I like the name. I do think of the clothing store, but it's not a negative. I've never known a Zara in real life, so I don't have any specific associations for the name.
I have known one and she was a complete ...... Well, Not a nice person. So I wouldn't go for it for that reason... Completely objectively, it's a pretty and unique name...
It's a very beautiful name. My only hesitation would be based on what part of the country u live in. I could potentially see it being butchered to "Zay-ra" or Zaawra with hard A's or invisible W's in parts of northeast or Midwest.
Heavily vowely names bring out all sorts of cringeworthy accent interpretations. It's why I eliminated Ezra for baby boy. I could already hear Ezraaghh being shouted out loud by old Jewish relatives.
I don't really like it because I can never decide how to say it. It's one of those names I always say twice when I see it, with 2 different pronunciations. I think it would get mispronounced a lot because it isn't that familiar. Or maybe just not to me.
I'm a Zara. I've only met one other in my life. I personally like my name because it's uncommon but not unheard of. I receive lots of compliments which is always nice. The fashion store was only recently introduced where I live so it's never been a huge deal and it doesn't bother me even though it's known pretty much world wide. If someone gets stuck on the spelling, saying "like the store" usually does the trick. As for the Zara Phillips association, very few people have ever mentioned it. The only drawback for me has been people getting my name wrong when I introduce myself over the phone ... Sara, Tara, Clara, Dara. I just shrug it off when it happens these days! Hope that helps
Re: Zara
Heavily vowely names bring out all sorts of cringeworthy accent interpretations.
It's why I eliminated Ezra for baby boy. I could already hear Ezraaghh being shouted out loud by old Jewish relatives.
2010: Infertility
October 2015: missed miscarriage #2 at 11 weeks (trisomy 22)