Amina - I found this name a couple of years ago and thought it was so pretty. However, after a while all I could hear was "amino", as in "amino acids". The science-nerd in me just can't let that go, though I know that the majority of people will not make the connection.
I also would prefer if the name started with an additional letter. Something like
Samina (I think that is a name) would sound more complete to me.
Tamar is such a lovely name. It is really too bad that her story is such a tragic one. However, I choose to look at the story of
Tamar as a life lesson that absolutely terrible things happen, but we can eventually move past them (even though
Tamar didn't). Redeeming fact is that
Tamar was such a great beauty in the story.
Biblical history aside -
Tamar sounds pretty, is easy to say and spell and has a strength to it. I agree that it is striking.