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I've got a niece named Louanne, which is OK. Luana does look exotic, or at least unEnglish, and I wouldn't even guess at the pronunciation. Whoever used the name would have an opinion, which I'd go along with.

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Of your options, I'd prefer the unambiguous Louanna, but I'd go for Louanne over that; more on personal grounds than as a name I'd have spontaneously used, though.

What do you think of Luana? It's not my cup of tea, but I think it's okay.

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Do you think it's trashy or country-ish? It's maybe a little country, but not in a bad way. It feels somewhat dated to me, possibly because I know a Luanne, a Luann, and a Luana who are all in their 50s.

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Do you pronounce it loo-ANN-a or loo-AH-na? loo-AH-na, like Liana with a different vowel.

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Have you ever met one? Just the one. She's a very nice Mexican-American lady at my son's afterschool-care.

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Do you prefer Luana or Louana, Louanna, Luanna? Luana

I really like the spelling Luana! It's cute :) It kind of has a Hawaiian feel to it. And I think if you pair it with a middle name that wasn't too country sounding it would be fine.

I like Luana. I think it's pretty and simple. Louanna is probably the trashy one of this bunch. Louana is nms but okay, and Luanna is good but not simple enough IMO.
I say loo-AH-na.

This message was edited 3/7/2012, 2:52 PM

I first said "loo-AH-nuh", then looked it up and found that I was wrong. I have no experience or association with the name. I would have pronounced it correctly if spelled Luanna. It does have a country flavor to it, but I don't find it "trashy".