To wish people were more positive about my baby's name? <kind of serious>

[Truntscump]

DH & I loved the name Luca for a girl throughout my pregnancy. I know it's generally used as a boy's name especially in Italy but her middle name is Rose and I love that it means 'light'.

Anyway, my dear mum very sadly died last summer of Leukaemia and my (usually lovely) Granny (aged 96 and grieving) first said that Luca reminds her of the phrase 'dirty Luca' then a week later she asked if it was too late to change the name beaches it reminds her of Leukaemia.

I was so upset, my baby (3 weeks old) really suits her name and I love that it's a bit different but now I can't stop thinking about the link to Leukaemia :(

[Truntscump]

*because not beaches!

[ArseyTussle]

Who or what is dirty Luca?

[itsawonderfulworld]

Would you consider changing it to Lucia (Italian for Lucy) - it means "light" and St Lucia is the patron saint of light.

[Chinnygirl]

Don't listen to granny. Luca sounds lovely. It fits with all thepopular names out there while being different. I think it's a female version of Lucas?

[Yukbuck]

I'm sorry to hear about your DM. Must have been a horrible time for you all.
As soon as you said she'd died from Leukaemia though I thought the name also reminded me of it though I'm afraid. I think if it was a few years down the line then it wouldn't have the link so much but it only happened last summer so still very fresh.
However, it's your baby, so you should call her what you like. Congratulations on your baby

[dontcallmelen]

Arsey dirty/filthy Luca used to be slang for money not sure if it still is though or has other connotations.

[SonyaGluck]

Who or what is dirty Luca?

Filthy lucre?

[MaximumVolume]

@ArseyTussle I suspect OPs granny means dirty (filthy) lucre.

[Cherryskypie]

It's a lovely boy's name.

[babymouse]

Filthy lucre, maybe?

[ArseyTussle]

Ah, got you now.

[dontcallmelen]

Doh😳 lucre Max has the proper spelling

[blueskyinmarch]

The phrase is filthy lucre meaning dirty money. Luca is a lovely name.

[tinymeteor]

Yanbu, it's lovely and more importantly it's her name now. Done. Everyone can keep their objections to themselves.

[babymouse]

Oops double (quadruple) post?

She'll get over it. If you are set on the name than use it unapologetically.

[itsawonderfulworld]

I think it's a female version of Lucas?

No, Lucas, Luca and Luke are regional variations of the same name (Germanic, Italian, English). The female version would be Lucy/Lucia.

[Trifleorbust]

'filthy lucre' is from the Bible and is pronounced 'luca'.

Either way, you can name your baby whatever you like and as she already has her name, you should simply ignore any comments.

[PacificDogwod]

Filthy lucre

And the 'leuk' bit in 'leukaemia' means 'white' as it is a cancer of the white blood cells, so while the meaning is similar (white/light), the spelling isn't.

I think you need to put granny's remarks out of your mind.

Change your DD's name is you want, not because of what anybody else says.

Congrats on your new DD!

[Willialwaysbelookeddownon]

I love Luca for a girl. If you love it, keep it.
No one else in the world will make the Leukaemia connection.
Lucas however I hate because I think of mucus and locusts!

[twobarnsmammisonthebus]

I would ignore your grandmother on the dirty lucre comment, but if YOU (not her) feel that the sound link to leukaemia would upset you, then you could consider changing it. I think it's tenuous, and rather mean of your grandmother to mention it. However as someone who had also lost a parent to cancer, I know that emotions run very high, which might explain your grandmother's comments (but not excuse them), and also that you have to do what you can to get through. If for you that means changing the name so it doesn't become a trigger for sadness when you hear it, do it with your head held high. If it means keeping the name and being proud of it and its lovely connotations, then do that with your head held high. for you and your no doubt adorable baby Luca.

[Marilynsbigsister]

No. Sorry a. It sounds like a boys name because IT IS A BOYS NAME !

Just because it's forrin doesn't make it a Uni sex name. It's like having a girl baby in Italy and calling her Robert... (because you like the name !)

As for similarities to Leukaemia.. I don't think you could of picked something more similar name-wise if you tried. No wonder granny is upset.

Lucia... lovely !!

[twobarnsmammisonthebus]

(Lovely connotations i.e meaning light) x

[PacificDogwod]

I have never heard anybody pointing out a perceived similarity to 'leukaemia' when 'Luca' is used as a boy's name though

[Summerwood1]

I know lots of children called Luca but they are all boys.