Emily writes:
Name to consider: Vada (like from My Girl). Why doesn’t anyone use this great name?
Aw, My Girl! I’d forgotten that movie. SO SAD.
According to the Social Security Administration only 93 new baby girls were named Vada in the U.S. in 2010. There were 155 named Veda—I wonder if that’s the same pronunciation? And 22 named Vaida, and 72 named Vayda, and 17 named Veyda.
I wonder if part of the problem is the Darth Vader association? It seems a bit obscure, but in the northeast U.S., Vada and Vader would be pronounced almost the same. Or it sounds a little like the word invader.
What do you think of the name Vada/Vaida/Vayda? How would you spell it? What issues do you think affect its popularity? And let’s put a poll over to the right to see what we as a group think of it. [Poll closed; see results below.]
Poll results (255 votes total):
I love it! I’d use it! – 15 votes (roughly 6%)
I like it! I’d consider it! – 29 votes (roughly 11%)
Wouldn’t use, but would like on someone else’s baby – 103 votes (roughly 40%)
No particular opinion either way – 16 votes (roughly 6%)
Slightly dislike – 69 votes (roughly 27%)
Strongly dislike – 23 votes (roughly 9%)
I think Veda (Vay-da) is the more obvious way to write the name as pronounced in My Girl.
It’s very similar to the name of a friend of mine, Vedra, short for Vedrana. She’s Croatian.
The names sound on one hand beautiful to me but fall into the “but-not-for-my-baby” category on the other.
“Oy, Veda!” is what comes to mind.
But the ‘Vaida’ spelling seems more feminine to me for some reason.
I once had a colleague named ‘Vita’ (which means ‘life’), and she was a cheerful, sparkling woman. Really nice. Because of that association, I’d use it over Vada any day.
It’s not a bad name, but it does have some easy (and unfortunate) teasing possibilities.
I am surprised at how unpopular the name is. So many people have recommended it to me this pregnancy! I really like it.
Vada Sultenfuss! What a name.
I love it though. It has that old-world feel of Ada with that zesty V.
I too am surprised it’s not more popular. It seems like just a hop, skip, and a jump away from the uber-popular Ava that it seems like a shoe-in!
I don’t think it’s a bad name, really, but I like “Vera” much better. Similar sound.
A Dutch family we met a few years ago had a daughter named “Perseverance” (interesting virtue name!) and called her “Vera.” It was adorable for their little girl and a great name for an adult woman as well.
I liked the name, but my husband vetoed for the Darth Vader association. He wouldn’t even discuss it.
I know a Veda, but its pron. VEE-da, whereas I’d pron. Vada VAW-da.
The character in My Girl is spelled Vada, but I think I like Veda better. It is too bad Darth Vadar sounds similar, because I really like this name a lot!
I have never heard of it before. Pronounced Vay-da, it reminds me too much of Darth Vader to like it much. But I would have pronounced it Vah-da, like Nevada, which I think sounds a lot better.
I absolutely LOVE the name Vada, and have suggested it to my husband, but he doesn’t love it (maybe it’s the “V” sound that turns him off? He’s a Violet and Vera hater, too). I think the “Darth Vader” association IS what hangs people up on the name, and I think maybe it sounds a bit harsh. Girly names are sort of what’s in right now, and Vada doesn’t really fit the bill. It seems stronger, and a bit harsher than “Ava” and “Emma” and “Olivia”, and yes, even more than “Violet” and “Vera”. Still, though, I LOVE IT.
It’s not my style, but for whatever reason (and I really don’t know why), I’ve never chosen many V names as favourite names.
I remember being a kid and seeing My Girl in the theatres (SOB FEST), and not knowing what the character’s name was. For A LONG TIME I thought it was “Beta” (Bay-da) or “Theda” (Thay-dah). It wasn’t until YEARS later when I was re-watching it on TV that I realized they might be saying “Vada”. I just always thought the little girl had a very strange name.
I knew how to pronounce it with the Vada spelling, though the “from My Girl” maybe helped me with that. After reading Swistle’s response, I prefer the “Vaida” spelling. I guess because I’m thinking of Maida Vale in London (which is commonly mentioned the Sophie Kinsella’s Shopaholic series, haha), and Maida rhymes with how I’d say Vada/Vaida.
Our neighbor girl is named Veda (she’s about 18 months old) pronounced “vay-da”. I think it’s a really pretty name, kind of old-fashioned (like Vera) and kind of new and modern all at once. Isn’t it also the name of a star? I agree that the Vaida spelling looks more feminine somehow and would eliminate the occasional “ved-ah” pronounciation.
I don’t care for this name at all, but I do think its a real name.
AND… I heard it at the doctor’s office yesterday! The baby looked to be a 2 month old female….
I agree with the commenter who said it’s a nice name but “not for my baby”. Seems a little too out-there or even old-ladyish to me, although I logically can’t figure out why! It is so close to Ada, Ava, Vera, it should work. Maybe it’s the perfect name because it does fly under the radar so well.
I used to work with a Veda but it was pronounced Vee-dah. I think it may have been short for a longer, and maybe Latin name, but I can’t remember so I can’t say for sure. I love it, I think it sounds like LIFE and VIVACIOUS and all good things. I think I might spell it Vaida if I wanted it pronounced Vay-da, though.
I like the name Vada but prefer the Vaida spelling. To spell it Veda is a big no no as I’m from Ireland and Veda is a well known and much loved brand of a little brown loaf of bread! And alas to call my child Veda, Vada or even Vaida would result in teasing without doubt!
I named my daughter Vada. I was going to go with Vayda but her middle name is jayde (combo of my grandmother’s middle name Jane and my grandfather ayden) I love it and everyone else I meet seems to love it too. I like the fact that it’s an uncommon name, my name is Amanda and there were soo many Amanda’s in school and I hated it. as for the whole Darth Vader thing, how many people really watch star wars now a days.. my family never did.. anyway, IRS not as bad as other names like Ellie (smelling Ellie, Ellie the elephant) I have always loved the name since I watched my girl when I was little and have known for years I wanted to name my daughter vada and I couldn’t be happier :-)
I am so confused. I am considering Vada as a girl’s name, but on most forums (and I think by now I have read all of them) people comment that Veda is the most logical spelling for the Vay-da pronunciation. Surely Veda is pronounced Vee-da? Cambridge dictionary definitely thinks so: http://dictionary.cambridge.org/pronunciation/british/veda I notice on the forums that older Veda’s still pronounce their name as Vee-da, but younger Veda’s seem to pronounce their name as Vay-da. Is it just the international influence that changed this pronunciation? For me Vada (like Ava and Ada) pronounced Vay-da is much more intuitive. Can anyone enlighten me? :-)