English/Arabic name opinions ..

[KeirasMummy.]

Well me & the OH have decided to go with Keira Amirah Dastagir as LO's name, have had people say it sounds like a mouthful & rhymes but we still like it & are sticking to it

Just have a few worries that when we tell the OH's parents they wont be happy with it, as my OH side of the family are muslim & will want a more arabic name like Amirah i feel they may not like the name Keira Its an irish name but .. i dont think it really sounds it, i think it sounds kinda arabic & would suit our little girl as she will be half english & half pakistan.

What are everyones thoughts? Are there any arabic ladies here that can help or give an opinion?

x

 

[Tiramisu]

SO's Arabic (Moroccan), and we compromissed on Sofia for our daughter.

What about Sara/h, Mariam/Maryam, Nora, Leila...? We tried to find a balance. Nothing that screamed Arabic, nor English, but at the same time, that was used in both languages, and both our families were able to pronunce correctly.

 

[CandiceSj]

The decision is up to you and your husband so they will just have to accept it! You wrote that you're sticking to it so I won't comment with my personal opinion too much... But as far as sounding Arabic, Keira doesn't sound Arabic to me. Maybe it's because I've heard the name before and I know its origins and because my husband is an Arab (Egyptian) and I'm very familiar with Arabic names myself. It is easily pronounceable in Arabic though, and probably in your husband's language too since they use a lot of Arabic names in Pakistan and shouldn't cause any problems as far as that goes.

If they are at all open to names that aren't traditionally used in Pakistan, they should find Keira a perfectly fine given name!

If you think you might be open to a different Arabic or "Muslim" name as middle name, PM me and I can help with suggestions since we are Muslim and I love names that have good meanings but don't sound too Arab/foreign. Your husbands' parents might appreciate that if you're looking for their approval!

 

[amelia23]

I wouldn't worry too much about their opinion if I was you, as long as they can pronounce it they will probably love it. When I told my husbands mother I was thinking of the name Jessica, she looked very confused and when she attempted to repeat it, she pronounced it Jacket???? One thing I have noticed is that where my husband comes from which is egypt they dont really have much idea of what a middle name is as they dont use them and I think its the same in many other muslim countries, so I suppose if you are really worried you could try swapping the names around.
good luck anyway x

 

[Sarachka]

Like you I have a muslim OH so our baby names need to sound OK in both cultures. I don't want a name that I can't relate to, that seems foreign to me, KWIM.

I think Keira is a good name in that respect. It may not be arabic but certainly would blend well with the two languages, English and Arabic. I think it's a really nice choice.

 

[KeirasMummy.]

thanks girls, wont be telling the OH parents just yet but hopefully when we do they will like it & not push for a different name as we are really fond of this one now & i dont wanna change it

 

[beebee17]

You are right Keira is an Irish name but the correct Irish spelling is Ciara. Just incase you didn't know xx

 

[xolily]

i like it OH is muslim and the inlaws weren't overly happy about naming our LO Laila as it's his dads second wifes name (not OH mum). i didn't give in though cos it's the only name i'd liked from day 1. FIL decided he would pick a name for her, "Haleemah", but bless him, he can't even remember what name he chose so he does call her Laila and he was chuffed that we used his name as her middle name, Anis xx

 

[Uni786]

Hi
As a Muslim I can say that Keira is a Muslim name. I'm thinking of keeping that name when my daughter is born. The actual spelling is khayrah meaning good or you could keep Hannah which is also a Muslim name. I'm from Indian Pakistan background and we have alot of those names in our community. Hope that helps

 

[newmama]

i love it i think you should pick something that YOU both like, and don't worry too much about the parents. you can't please everyone all the time... and they will learn to like it. it sounds like they should be able to pronounce it alright, and isnt totally foreign in the muslim community, so i say go for it. dont let them talk you out of it it's your baby you should pick the name you love.