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Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Baby names

Boys names that work in English and Dutch??

14 replies

euromum · 04/02/2009 10:06

Not sure whether to post this here or in bilingualism, but here we go...

We are totally stuck trying to find a name for ds (arriving in May, so we have time!). I am English, dh is Dutch-speaking Belgian and we live in Brussels, so in a perfect world we need a name that is not only nice but sounds the same in English and Dutch and at least is pronounceable in French.

Current favourite is Matthew, which is nice but in my opinion a bit too boring & safe - no offence inteneded to anyone with lovely Matthews of course, it is a great name! My personal favourite would be Max (shortened from Maxim or something) but there are so many of them round here at the moment that dh has veto'd it.

I'd really like to find something that's just a little bit more interesting than the traditional boy's names in either language.

Any ideas????

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dragonbutter · 04/02/2009 10:08

Matthias?

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annasmami · 04/02/2009 10:23

Quentin?

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euromum · 04/02/2009 10:24

Hello & thanks! I think that's a great variation on Matthew but unfortunately dh doesn't. This is the main reason we're stuck - both very opinionated and stubborn!

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euromum · 04/02/2009 10:24

Hadn't thought of Quentin! Quite like the Famous 5 association...

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BonsoirAnna · 04/02/2009 10:25

Reuben

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Horton · 04/02/2009 10:26

Sebastian? I know a Dutch Bastiaan which is v similar.

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MarmadukeScarlet · 04/02/2009 10:28

We have a dutch surname, we chose Sebastian (DD has a dutch name) - when we went to Germany folk commented 'your children have German names', in Holland ditto (well dutch) and in Austria same (get the picture?).

My midwife was also dutch and had a very similar suranme to us, her brother was also Sebastian.

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MarmadukeScarlet · 04/02/2009 10:28

X-posts, I am a slow typer!

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Cammelia · 04/02/2009 10:29

Willem.

If I'd had a son that would have been his name.

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dragonbutter · 04/02/2009 10:30

Willem is a lovely name

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Fimbo · 04/02/2009 10:31

Caspar

Gabriel

Marcel

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dragonbutter · 04/02/2009 10:39

Marcus?

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Amapoleon · 04/02/2009 10:41

My dutch friends are called

Irwin
Ronald
Donald
Jerome.

Hehehehe I like Jerome and that would work in any of the languages.

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euromum · 04/02/2009 11:22

Goodness I do some work for 30 mins and all these replies in the meantime! Willem is indeed a lovely name, and I do like Reuben a lot. LOTS of good ideas though so we'll see where dh and I get this evening. Thank you all!