WDYT of Zara? And f/u to Flame me: I like unusual names

LoCarb · March 2011

Zara (rhymes w/ Sarah) a recycled name from DD1 is the only name we can agree on and I continue to fall in & out of love with it. I'm afraid ppl will mis-pronounce it.

Also, thanks everyone for the feedback on the thread Flame me: I like unusual names. The biggest argument H and I had were my names were too unusual (which was proven false). Unfortunately, he was influenced by the neg. comments he read & won't consider my choices. He loves Natalie-I will compromise w/ Natalia (he vetoed). I'm still in LOVE with the name Saylor. BTW-to address the 'Y'. I think it's a dialect issue b/c I pronounce Sailor (short a) and Saylor (long a) differently.

hollyberry3333 · March 2011

I think Zara will just have alot of people saying "oh, hi sara." I imagine you and she will have to re-pronounce it quite often. FWIW, I kind of like Saylor better...it's nms but it is sort of appealing in it's own way

ames71 · March 2011

I like Zara a billion times more than Saylor. I'm unsure how this name could be mispronounced? I really don't think it would be an issue.

MrsVo · March 2011

I like Zara but pronounced like tzar-a.

krissyh21 · March 2011

There is a difference between unusual and made up. Zara, like Sarah with a Z is made up and kind of make me think that it is following the very popular and not so unusual trend of adding a Z to a name to make people believe you are creative, when you really are not.

If you look back in history, literature and even the Bible, you could find a completely non-made up name that fits you "unusual" vision of names.

But that said, it is a million times better then Saylor (see above for reasons why).

hollyberry3333 · March 2011

ames17:
I like Zara a billion times more than Saylor. I'm unsure how this name could be mispronounced? I really don't think it would be an issue.

Maybe not misprounounced, but misheard. Since it's uncommon and Sara is widely known... that's what I meant

TheWop · March 2011

ames17:
I like Zara a billion times more than Saylor.

Ditto.

catahoulatte · March 2011

I don't dislike Zara, but when I see it, I think "Zah-rah" for pronounciation. I think if she introduces herself as "Zare-uh", people will say Sara every time.

Ceridwen21 · March 2011

I think Zara is a gorgeous name an infinetly better than Saylor. Princess Anne named her daughter Zara.

ames71 · March 2011

hollyberry3333:
ames17:
I like Zara a billion times more than Saylor. I'm unsure how this name could be mispronounced? I really don't think it would be an issue.
Maybe not misprounounced, but misheard. Since it's uncommon and Sara is widely known... that's what I meant

Ah, yes. That I could see. I like Zora better anyway. Wink

wallace101610 · March 2011

I like Saylor better.

kjr · March 2011

I think Zara is a lovely name. I know quite a few Zhara's and Zara's. It is actually a common Arabic name.

Jinsy80 · March 2011

I think Saylor is *horrible*....Zara is fine. I know a Zara, it can be a cute name.

andrea922 · March 2011

Ceridwen21:
I think Zara is a gorgeous name an infinetly better than Saylor. Princess Anne named her daughter Zara.

Hers is pronounced Zhar-ah, like the store. I like that pronunciation better.

plunderb · March 2011

kcarbonell:
Zara (rhymes w/ Sarah)
I'm still in LOVE with the name Saylor. BTW-to address the 'Y'. I think it's a dialect issue b/c I pronounce Sailor (short a) and Saylor (long a) differently.

I like Zara pronounced ZAH-ruh. Some people pronounce Sara as SAH-ruh, which is pretty, but I do not like ZARE-uh.

Where are you from that you pronounce Sailor with a short a? Like salad with an -er instead of a -d? I have never heard of a dialect of English that pronounces the ai spelling as anything but a long a (in this context - it can also be a long i as in Kai).

GermanGirl2007 · March 2011

CatahoulaMom:
I don't dislike Zara, but when I see it, I think "Zah-rah" for pronounciation. I think if she introduces herself as "Zare-uh", people will say Sara every time.

This. I have only ever heard it prounounced Zah-rah. I like it pronounced that way much better than like Sarah with a Z. I actually like this name, but it is my sister's dog's name, so it has that connotation for me. Wink

LoCarb · March 2011

plunderb:
kcarbonell:
Zara (rhymes w/ Sarah)
I'm still in LOVE with the name Saylor. BTW-to address the 'Y'. I think it's a dialect issue b/c I pronounce Sailor (short a) and Saylor (long a) differently.
I like Zara pronounced ZAH-ruh. Some people pronounce Sara as SAH-ruh, which is pretty, but I do not like ZARE-uh.
Where are you from that you pronounce Sailor with a short a? Like salad with an -er instead of a -d? I have never heard of a dialect of English that pronounces the ai spelling as anything but a long a (in this context it can also be a long i as in Kai).

I grew up in Baltimore. DH was making fun of the way I was saying it too. I had to pronounce Tailor/Taylor for him and Sailing/Ceiling. I say salad w/ a D. Embarrassed

julisat · March 2011

MrsVo:
I like Zara but pronounced like tzar-a.

This. I like this pronunciation. Not rhymes with Sarah.

plunderb · March 2011

kcarbonell:
plunderb:
kcarbonell:
Zara (rhymes w/ Sarah)
I'm still in LOVE with the name Saylor. BTW-to address the 'Y'. I think it's a dialect issue b/c I pronounce Sailor (short a) and Saylor (long a) differently.
I like Zara pronounced ZAH-ruh. Some people pronounce Sara as SAH-ruh, which is pretty, but I do not like ZARE-uh.
Where are you from that you pronounce Sailor with a short a? Like salad with an -er instead of a -d? I have never heard of a dialect of English that pronounces the ai spelling as anything but a long a (in this context it can also be a long i as in Kai).
I grew up in Baltimore. DH was making fun of the way I was saying it too. I had to pronounce Tailor/Taylor for him and Sailing/Ceiling. I say salad w/ a D.

I still don't really understand. You're saying that you say Sailor and Tailor with a short a? So they sound like Sal-er and Tal-er? Everybody says salad with a d ? I was just using it as an example of a word beginning in sal that has a short a: salad, Sally, etc. I have never heard anyone pronounce sailor this way before. Am I understanding you correctly?

MissMommyMac · March 2011

I definitely would have mispronounced it. I so much prefer Saylor to Zara.

LoCarb · March 2011

plunderb:
kcarbonell:
plunderb:
kcarbonell:
Zara (rhymes w/ Sarah)
I'm still in LOVE with the name Saylor. BTW-to address the 'Y'. I think it's a dialect issue b/c I pronounce Sailor (short a) and Saylor (long a) differently.
I like Zara pronounced ZAH-ruh. Some people pronounce Sara as SAH-ruh, which is pretty, but I do not like ZARE-uh.
Where are you from that you pronounce Sailor with a short a? Like salad with an -er instead of a -d? I have never heard of a dialect of English that pronounces the ai spelling as anything but a long a (in this context it can also be a long i as in Kai).
I grew up in Baltimore. DH was making fun of the way I was saying it too. I had to pronounce Tailor/Taylor for him and Sailing/Ceiling. I say salad w/ a D.
I still don't really understand. You're saying that you say Sailor and Tailor with a short a? So they sound like Sal-er and Tal-er? Everybody says salad with a d ? I was just using it as an example of a word beginning in sal that has a short a: salad, Sally, etc. I have never heard anyone pronounce sailor this way before. Am I understanding you correctly?

Yes. I blame it on the 16 yrs in B-more but I also spent several yrs in WV, NY and Boston, 10 in Tx. It could be a mix of all the accents. I'm educated with a minor in English and must have skipped over the short a lesson in these words. I know I'm weird-I hear it from DH.

EastCoastBride · March 2011

kcarbonell:

I grew up in Baltimore. DH was making fun of the way I was saying it too. I had to pronounce Tailor/Taylor for him and Sailing/Ceiling. I say salad w/ a D.

I grew up in Baltimore too and I'm lost on all your pronuciations. Been here for 35 years. I pronounce Saylor and Sailor the same.

inque223 · March 2011

kcarbonell:
plunderb:
kcarbonell:
plunderb:
kcarbonell:

Zara (rhymes w/ Sarah)

I'm still in LOVE with the name Saylor. BTW-to address the 'Y'. I think it's a dialect issue b/c I pronounce Sailor (short a) and Saylor (long a) differently.

I like Zara pronounced ZAH-ruh. Some people pronounce Sara as SAH-ruh, which is pretty, but I do not like ZARE-uh.

Where are you from that you pronounce Sailor with a short a? Like salad with an -er instead of a -d? I have never heard of a dialect of English that pronounces the ai spelling as anything but a long a (in this context it can also be a long i as in Kai).

I grew up in Baltimore. DH was making fun of the way I was saying it too. I had to pronounce Tailor/Taylor for him and Sailing/Ceiling. I say salad w/ a D.

I still don't really understand. You're saying that you say Sailor and Tailor with a short a? So they sound like Sal-er and Tal-er? Everybody says salad with a d ? I was just using it as an example of a word beginning in sal that has a short a: salad, Sally, etc. I have never heard anyone pronounce sailor this way before. Am I understanding you correctly?

Yes. I blame it on the 16 yrs in B-more but I also spent several yrs in WV, NY and Boston, 10 in Tx. It could be a mix of all the accents. I'm educated with a minor in English and must have skipped over the short a lesson in these words. I know I'm weird-I hear it from DH.

I dont think this is a dialect thing...I have lived in almost all of the same states and have NEVER heard any of those pronouncations. I think you are just saying them wrong. Saylor and Sailor are said the same...as is Taylor and Tailor.

TanyaKM · March 2011

julisat:
MrsVo:
I like Zara but pronounced like tzar-a.
This. I like this pronunciation. Not rhymes with Sarah.

Yeah, I like Zara, but not when it rhymes with Sarah. Whenever someone hears her name, they're going to think you said Sarah. As other posters said, I would pronounce it ZAH-ruh.

inque223 · March 2011

I forgot to add...I like Zara. But only pronounced Zah-ra...not like Sarah.

SpruceGrouse · March 2011

Zara was my Great Grandfather's name. I don't think it is unusual.

mben1119 · March 2011

EastCoastBride:
kcarbonell:

I grew up in Baltimore. DH was making fun of the way I was saying it too. I had to pronounce Tailor/Taylor for him and Sailing/Ceiling. I say salad w/ a D.

I grew up in Baltimore too and I'm lost on all your pronuciations. Been here for 35 years. I pronounce Saylor and Sailor the same.

This. I don't know anyone from Baltimore who doesn't know how to pronounce the word sailor.

EastCoastBride · March 2011

kcarbonell:
I had to pronounce Tailor/Taylor for him and Sailing/Ceiling.

I have to ask - are you saying you pronounce Sailing and Ceiling the same or different? Based on your Sailor/Saylor and Tailor/Taylor examples, I'm reading it that you are saying sailing/ceiling are different too. Which is correct. They are pronounced differently.

Sailing is sale-ing

Ceiling is seal-ing

Saylor/Sailor are the same. Tailor/taylor are the same. Sailing/ceiling are not the same.

mnmgirl078 · March 2011

MrsVo:
I like Zara but pronounced like tzar-a.

This. My friend's name is Zara, pronounced this way.

LoCarb · March 2011

EastCoastBride:
kcarbonell:
I had to pronounce Tailor/Taylor for him and Sailing/Ceiling.
I have to ask - are you saying you pronounce Sailing and Ceiling the same or different? Based on your Sailor/Saylor and Tailor/Taylor examples, I'm reading it that you are saying sailing/ceiling are different too. Which is correct. They are pronounced differently.
Sailing is sale-ing

Ceiling is seal-ing

Saylor/Sailor are the same. Tailor/taylor are the same. Sailing/ceiling are not the same.

Yes, sailing/ceiling are different. I believe consensus is I'm pronouncing Saylor/Sailor incorrectly.

newportbride715 · March 2011

krissyh21:
There is a difference between unusual and made up. Zara, like Sarah with a Z is made up and kind of make me think that it is following the very popular and not so unusual trend of adding a Z to a name to make people believe you are creative, when you really are not.
If you look back in history, literature and even the Bible, you could find a completely non-made up name that fits you "unusual" vision of names.
But that said, it is a million times better then Saylor (see above for reasons why).

Zara is not made up. It is arabic and actually not that out there/uncommon in many other english speaking countries.

I like it, but would pronounce it as Zah-ra (like Car). I like that a lot better than rhyming w/ Sara.

newportbride715 · March 2011

plunderb:
kcarbonell:
plunderb:
kcarbonell:
Zara (rhymes w/ Sarah)
I'm still in LOVE with the name Saylor. BTW-to address the 'Y'. I think it's a dialect issue b/c I pronounce Sailor (short a) and Saylor (long a) differently.
I like Zara pronounced ZAH-ruh. Some people pronounce Sara as SAH-ruh, which is pretty, but I do not like ZARE-uh.
Where are you from that you pronounce Sailor with a short a? Like salad with an -er instead of a -d? I have never heard of a dialect of English that pronounces the ai spelling as anything but a long a (in this context it can also be a long i as in Kai).
I grew up in Baltimore. DH was making fun of the way I was saying it too. I had to pronounce Tailor/Taylor for him and Sailing/Ceiling. I say salad w/ a D.
I still don't really understand. You're saying that you say Sailor and Tailor with a short a? So they sound like Sal-er and Tal-er? Everybody says salad with a d ? I was just using it as an example of a word beginning in sal that has a short a: salad, Sally, etc. I have never heard anyone pronounce sailor this way before. Am I understanding you correctly?

She rhymes sailor w/ Tail and Saylor w/ Say. Tail and Say are pronounced differently, therefore Sailor and Saylor are too.

718gemini · March 2011

I like it, but as others have said, it's an Arabic name. I would probably find it a little odd if someone of a different ethnicity used it (not that I know what yours is).

globetrotting7 · March 2011

Zara is an awesome name, and if I'm not mistaken it's very popular in Germany (think clothing store). LOVE the name Natalia.

Sunshine is mine · March 2011

I would def pronounce this like tzar-uh. not zair-uh. either way I like it 5938475928374921830193 times better than Saylor. Maybe you would consider the spelling Zhara? I think this would give you the pronunciation you want..

newbee36 · March 2011

That was our definite choice for a baby girl! I love it! BUt we found out that we are having a boy...

newbee36 · March 2011

718gemini:
I like it, but as others have said, it's an Arabic name. I would probably find it a little odd if someone of a different ethnicity used it (not that I know what yours is).

It is actually a Hebrew name. The Arabic version is Zahra and it is pronounced differently.

zaramarie81 · March 2011

Well, um, I like Zara!! Lol. I prefer the long a pronunciation like pp's have said although I have heard Zara pronounced like Sara with a Z before. It was even in a movie, and no, I did not mistaken the character's name for "Sara." Either way, I like it a lot more than Saylor.

Edited: Grammar

iLikeSloths · March 2011

CatahoulaMom:
I don't dislike Zara, but when I see it, I think "Zah-rah" for pronounciation. I think if she introduces herself as "Zare-uh", people will say Sara every time.

This. I prefer the Zah-rah pronunciation.

PeridotEyes · March 2011

MrsVo:
I like Zara but pronounced like tzar-a.

Big fat ditto. I guess there could be a slight pronunciation issue with the name. Zara like Sarah or tzar-a, which I believe is the "correct" pronunciation.

Natalia would have been a nice compromise for Natalie. Maybe he can still be swayed.

novembernancy · March 2011

Sailor with a short a would be pronounced SY-ler.

If you like Saylor best, don't worry about what everyone else thinks. It just indicates that your child won't grow up with 5 other kids in her class with the same name...

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