What do you think of Viola?

[Feb25]

Good or bad?

I love it and I think it's a wonderful alternative to Violet! My husband likes it too, but says that it might remind people of the musical instrument or worse it might remind them of "violence"...

It can be pronounced vie-O-la, VIE-o-la or VYO-lah. I just LOVE the latter!

[EllenJanesthickerknickers]

Lovely, but it will never be pronounced correctly.

[ChickenMe]

If you love it why not. I don't love it but that's just my opinion. Read the Shakespeare play with viola in and see if you still like it after that. Or google people who have it as a first name and see if it works

[bakingtins]

I like it. The two associations are the instrument and Twelth Night, both positive.
I'd say Vye-o-la (similar sound to Violet)

[nyldn]

viola can be beautiful, but people will unfortunately pronounce it like the instrument, which is the least pleasant sounding.

[Mintyy]

Absolutely love this name. I am fairly sure I would choose it if I were to have a baby girl now.

[WowserBowser]

I like it...although my first thought is Herbert Viola

[WowserBowser]

Can someone explain the different pronunciation to me?

I would pronounce the name VY O LA and the instrument the same?

Is the instrument Vee o LA?

[CPtart]

Immediately thought of the musical instrument.

[Northernlurker]

If I had dd4 (which I won't be doing) she would have been Viola. My others have Shakespearean names. I think it's a fab name.

[Mintyy]

The instrument is pronounced Vi - OH - la

The name is pronounced VI ola (like violet)

[magentasurprise]

Beautiful name but I was worried about mis pronunciation too.

[mummy1973]

Not for me. I think of the instrument and think Violet is much nicer.

[lessonsintightropes]

I think of the instrument too.

I also couldn't do Violet having read Margaret Atwood's MaddAdam trilogy

[NomDeClavier]

People will say it 'viler'. Not a winner for me.

[TheBookofRuth]

So pretty!

[ToffeeMoon]

I like it in theory. But it does make me hear "violate" in the same way that Violet says "Violent" to me.

[crabb]

Immediately thought 'voila'!

[Polonius]

Viola! (Vwa-La!)

Gorgeous name.

[Dovahkiin]

Gorgeous name - but sounds bad in my accent, or really forced. If that's not an issue for you, go for it.

[telsa]

Very pretty. It also like Violette....with a soft I.

[TinyTear]

Too much connotations with the instrument.

you wouldn't call a boy Piano or a girl Tambourine

[GreatAuntDinah]

Not sure how relevant this is, but it's the past tense of the French verb meaning to rape. That would put me right off it.

[Libby456]

Its a very pretty name! never occurred to me that its linked with violence, i always think of musical instruments!

[peppinagiro]

I have the same problem with it as a PP re: the 'rape' association. In Italian, viola (same spelling, pron VEE-o-la) means he/she rapes/violates. Puts me off. Otherwise, it's a pretty sound.

[Viviennemary]

It's very pretty. I like it.