Need feedback! Arabic girl name

[snazz]

So we are middle eastern in origin and I want to give my daughter an Arabic name... I'm thinking of Jude or Zeina. Jude means generosity in Arabic and Zeina means beauty. I know Jude is mostly a boys name in English but in Arabic it's a girl name.

My daughter will be raised in a western English speaking country so I would like to hear what you guys think of the two names... I don't want her to have a hard time in school with a funny name like I did!

How do these names sound in English? Which do you guys prefer? I'm worried that she will get a hard time with the name Jude because I keep hearing how it's a boys name..

 

[Amygdala]

How about Judith instead if you're worried about it being a "boy" name? I think Zeina looks lovely but people might be unsure how to pronounce it. I can think of two or three different ways? At the end of the day though I think they are both a little unusual but definitely not "weird" so I'd just go with what you love!

 

[staralfur]

Is Zeina pronounced the same as Zayna? I grew up with a friend named Zayna and I always thought it was really nice.

Jude definitely strikes me as a boy's name and I think it's gaining popularity, so I would probably steer clear of it for a girl, personally.

 

[diz]

To me Jude has always sounded more girly then a boys name and Im UK origin.

Out of the two names i love Zeina the best x

 

[marigold91]

I looooove Zeina, but I am Syrian so I am biased. I'm only half-Syrian though and have lived in the states my entire life. Zeina isn't hard to pronounce for Americans and so beautiful! Jude is also nice, and I don't think you should worry about the gender thing. Anyway, lots of people are naming their kids "opposite" gender names here, so I think that even if they saw it as a boy's name, they wouldn't find it strange.

PS - what else was on your short list? We want something arab to honor my dad's side of the family. I think we are leaning towards Lena. I wanted Maysa or Nour, but Lena seems easier for Americans to pronounce.

 

[Eleanor ace]

I love Jude for a girl or a boy, it is a beautiful name

 

[snazz]

I looooove Zeina, but I am Syrian so I am biased. I'm only half-Syrian though and have lived in the states my entire life. Zeina isn't hard to pronounce for Americans and so beautiful! Jude is also nice, and I don't think you should worry about the gender thing. Anyway, lots of people are naming their kids "opposite" gender names here, so I think that even if they saw it as a boy's name, they wouldn't find it strange.

PS - what else was on your short list? We want something arab to honor my dad's side of the family. I think we are leaning towards Lena. I wanted Maysa or Nour, but Lena seems easier for Americans to pronounce.

I had shortlisted Layan, Miriam, Sarah, Jude, Diala, and Zaina...then narrowed it down to either Jude or Zaina. I think the name Lena is lovely, it has a lot of different meanings, I have a good friend named Lena and she is lovely, and it is not just Arabic, I have a coworker with the name Lena who is European, super easy for everyone to pronounce!

 

[angelmum31]

I was going for Lena or Safia if bump had been a girl - I absolutely love the two names! As bump is a boy I am struggling a bit more.... Love Jude, not quite so keen on Zeina - is it pronounced zeena or zayna?

 

[KimmieHawkins]

Zeina makes me think of "Xena:Warrior Princess" the old tv show, it's cute. But I like Jude better.

either one isn't common and you cant go wrong with cultural names!

 

[snazz]

I was going for Lena or Safia if bump had been a girl - I absolutely love the two names! As bump is a boy I am struggling a bit more.... Love Jude, not quite so keen on Zeina - is it pronounced zeena or zayna?

It's pronounced zayna...in fact that's probably how I'll spell it so that she won't have a hard time with mispronunciation.

I love Jude for a girl but people keep scrunching their noses and telling me that its for a boy

 

[snazz]

Zeina makes me think of "Xena:Warrior Princess" the old tv show, it's cute. But I like Jude better.

either one isn't common and you cant go wrong with cultural names!

One of the reasons I like the name is that it reminds me of Xena the warrior princess! And I can't think of anyone I hate with the name haha

 

[Blu10]

Definitely zeina!

 

[jessmke]

I love Zeina!

 

[snazz]

What if I were to spell it Joud instead of Jude? Do you think people would still pronounce it as Jude?

 

[Ameli]

I like Jude for a girl or a boy!