Thoughts on giving ds a foreign name and living in UK

[PinkApple86]

Hi ladies,
Just want to get some feedback (honest). I'm British but dh is Portuguese. Just found out were having a son. Dh is over the moon and wants him to have a Portuguese name. I think there are some lovely names and fit well with our Portuguese last name. I think we need a name that is used in both languages (spelling aside) so both families can say it etc. However I just suggested a few to my colleagues (male) and they laughed and said they are gay boy names and he will be bullied at school in the midlands. Female friends have said they're nice names but I think they just dont want to hurt my feelings or having images of some cristiano ronaldo type man! We have considered:
Hugo, Tiago, Marco, Marcos, Leo (short for Leonardo), Mateus, Miguel, Jorge.
Opinions greatly appreciated.
Thank you

[AuntieStella]

I think your list is fine.

I'd say the ones that work best are Hugo, Marco and Leo.

I wouldn't go for Mateus (as many people will think of the wine), but the others are OK.

[blueberryupsidedown]

I am French speaking and this was also important to me, and we chose DSs names because they can be pronounced well in both languages. In all the names, I prefer Leo and Mateus, and I also like Louis (or Lewis). I don't really like Hugo but it's just my opinion. I would avoid Jorge as the name will be constantly misspelled people will asume it's George. I have a friend with a little Marco and it's a lovely name. I also like Marcus instead of Marcos, if it's a name in Portuguese.

[MummyBurrows]

I think Hugo,Marco,Leo and Jorge would work best :)

[blueberryupsidedown]

Oh yes, I didn't think about the wine... Avoid Mateus!

[exexpat]

They all sound fine to me (and I'm a bit at your colleagues' 'gay boy' comments - ignore them). The only one I'd hesitate with is Jorge as a lot of people won't know how to spell or pronounce it.

[PinkApple86]

oh yeah I forgot about the wine. Haven't drank it for so long Miguel also reminds me of San Miguel beer. Marcos is the Portuguese spelling of Marcus. It's so hard to choose!

[DonkeysDontRideBicycles]

Your male colleagues sound thick, poor you.

Great names, (perhaps caution over Mateus as a first name, for reason stated) but for many years now even Brits have become used to hearing about sportsmen + women with international names, so unless you live somewhere very parochial it shouldn't pose a problem.

[Jenny0505]

There are loads that would work very well in both countries. Eg Susana or Leo. I love Marcos/Marcus - good name

[dyslexicdespot]

I hope you told your ignorant, homophobic colleagues to fuck the fuck off!

[Dilidali]

My daughter has two names, one very very foreign, with a difficult spelling and one very very plain English. We figured: if she grows up and starts hating her name, she can either use her middle name or shorten her foreign one.
As it is, she absolutely loves her first name, loves it is different and insists to teach people to pronounce it correctly and her best friend is the only person allowed to shorten it, she declared, because of a quite pronounced speech impediment.
It is true what they say about people with 'funny' (unusual) names, she is quite aware of who she is, chats quite happily about why is she called that and from quite a young age she realised people find it difficult, so she helps them when they pause unsure of pronunciation.

Give your son the name you want, especially with a Portuguese surname as well, it won't sound odd.

[SanityClause]

Would Jorge be pronounced "Hor-hay" similar to the Spanish pronunciation? If so, that could be tricky.

Ignore the "bullied at school" comments. Children who are bullied may just as easily be called John Smith. No one is bullied because of their name, although a bully may use their name to bully them with. But may just as easily choose the colour of their coat as a "reason" to bully them.

FWIW, I like all your choices, particularly Marcos.

[BNmum]

What a load of crap! Your names are lovely and aren't 'gay', if there is such a thing.

I met a little Tiago on holiday (English dad, Portuguese mother) and he really suited his name.

[GwendolineMaryLacey]

They're all nice names. And I think we can handle Mateus can't we? We're a bit more enlightened now surely!

[HormonalHousewife]

Those are all lovely names.

Ignore your colleagues after all they wont be in your life forever will they so they shouldnt have any influence over the names you choose.

By the way I live in the midlands and would not bat an eyelid at any of these names !

[Birdies]

If I was you, I would still want a name that sounds and seems Portugeuse as otherwise you kind of lose the connection by using one that's also common in England, eg Leo is a gorgeous name but is getting much more popular here and no one would think it was anything other than English.

It's the first list though where I've liked all the names! But I would pick the more interesting foreign sounding ones from your list, e.g. Marcos is perfect (gorgeous name and easy to spell and pronounce).

[xyla]

I agree on Hugo, Marco, and Leo.

But just a thought: my parents were from different cultures, and they decided to give me a first name from my father's side (and of course father's surname as well), so my name doesn't reflect my mother's culture in any way. I've always thought it was a bit of a shame, as I feel much closer to my mother's side (and grew up in that community), but I can't be 'identified' as part of that culture based on my name.

[Taffybird]

Work colleagues don't half spout some guff, don't they? Ignore them - your choices are lovely and will suit your son's heritage perfectly. You're lucky to have perfect justification in giving your son such a nice name. My favourite boy's name is Raphael and I was pushing for it when I was pregnant, but since DH and I are both British it would have been pretentious. DH point blank refused and there was a little spat over it but looking back he was right. Anyway we had a girl in the end!
It's nobody's business but yours anyway so go with what you like and stuff your ignorant colleagues!

[Branleuse]

I think your list is lovely.

We wanted names that worked in two languages too. Your colleagues are idiots.

I like Mateus best

[lollypopsicle]

As a teacher in the midlands I can confidently say there is nothing 'gay' about your list of names. Kids these days are called all sorts and are very excepting of different names and cultures- it's the adults with the preconceptions not the kids!
Ignore your ignorant colleagues who clearly know nothing about being a kid in modern times!

Incidentally I especially like Hugo an Marco from your list.

[lollypopsicle]

Accepting not excepting!

[PinkApple86]

Thanks for all your comments and honesty. I think we are swaying towards Marcos George at the mo (rather than Jorge)

[BNmum]

Marcos George is lovely. Good choice

[spanky2]

Choose what you like to. My ds1has a 'cowboys'name according to my dm and uncle . I think they are lovely names . Jorges might have pronunciation problems. My dsx2have unusual names .

[mikkii]

We had the same with our children, DH is half Spanish/half Italian whilst I am English. We wanted names that work in all three languages. DS is Alessandro Valentino, with Valentino as the name used. We used the Italian for Alexander as English people can struggle with the Spanish "j" in Alejandro. We also thought he could use Alex if he hates it all. When I told him this he said he loves his name. His sisters have English middle names:Gabriela (Spanish spelling) Faith and Luisa (Spanish/Italian) Amelia.

We decided that English names just didn't go with our surname.

[barnet]

Tiago is a lovely name (i have one).