correct me if I am wrong- this name was featured in Freakonomics?

FWIW, I prefer Oona to Una or Oonah.

Just throwing it out there-- do you like Uli?  I am a huge Project Runway fan and this name feels similar to me as the name Uli (ooo- lee), a contestant on the show.

 

CeCe8579

I don't hate it, it's actually kind of going on me! I prefer the spelling Oona!

plunderb

Zimger:

I think that, thanks to you, it has grown on me! I wouldn't use it myself but I think it's pretty without being overly frilly.

I've never met an Oona. I think I prefer the Oona speling. Una reminds me of Uno (the game) and Oonagh may be difficult to spell.

Is Oonagh the traditional spelling?

Oonagh is one of the Irish versions (also ?na), but I've never really been one for being hyper-correct about Irish names. I agree that the extra consonants don't really add anything. 

Oona is an acceptable variant that is also used in some Scandanavian countries.

I fell in love with it because I was/am a huge Anne of Green Gables fan ? a character in the later books was named Una. So I originally preferred that spelling, but I've grown to like Oona. I sort of like that it's a little oddball, but it's still a nice, soft, vowelly name. 

AmandaAndTj

It's a Bubble Guppies name. They all have strange names and I thought that it was made up...

plunderb

AmandaAndTj:

It's a Bubble Guppies name. They all have strange names and I thought that it was made up...

Funny, I just looked it up and one of the other characters is Molly (DD's nn). That doesn't bother me or anything, just a coincidence. I've never seen it - is it a good show?

austenreader85

I like Oona...on someone else's kid. I prefer Oona to Una. I'd be worried about Ewe-na pronunciation and it also reminds me of Uma Thurman who I inexplicably hate. Oonagh reminds me of doughnuts for some reason.

singahappysong

I doesn't even sound like a name to me.

plunderb

austenreader85:

I like Oona...on someone else's kid. I prefer Oona to Una. I'd be worried about Ewe-na pronunciation and it also reminds me of Uma Thurman who I inexplicably hate. Oonagh reminds me of doughnuts for some reason.

LOL. Yeah, that superfluous gh. 

AmandaAndTj

plunderb:

AmandaAndTj:

It's a Bubble Guppies name. They all have strange names and I thought that it was made up...

Funny, I just looked it up and one of the other characters is Molly (DD's nn). That doesn't bother me or anything, just a coincidence. I've never seen it - is it a good show?

Haha yes! It's a great show for kids! DD had a Bubble Guppies birthday!

bjlucas1

I had never heard of it before but like the spelling Oona best

piperjayne

We were team blue with ds, but we had this name as back up in case our ultrasound tech was wrong. We were planning on using the Una spelling, but Oona has grown on me. I'm not sure it will be a contender if we're team pink this time around though.

LadyXaverian

I met a little Oona last year. When she was introduced to me, I mistakenly called her Luna and had to be corrected. I think of Uno, as well. NMS, but I don't hate it, either.

cookies+milk

Sorry, I don't like how it sounds or how it looks.  I met one who was about 4.  I prefer the Una spelling.

catahoulatte

I think it sounds prettier than it looks. I haven't seen Bubble Guppies so I don't have that reference to go from. My initial reaction when I first saw you post about it was that it looked Swedish/European.

I've never met one. I *think* I'd prefer the Una spelling.

DaisyZH

I like Oona, and that is how I'd spell it.  

NatnDyl

Sorry, but I hate it. It sounds like caveman speak from cartoons.

oliversmom03

nms

hjk5000

When I see or hear Una, all I can think of is una what? Like Una bambina, una mela, etc etc. Sorry.

Oona's NMS. 

MrMrsandBaby

singahappysong:

I doesn't even sound like a name to me.

This.  And the more I "hear" it (or see it) the less I like it.

Fletch82

Oona is a GP for me but it reminds me too much like Uno to use.

moo point

NatnDyl:

Sorry, but I hate it. It sounds like caveman speak from cartoons.

This. 

PSlove

My vote probably shouldn't count, as DH is Irish and we spend a lot of time there. It's a common name to me.

I like it. I have a good friend named Oonagh. I've seen it spelled many ways and it's one of those names where spelling variants are acceptable.

anvloveskme

Is it pronouned Oh-nuh or Ooh-nuh?  I don't hate it, but I definitely don't love it.

strawberrytree

I really like it and have it on my long list but H is meh about it. I too first heard it in AoGG...I totally cried over Una and Walter.

I know of an Oonagh and an Una. My hesitation with this name is I like how it sounds, but not crazy about how it looks.
Eta it's pronounced Oo nah, Oo like in boo or goo.

kmichln

I'm sorry but I hate it too. It sounds like baby talk or like I should be grunting it. I've never met anyone with the name, but I would prefer the spelling Una. And I agree with what someone else said that I would also think "una what" like it is an unfinished sentence or something.

plunderb

Yeah, I do wonder/worry about the "una what?" thing a little bit.

So question for pp who also notice that: would a similar reservation keep you from using Ann?

 

alohamora

Oona and even Una are just a little too out there to me.  I can appreciate the sound of the name, but it's still just really NMS.

queenbone

Oona is NMS, but it has already grown on me from seeing your posts about it.

I think when one lives in a city, one can get away with more uncommon, ethnic names. I wouldn't bat an eye if I met an Oona in Portland, but I never have. 

I think Oonaugh looks more like a sound an ogre makes, no matter how legitimate it is. Oona looks prettier than Una to me.

vandelay

I like that it's a legitimate, yet unique name, but I can't like it as much as I want to.  To me, the "Oona" spelling makes it seem like the name of a female character in a bad caveman movie.  The "Una" spelling is not so bad, but I'm still not crazy about it for some reason.   

CutieBean79

I don't care for it.  It reminds me of ova or oompa loopma.  I think Una is the best spelling, but still not good.

kmichln

plunderb:

Yeah, I do wonder/worry about the "una what?" thing a little bit.

So question for pp who also notice that: would a similar reservation keep you from using Ann?  

I think the only difference in it is how common Ann is. So when I see/hear that name I don't think about it as the word an. But because of how exotic Oona sounds to me I do think that way. But that is a good way to look at it.

BlindysWife

I also think of Bubble Guppies. The name isn't for me, but I can see the appeal. 

I definitely prefer the Oona spelling. Una would make me want to pronounce it you-nuh. Do not like Oonaugh. Blech.  

Murphie82

Not my style at all, but I prefer Una to Oona.

mbody

I don't care for Oona at all.

I know a girl named Orna. I like that better than Oona.

Mmm79

I love it.  We actually kicked it around before finding out our LO has boy parts  

 

To answer your other questions, I have never met an Oona.  But I do know it was Charlie Chaplin's wife's name (who was also the daughter of playwright Eugene O'Neill). I prefer Oona, am agnostic about Oonagh but dislike Una (too much like a pizza chain).  

kleigh926

Honestly, I hate it. It sounds (and looks) like a nonsense word to me. But I definitely prefer the spelling Oona over the other choices.

Mrs.G123

I like Una.