Chiara

siennasmama · December 2012

What do you think of the name Chiara (pronounced Kiara) for a baby girl? My husband is Italian and we have a very italian last name, this is the italian spelling which we both love, but we are worried that it will always get mispronounced as "Chee-ar-a" Our first daughter is Sienna, so also an italian name. Do you like the name Chiara and what do you think of the spelling? Also thoughts on Sienna/Chiara as a sibset? Thanks

alphalyrae · December 2012

I would pronounce it "chee-R-uh"

Laura_Elaine · December 2012

melpatbat:
I love Chiara pronounced the Italian way, I'm not so hot on Kiara. They are completely different names with different meanings.

Is "Kiara" the traditional Italian pronounciation with "Chiara" the traditional Italian spelling? I'm all for traditions like that. For what it's worth, when I look at the name, I pronounce it with the hard C/K sound. And I love the paring with Sienna. ETA: I may think of the hard C/K sound because ofthe Chicco brand... people not as familiar with that brand may not think that way.

siennasmama · December 2012

Laura_Elaine:
melpatbat:
I love Chiara pronounced the Italian way, I'm not so hot on Kiara. They are completely different names with different meanings.
Is "Kiara" the traditional Italian pronounciation with "Chiara" the traditional Italian spelling? I'm all for traditions like that. For what it's worth, when I look at the name, I pronounce it with the hard C/K sound. And I love the paring with Sienna.

yes...chiara is the traditional spelling and "kiara" is the traditional pronunciation.

Chiara chi(a)-ra as a girl's name is pronounced kee-AH-ra. It is of Italian and Latin origin, and the meaning of Chiara is "bright, famous". Variant of Clara. Name of several Italian saints, most notably Clare of Assisi (13th century), and follower of Francis of Assisi and founder of the order of nuns known as the Poor Clares. See also Ciara.

Read more at https://www.thinkbabynames.com/meaning/0/Chiara#UoLYiyhVecysZHm8.99

austenreader85 · December 2012

Every.single.time I see this name I think "chee-ar-a" and then I take a second and look at it again and remember that it is Italian for Kiara. I don't think her name will always be mispronounced but I think it will sometimes, which it probably would for most other Italian names btw. I like it, I just have to remember that it doesn't start with a chee and is legit. Since you have such a connection to the Italian I think it's fine but otherwise I might suggest Kiara just to make it simpler. Sienna and Chiara are nice together.

austenreader85 · December 2012

Laura_Elaine:
melpatbat:
I love Chiara pronounced the Italian way, I'm not so hot on Kiara. They are completely different names with different meanings.
Is "Kiara" the traditional Italian pronounciation with "Chiara" the traditional Italian spelling? I'm all for traditions like that. For what it's worth, when I look at the name, I pronounce it with the hard C/K sound. And I love the paring with Sienna. ETA: I may think of the hard C/K sound because ofthe Chicco brand... people not as familiar with that brand may not think that way.

Yes, that's the traditional spelling and pronunciation. Kiara as a spelling is a modern English spin, but I don't side eye it too much because I like the sound of it and the "Ch" sound does not make a "K" sound in English.

And I did not know that Chicco would have been pronounced as Kee-ko. I've never heard it pronounced, I always say to myself "chee-ko" when I read it. Oops. I didn't know it was Italian....

LPace84 · December 2012

I think it will always be mispronounced. Unless she's in Italy. It's a beautiful name though

capulet · December 2012

Chiara is one of my very favorite Italian names. I have suggested it to DH as a girl name (I'm part Italian and DH and I met in Italy and spent some time in Assisi, so it would be meaningful for us in several ways). I know a lot of people are likely to mispronounce it, but I would not change the spelling.

siennasmama · December 2012

austenreader85:
Laura_Elaine:
melpatbat:
I love Chiara pronounced the Italian way, I'm not so hot on Kiara. They are completely different names with different meanings.
Is "Kiara" the traditional Italian pronounciation with "Chiara" the traditional Italian spelling? I'm all for traditions like that. For what it's worth, when I look at the name, I pronounce it with the hard C/K sound. And I love the paring with Sienna. ETA: I may think of the hard C/K sound because ofthe Chicco brand... people not as familiar with that brand may not think that way.
Yes, that's the traditional spelling and pronunciation. Kiara as a spelling is a modern English spin, but I don't side eye it too much because I like the sound of it and the "Ch" sound does not make a "K" sound in English.
And I did not know that Chicco would have been pronounced as Kee-ko. I've never heard it pronounced, I always say to myself "chee-ko" when I read it. Oops. I didn't know it was Italian....

My name is Christina so I think I am partial to the "k" sound spelled with a "ch" obviously though, christina is a much more common name than chiara!

stahlop · December 2012

I automatically read it as Kee-ara, so I think you should be okay.

JCWhitey · December 2012

I thought it was pronounced Kiara when I saw it. I wouldn't think Christa is pronounced with the CH sound, or Christina, or Christian, etc. I think people might say it wrong at first but be easily corrected and not repeatedly make the mistake.

Raeily · December 2012

LPace84:
I think it will always be mispronounced. Unless she's in Italy. It's a beautiful name though

I agree.

kmichln · December 2012

I pronounced it "Chee-ar-a". I never would have said "Kiara" if you hadn't posted how it is pronounced. Before I realized the right way to say it I hated it. Now that I know it's "Kiara" I like how it sounds. Even though it is a real name with "Chi" I don't like how it looks.

ariaforte8 · December 2012

I wouldn't have figured out it is supposed to sound like Kiara.

austenreader85 · December 2012

Christina etc. Gets the k sound from the "r." Chiara is legit, it's just Italian and their letters make different sounds than English ones. So in my mind there's really no trying to compare it to names that work within the English sound system.

doremi29 · December 2012

I immediately pronounce it Kee-R-uh and yet I've heard people pronounce Chicco "Keyco" but still use the CH sound when I pronounce it

xladybassx · December 2012

I like the sound but not the spelling. I understand it is a legit spelling, but I cant help thinking of a chimera when I see Chiara...and a chimera is a 3 headed mythical beast. Not really very baby girl-ish. I do think she will have issues with pronunciation and spelling. Even typing the name out just now my ipad doesn't recognize it as a real word. I really like the sound, and I think it goes great with Sienna, but I would reconsider Ciara, or Kiara as spellings.

aessary03 · December 2012

It's ok. Not a fan of the spelling because I think your child's name will get mispronounced all the time.

austenreader85 · December 2012

melpatbat:
I didn't mean to start an argument.
My neice is actually named Ki*ara Si*enna so obviously the names go well together.
When she was being named everything I could find said that Kiara was Irish and means "small and dark" and is a variation of Keira or Keara.
Typically in Italy the pronounciation of Chiara is "Kya-ra" with a hard rolled "r", not the way it's suggested on nameberry "kee-ar-a" which is the same as Kiara. I think we're just getting our information from different sources.
If you love Chiara I'd go for it, I think it's a pretty name and that it's much easier to explain a name spelled differently for cultural reasons that made-up spellings to be unique.

I don't think there was an argument.

But this is the source I used: https://www.behindthename.com/name/chiara, which is considered the most accurate on the internet and a favorite of most of the regulars on this board.

And for Kiara it gives this: https://www.behindthename.com/name/kiara

I honestly can't get the "a" ending and the "e" ending using their pronunciation guide to come out differently with these names. To me they're said the same Kee-are-uh. Neither sound like Kee-air-uh, that would be Ciara or Kiera, which incidentally can also be pronounced as Keer-uh as well.

OP, I think any of these names (as well as Keira) you may need to correct pronunciation but I don't think it's that big of a deal. I think it's more likely to happen with the "Ch" beginning than a "K" but it's legit and you have a strong Italian connection so I would use it.

Laura_Elaine · December 2012

austenreader85:
Laura_Elaine:
melpatbat:
I love Chiara pronounced the Italian way, I'm not so hot on Kiara. They are completely different names with different meanings.
Is "Kiara" the traditional Italian pronounciation with "Chiara" the traditional Italian spelling? I'm all for traditions like that. For what it's worth, when I look at the name, I pronounce it with the hard C/K sound. And I love the paring with Sienna. ETA: I may think of the hard C/K sound because ofthe Chicco brand... people not as familiar with that brand may not think that way.
Yes, that's the traditional spelling and pronunciation. Kiara as a spelling is a modern English spin, but I don't side eye it too much because I like the sound of it and the "Ch" sound does not make a "K" sound in English.
And I did not know that Chicco would have been pronounced as Kee-ko. I've never heard it pronounced, I always say to myself "chee-ko" when I read it. Oops. I didn't know it was Italian....

Honestly, I used to say "Chee-ko" too, but then Chicco came out with advertisements that said "Say it right and smile: Key-ko" And I learned how to pronounce it. Haha

siennasmama · December 2012

Thank you everyone for the feedback!

Lue94 · December 2012

ariaforte8:
I wouldn't have figured out it is supposed to sound like Kiara.

This

Skyjewell23 · December 2012

While I understand the want for the Italian spelling, I personally would butcher this name if I saw it written.

I do think it's a pretty name though.

NydaP · December 2012

I like the look and sound of Kiara. I also like your reason for spelling it Chiara, however I would be one of those people who pronounce it 'Chee-ar-a", partly because I know someone with a similarly spelled name who pronounces it that way.

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