Looking for name suggestions....

[Mouse House Mama]

Okay- we are having a girl. Hopefully any minute here! Anyway- we love the name Nina but I wanted a longer version of it. Anyone have any suggestions except for Antonina? We already used Antonio as a middle name. TIA!

 

[Elmo888]

Gianina? It is Italian, but I don't know how to pronounce it. Like Gianni or Gianna, the Gian part is pronounced Jon, although in the US, you commonly hear Gi-ah-ni (Gianni). The Gi part makes it a hard G (as in Jon). I have seen it before, and I found it on babycenter.com.

Is Nina French? I once knew a woman named Ninon, which is a French form of Anne. Maybe that is why I think Nina is French. Who knows.

I love the name Nina.

Was that any help???

 

[design_mom]

Congratulations on your soon-to-be little one.

Nina is Russian (and probably other things, too), but I think it's the whole name so there is not a Russian longer form (except maybe Antonina, which you've already ruled out. I think the common Russian nickname for Antonina is Tonya, not Nina, anyway.)

Depending on your tastes, you could "make up a name" to make it longer -- something like Ninalyn. Or, since Nina is from the same root as Anne, you could go with something like Hannah, which has enought similar sounds that a nickname like Nina would seem somewhat appropriate.

For what it's worth my 3yo DD's name is Elena, but she calls herself Nina. At first we thought it was because she couldn't pronounce Elena, but she *can* pronounce it now, but she still refers to herself as Nina. It's strange, but it really fits her. (I almost wish we'd named her Nina instead!)

 

[DisneyAprilFool]

Ninya Mia- I have a very good friend with this name and love it. Not quite Nina, but close.

 

[dementia412]

Just thought this might help you

The girl's name Nina \n(i)-na\ is pronounced NEE-nah, NYNE-ah. It is of Spanish and Hebrew origin, and its meaning is "little girl; great-granddaughter". Also diminutive of Ann (Hebrew) "grace". In Slavic, a short form of names ending with -nina, such as Antonina. Neena is also a Hindi name meaning "pretty eyes". Nina was the name of one of Christopher Columbus's three ships. Ballerina Dame Ninette de Valois.

Nina has 17 variant forms: Neena, Neenah, Nena, Neneh, Neina, Nenna, Ninacska, Nineta, Ninete, Ninetta, Ninette, Ninnette, Ninon, Ninochka, Ninoska, Ninotchka and Nyna.


Also I think that name Gianina is pronounced gee-ah-nee-nah
Could go with a name which I have no idea if it is real or just from a book Nyneave. I wanted that name, but my DH would not have me naming the kids after Robert Jordon characters.

 

[allyphoe]

Could go with a name which I have no idea if it is real or just from a book Nyneave. I wanted that name, but my DH would not have me naming the kids after Robert Jordon characters.

Totally OT - I'd have pronounced that the same as Nineveh (so nin-uh-vuh), but Wikipedia says it's pronounced NIGH-neev!

 

[dementia412]

I've always pronounced it Nuh nave.. that's the problem withthe odd names. My daughter is Eliza, but people call her Elisha, Alisha, Elija.

 

[MomNeedsVacay]

My friend's DD is named Dineen (Duh-neen)...you could pry use that name and Nina as a nickname...

 

[badblackpug]

Iwould use just "Nina," but how about Jeannine? Please resist the urge to "make something up."

 

[Girly_Qs]

Iwould use just "Nina," but how about Jeannine? Please resist the urge to "make something up."

I was just about to say that I went to High School with a girl named Janine, and we always called her Nina. Always loved it!

 

[pigget74]

My good friends daughter is named Christina and everyone calls her Nina.

 

[mericletwins]

My good friends daughter is named Christina and everyone calls her Nina.

My niece has the same.

 

[twins2again]

I too would just use nina if thats what I wanted,but I love the name Gianna or janine.

 

[mickey2minnie1]

How about Ninabella? It is a little different but the meaning would be beautiful and there wouldn't be anyone else with it.

I would go with Nina by itself as well. It is a very pretty name.

 

[tweedlemom]

How about Audrina? Or Nina with a short name attached, Like Ninaleigh, Ninarae, Ninalynn, Ninabeth, etc.

 

[ZPT1022]

My good friends daughter is named Christina and everyone calls her Nina.

I also know a Christina who is called Nina. I was shocked to find out her "real" name was Christina.

Add me to the camp that says just name her Nina. My twins were given names based on what we wanted them to have as nicknames. For one it works- her given name is Lillian Grace and we call her Lilly. For my son we needed a first name that could balance out the middle names, so he is Lucian Robert Blaise but we call him Luke. Sometimes I wish we'd have just named him Luke and to heck with balancing the middle name