Italian or Irish names for DC1!

[countrybumpkin78]

Okay, so I am Irish and DH is Italian and we are trying to find some middle ground when naming our first DC. As their surname will be about as Italian as you can get (it is Violetta) we don't know whether to go all out Italian or to use an Irish first name (would that sound weird though?). We have made a shortlist for each but we just can't decide what sounds best. Advice please?

Italian
Rocco
Marco
Nico
Ettore

Amalia
Clio
Mimi

Irish
Fergus
Conall
Niall
Ciaran

Fionnuala
Alannah
Niamh
Roisin

What do you think sounds best?

[tammytoby]

I'd suggest Irish, given that an Irish first name and Italian second name reflects the child's cultural heritage.

I like Ciaran Violetta and Niamh Violetta.

[Tenebrist]

If you went for the Irish/Italian combo you'd be following in the footsteps of Eamonn De Valera.
We compromised by having an Irish name as their middle names.

[TryLikingClarity]

I am Irish (from Belfast) so might have a slightly biased pov

I like the names Niall and Rosin.

I've never seen the name Alana spelt Alannah, but I like it.

[Tenebrist]

And I agree with tamy that Ciaran and Niamh are the nicest.

[pchick]

I love Rocco. Use one name a the first name, and the other nationality as the middle.

[Aphria]

For me, I think I would probably go with a first name that isn't overtly Irish or Italian. I'm in Dublin and know an Irish/Italian couple and they have a Luca and Sophia which I think work well. They've stayed away from Irish but not too Italian for Ireland either.

[countrybumpkin78]

Should point out that we live in England.

[KenDoddsDadsDog]

I absolutely love the name Amalia. Have only ever met one.
Love Niall too.

[MelinaM]

I'd go Italian.

[MelinaM]

...with an Irish mn

[sqweegiebeckenheim]

I hear Rocco I think Bertie Ahern's grandson.

I'd still go Italian though.

[HerdOfTinyElephants]

I'd go Irish -- one name for each heritage. I love Fergus which would have been the name of my hypothetical DS2 if she hadn't been a DD2, but I think Ciaran flows the best with Violetta.

[diddl]

I´d have to go with the names I like the best, rather than "theme" it iyswim.

I like Fergus & Mimi the best from your names.

[pilates]

Def Italian, Marco and Nico being my favourites,

Something lovely about Italian names.

[upatdawn]

Ettore Violetta sounds so cool! Out of the irish names I like Fergus and it sounds good with your surname.

For a girl I like Mimi Violetta best out of the italian names and Fionnuala out of the Irish names (with nn Finn/Nuala).

When it comes to whether to use italian or irish I would just go for the name you like best - at the end of the day that's what matters!

[MmeLindor.]

Go with the names you like best.

DD has: Scottish - Italian - Austrian
DS has: Scottish - British - Austrian

Once they have the name, they have it and it sounds right.

Can I throw my favourite Italian names into the mix - Francesca and Mauro

[AnaisB]

I'd go with the name you like best. I love Rocco and would use it myself, but as I have no Italian heritage I think it would be a bit pretentious/weird. Can all the names be pronounced by both sets of relatives? - I don't mean could they read the spelling and know how to say it, but more could they make the actual sound - if that makes sense.

[ReindeerBollocks]

I like Ciaran and Niamh as they go well with the surname my DC also have those names so I'm biased. I always really liked Ashling as an Irish name too, but I'm just throwing that out there.

[ludog]

Cara would be a nice Irish/Italian compromise for a girl.
Luca is a lovely boy's name and is getting more popular in Ireland recently.

[MissWilde]

As a suggestion how about Fabio? Fabio Violetta sounds amazing (but I do love Italian names so might be biast :o)

[MamaBubba]

We were in a similar situation and chose an Italian name that went well with the Italian surname but could easily be pronounced by an English OR Italian speaking person (think of all the relatives...).
In your situation I'd choose Isabella, Sophia, Olivia and for a boy Mauro, Carlo or Francesco. You can always choose an Irish middle name.