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It sounds tawdry and whiny to me. I'm not particularly fond of "iah" Biblical names for that reason. Zebulun and Zebedee, on the other hand, are my jam.

It has too much of a breathy last sound for me, personally.

I like it a lot. Reminds me of Zachariah, in that bold biblical sort of way.

I like it.

If I saw it: Seems nice. Easy to say, easy to get used to. It seems vaguely familiar because of Zachariah and Zephyr. Zeph sounds like both Zack and Jeff, but is "new." It even sounds a little bit like Stephanie - Zachariah/Zachary, Zephaniah/Zephany?

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If I were to consider using it: I personally wouldn't use names based on their sounding good and being respectable-because-Biblical, if they aren't basically vernacular in my own culture. I feel kinda the same as I do about names from any foreign culture. That -iah ending seems pointedly religious to me. I want to know a little bit about their native context, and find it appealing from my own perspective, before I am comfortable to consider it as a name for my kid. If my own name were from the bible and not commonly used in my culture, I'd want to know about that character's story. What were the prophecies of Zephaniah about? Or is the name referring to someone more recent and well-known? I don't mind using names that float free of history and meaning, but I balk at using ones that I know do have it and I'm just ignorant of it.

Zephaniel, which is more interesting and also Judeo-Christian legend, holds more allurement for me.

This message was edited 2/13/2020, 9:31 AM

Too much of a burden. I know Z is fashionable, but the name of a very minor prophet doesn't carry much clout and is very long and clunky.

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I knew a girl named Zephne at school. Might that have been a fem version of Zephaniah?

I asked about it under my alter ego, Cake or Death, back in September:

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https://www.behindthename.com/bb/baby/5052466

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That might you give you some more responses that you wouldn't otherwise get.

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I asked about it because I ran into a real-life Zephaniah in the course of my job. Didn't speak to him, spoke to his mother, but he was a young adult in his early twenties, as I recall. I'm not sure what I think of it, which is why I asked. I like its Biblical vibe, but wonder if it's too much.

I really like it! Lovley nicknames, and Benjamin Zephaniah is a really cool guy so :)

It's quite a mouthful with a lot of interesting parts. I think Zeph would make a cool nn.

I like it

It's too complex for my taste, and I dislike the -iah ending, but I enjoy the Zeph part.