(no subject)

[http://users.livejournal.com/-----citylight/]

Recently someone commented with the name Lumi, a Finnish name that means snow.

I was actually trying to help out a friend, but I ended up loving the name myself. Lumi is quite different from my usual tastes. I'm more of a Josephine, Alma or Mabel kind of girl, but for some reason Lumi really struck me.

After mentioning it to a few of my friends, I realized that I am definately among the minority on feelings towards Lumi. Apparently it makes them think of "looney" or "gloomy" while I think it sound rather beautiful. Thoughts?

Can you guys think of any similarish names?

If not, what name do you love that everyone else seems to hate?

(ps thankyou to whoever it was that suggested Lumi!)

Comments

[blosmbee.livejournal.com]

Lumi isn't my style, but I don't hate it. If you hadn't said it meant snow, I would think it meant light.

For some reason, Mina and Mila came to mind as similar names.

I really like the name Blythe, and my husband still makes fun of me for it :{

[http://users.livejournal.com/-----citylight/]

I like Mina =]

[kthartline.livejournal.com]

Lumi isn't my style, but it makes me think of a bright light. As in Luminous.

[how-obscure.livejournal.com]

I think Lumi is cute, but I can see where people might hear it and think of "looney" or "gloomy." However, I probably wouldn't have thought that if you hadn't mentioned it.

I can't think of any similar names at the moment. As far as names I love that everyone else seems to hate, that would be a good portion of my list! Josephine, Hazel, Verity, Felix, Eamonn, Declan, etc. People in my family just aren't into older names or Irish/Scottish names. Also, Persephone was my number one name for a number of years. That never went over very well. Heh.

[coendou.livejournal.com]

We're considering Persephone, and I've never gotten anything but positive feedback on it.

It's near the top of our list along with Adelaide, which my BFF thought was "way too old-fashioned" - but she clearly has no clue about current baby-naming trends. Adelaide will not sound odd at all by the time our baby is in school!

[how-obscure.livejournal.com]

Really? My whole family thinks it's weird. Of course, my family is pretty mainstream when it comes to names.

I quite like Adelaide.

[http://users.livejournal.com/-----citylight/]

I love all those names!

[mrsduryee.livejournal.com]

It makes me think of lomi lomi salmon, the Hawaiian dish. I don't have any similar suggestions, but maybe a Hawaiian name would appeal to you?

[coendou.livejournal.com]

I think it's pretty! I would assume it means something to do with light, although it also makes me think of Luna and associate it with the moon. Loony and gloomy definitely did not come to mind at all.

[http://users.livejournal.com/-----citylight/]

Oh I'm glad that you didn't think of loony of gloomy. It seems it's beginning to grow on a few people. Maybe it's usable afterall. =]

[lipsty.livejournal.com]

Lumi is really pretty and I can see the snow connection - it makes me think of moonlight on the snow. Also, halloumi, but probably because that's what I had for lunch!

[http://users.livejournal.com/-----citylight/]

Oh that is such a beautiful image - moonlight on the snow. Makes me want to use the name even more now!

[neroli.livejournal.com]

Similarish... how about Suvi (a Finnish name that means summer)?

[http://users.livejournal.com/-----citylight/]

Suvi looks lovely. How is it pronounced? Soo-Vee?

[neroli.livejournal.com]

Yep! You can listen to it pronounced by a couple of native speakers at Forvo (http://www.forvo.com/search/suvi/)

[spaceandclouds.livejournal.com]

I think it's pretty, but in an English-speaking environment, I can definitely understand how people would think it was 'gloomy' when they first heard it.

Two names that I really like, but that others seemed to dislike/hate are April and Otto.

[http://users.livejournal.com/-----citylight/]

How could anyone hate April and particuarly Otto! I LOVE Otto!

[beautifulmonstr.livejournal.com]

I work with someone named Luminita, whose nickname is Lumi. I like it

[http://users.livejournal.com/-----citylight/]

=]
You comment made me smile big in real life.

[quinnthevixen.livejournal.com]

For what it's worth, I think Lumi is beautiful! And I'd never heard it before. Can't think of anything similar off the top of my head, but a name that I like (but feel like most people don't like/think is strange) is Calliope.

[http://users.livejournal.com/--stillframe--/]

I think Lumi is super lovely. Not usually what I would be drawn to either, but I really like it.

(I also wouldn't think of 'loony' or 'gloomy' upon first hearing it.)

[pegasus2o5.livejournal.com]

This so funny. In the novel I'm writing, there's a race of people called Lumii (singular form, Lumi). If I remember my creative process correctly, I got it from the Swedish word for 'light,' to contrast with another race whose name means 'shadow.' Maybe I did get it from Finnish instead of Swedish, but I'm totally certain the meaning was 'light.' Maybe it has two meanings...

After writing four drafts of a book with it as a race-name, it's hard for me to see it as a first name, but it is a lovely word.