What do you think of...

[octobre09.livejournal.com]

The name Zoé (zo-ay)?

It's the only girl name that my husband really likes and since I had my way naming the baby last time... Our daughter 's name is Cléa (Clay-ah), if that helps any. I do like it. It's not excessively common, but yet everyone would know it. Plus it means "life", which I like.

My only concern is that our last name start with an "S".  I think it might sound weird...Thoughts? 

Edit: Just as an aside, we're a French Canadian family living in a bilingual environment so the French spelling and pronunciation won't be a problem. 

Comments

[my-lil-bon-bon.livejournal.com]

I had never heard it before until I watched Extreme Makeover: Home Edition last week. It was the little boy's name on the show. He was born super tiny, had tons of medical problems, wasn't supposed to survive, etc...so it had great meaning...it's really nms, but I thought it was very fitting for his circumstance.

[octobre09.livejournal.com]

Interesting...I'd never heard it for a boy before.

[wolf-shadow.livejournal.com]

Honestly? I think that she will become Zoë (Zo ee) very fast because no one ever bothers to look at the accents, they will assume it is the 'normal' name. Zoë is the same meaning though (life).

[octobre09.livejournal.com]

It's not usually a problem with my daughter Cléa. Mine and my husband's family are French and we live in a French/English bilingual environment. I do expect she'll sometime be called Zo-ee, but that not's a problem for me.:)

[also-warriors.livejournal.com]

Do you live in a place that is majority French-speaking? In English, especially in the US, accents tend to get chopped off right quick and without it, people will pronounce it "Zoë."

Is your other daughter clay-a, or clee-a? If it's the former, I the two "é" sounds are sort of matchy-matchy for my taste.

[octobre09.livejournal.com]

We're French canadians living in a bilingual environment. No matter what name we choose, it will have the French pronunciation.

My daughter's name is pronounced "Clay-ah." All the girl names I like also have the "é" though, Léonie, Noémie, Aurélie. It's a French thing I guess.

[frost.livejournal.com]

Since the pronunciation won't be a problem where you live, I won't mention it.
Sound-wise, I really don't like it.

[spaceandclouds.livejournal.com]

I think it's beautiful! I like Zoé a whole lot better than Zoe, actually.

Cléa is also amazing =).

I don't think the S last name will be a problem!

[pixietangerine.livejournal.com]

Zoé and Cléa are beautiful, together and separately! :) I don't think the S- last name is a problem at all!

[how-obscure.livejournal.com]

I think it sounds very pretty both by itself and in a sibset with Clea. (Sorry, don't know how to make the accent.) I don't think an S last name would be a problem.

[niobeeh.livejournal.com]

You do realize people living in a bilingual community where one of the languages is French are used to accents, right?

Zoë just looks weird if you're French-speaking.

OP, I really like the name. It's getting a little trendy here (France) but not overly common. Oh and I love your eldest daughter's name as well :).

[octobre09.livejournal.com]

To be fair, I didn't add the fact that we were French until after this comment.

Thank you niobeeh, I'd never run into another Cléa until I went to France this summer.

[krosp.livejournal.com]

I think it would be a great choice!