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[Opinions] Bianca, Irena, and Nadine
Hello fellow name nerds!My mother wanted to talk names over the weekend (yay!). So, in our discussion, I asked my father what he would name a girl. He was pretty immediate with the name Irena. Actually, he spells it Irene, but pronounces it ee-rray-nah (trilled r) in Italian. It's quite a brilliant choice, since my mother's middle name is Irene, and my great-grandmother was also Irene. Plus, my favorite cousin is named Irene (last two pronounced the Italian way). Q1: OPINIONS ON Irene / Irena?I told my mother how much I loved the name Bianca, but DH refused to allow it. Dh steps in to say that he changed his mind and likes Bianca! So, I guess Bianca could be on the table!Q2: OPINIONS ON Bianca?Finally, our top choice as the perfect match for Clarisse is Nadine. I just cannot help loving this name. Q3: OPINIONS ON Nadine? (Would you choose this over the others? Or maybe use Irena or Bianca as a second middle like Nadine Marikit Irena, etc?)
THANKS IN ADVANCE FOLKS!
(doctor wasn't sure if it is a boy or girl yesterday)______________________________________________
"How wonderful it is that no one need wait a single moment before starting to improve upon the world." -Ann Frank
Mama to my "bright star" Clarisse Bituin and Wife to Julius. Mahal na mahal from our little family to yours!
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I love Irene with three syllables, and find it disappointing that most Irene people settle for two. Irena is new to me, though I am familiar with Irina - different origin, pretty well the same sound. If I used it, it'd be a mn and I'd think very seriously about spelling it Eirene.Bianca is nicer than Blanche. I don't like it much, and the only one I've ever known has ruined it for me. But as a mn, why not?Nadine seems flat and bland and dated to me - sorry! I much prefer the pleasantly floral Nerine.
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I like Irena ok and vastly prefer your "Italian" pronunciation. Irene I would most definitely pronounce "eye-REEN" though, and like even less. However I know an Irene and it REALLY suits- she has a very "pinup" style (dark hair, clamshell bangs, red lips, defined brow) and pulls it off nicely. Bianca is ok too. I've warmed to it more lately but still don't love it. It's always sounded like a "stuck up" name to me, like I've seen too many movies/shows with a mean rich girl named Bianca. Nadine is my favorite of the bunch for sure. Some days I like it more than others; today is an off day for me =/ but next week it could be a favorite. It's..... Comfy. I dunno, I keep getting an image of a soft, oversized, mustard yellow sweater... and chocolate chip cookies... and a pretty smile. Now, are you pronounce it "Nah-" or "Nay-"?
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I pronounce it nay-DEEN, but my husband naturally says NUH-deen and my father keeps saying nah-DEEN-eh. But my father also pronounces Clarisse similar to Clarissa. (klah-ree-seh)However, because of where we live, most people will say nay-deen.. which is the plan.
Btw - the oversized mustard sweater, cookies and smiles... that is a pretty good image to me. I am pretty sure I used to wear oversized mustard colored sweaters in my stirrup pants phase in the 90s though. So, maybe it fits!
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I love Irena and Irene. Excellent choice!
Not so keen on Bianca - there's nothing wrong with it, but it seems a bit flashy somehow, not sure why.
Nadine does go perfectly with Clarisse, and I quite like it, but not half as much as Irene / Irena.
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Q1: That Italian pronunciation of Irene is gorgeous! I think it would be better as a middle name though, as outside of Italy (assuming you are outside of Italy) it could be mispronounced.
Q2: I've always liked it, though Shakespeare's very prissy-perfect Bianca in the Taming of the Shrew put me off somewhat.
Q3: Clarisse + Nadine go beautifully! I love Nadine Marikit, it's gorgeous. I would definitely choose that name. My top has to be Nadine Marikit Irene/Irena, but I also like Nadine Marikit Bianca.
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1. I really like Irene, pronounced the usual English way as Eye-REEN. Makes a very nice middle name, especially. Not as sold on Irena or Irina, and definitely, in the US the Italian pronunciation of Irene would be problematic.
2. Don't like Bianca at all, it has a very trashy, cheap vibe to it for me, and I don't like the ahnk sound. Blanca is somewhat prettier.
3. Nadine is pretty too, pronounced the usual way of Nay-DEEN. It does seem to fit nicely with Clarisse. I don't know why but Clarice/Clarisse and Nadine as a pair seems familiar to me, though I can't think where I might have encountered it.
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