My husband and I each have names that were in the top 5 the year we were born. We both like "mainstream" names, but maybe not quite that mainstream. We're looking at some more cultural names (for us, Hebrew origin), and wondering about those who have had experience in that area. If you grew up with a name that was "foreign" to where you grew up (so, a non-English name in the US, for example), was it a good thing? Frustrating? Easy or difficult? Something you'd impose on a child, or caution against? Thank you!!
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I think that as long as it is easy to pronounce then it's fine. From my experience, it does get you more questions but I don't think of it as a burden by any means.
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My LO has a Japanese first name with an easy to pronounce American sounding nickname. Hope she likes her name when she is older!
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Both DH and I have foreign names (Chinese and Viet) and did not enjoy growing up with names so different from our peers. It was difficult dealing with all the teasing, and I gave my LO an American name to avoid what I experienced.
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My name is Nigerian but really easy to pronounce. I love that it is different.
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I grew up with an ethnic name, as a child I hated it, but I grew into it as an adult.
The only issue I have is that my first name and married last name make an odd combination. -
I don't have a foreign name and neither does my lo. But as a Jew I'm biased to Hebrew names, I usually love them!
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I think it's fine, so long as it's not too out there, and easy to pronounce. I think that Hebrew names are lovely! But DH & I plan on giving any LOs Spanish names (he is South American) that sound good in English, too.
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As long as they aren't super hard to pronounce, I LOVE foreign names. They are beautiful. I say go for it!
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I grew up with a "foreign" name and always wished I had an american name. But my name is also asian and more foreign than Hebrew names!
Even now it's a hassle to spell out my name so I use a fake english name for carryout/etc.
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I've got a friend with an ethnic name, and she hates it. She has to use it for everything important and no one can pronounce it.
What name are you thinking?
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We've chosen a Hebrew name for our little girl! I've never heard of anyone with that name in England, where we're from, or in Canada, where we live now, but that makes me like it even more. We have a Spanish last name too so her name will be quite unusual. Just trying to decide whether to have a Spanish middle name as well, or choose something more traditional.
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I think as long as it is easy to pronounce it's fine. Like, I would rather be a Pierre, because everyone says it right, than Henri, because people would just say Henry, you know? So I say it depends on the name. Can you tell us some you are thinking about?
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i didn't like my name growing up. i think back then, everyone (esp immigrants) just wanted a normal common name.
nowadays, unique names are more "in" and i like them! for me personally i would give an ethnic name as a middle name though.
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Like Mrs. Bee mentioned, I love seeing an ethnic name as the middle name. It's like a nod to your heritage!
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Thank you for all the feedback! I'd actually rather not share the specific name, but it's pretty easy to pronounce, and we've even discussed some more "mainstream" nicknames for it. I'm just almost 21 weeks, so we have lots more time to keep debating!
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I have a Korean name and although I didn't like it when I was younger since ppl were always mispronouncing it and making fun, I love it now. We gave LO both American and Korean names so she can choose what to go by (but her American name is her first name and what we call her).
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My husband has a foreign name and so will our son. All my siblings have foreign but very easily pronounced names. My name is unique but not foreign and I liked it.
I'm all for naming for your heritage. None of our kids will name American names because it's the only tribute to our heritage we can really give them! -
"Give your daughters difficult names. Give your daughters names that command the full use of tongue. My name makes you want to tell me the truth. My name doesn’t allow me to trust anyone that cannot pronounce it right."
—Warsan Shire
Hope that helps!
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18 comments