Are these names too pretentious?

[HeadFairy]

Carlotta
Giovanna

??

To be fair to me, I do have an Italian father and and Argentine mother, and dh's parents are both Italian. We do have Italian surnames (both my maiden and married names are on ds's birth cert) and I have a French first name, dh has an Italian first name, ds has an Italian first name.

But really we sound English, live in England, have British passports (dh does have an Italian one as well and I can have Italian and Argentine should I choose to)

Too pretentious to have such foreign names for someone who will be born and grow up (in all likelihood) in the UK?

[Technoprisoners]

Would be pretentious without the Italian surname and background; with it, they are divine

[Bucharest]

Not pretentious at all, as you have the background.
I like them both, although be warned, Giovanna is very old lady, (dp who is Italian always laughs at me when I say I like it)

[Hassled]

No, given your respective backgrounds, regardless of your Britishness now, they are fine.

Carlotta, as I was reminded on the Malory Towers thread, was the exotic girl from the circus in the Enid Blyton books - people might think of her, but she was a nice character IIRC.

[docket]

Not pretentious at all given heritage. I prefer Carlotta personally

[funnypeculiar]

Given your heritage, absolutely not pretentious at all - in fact I think you would be missing an opportunity if you used a boring English name
I also prefer Carlotta

[differentID]

perfectly acceptable given the family connections. I know a baby girl born to a non British mother and a Welsh father who has been given the name Giovanna.

[Disenchanted3]

Sounds like a car manufacturor & an ice cream brand.

Sorry.

[OrangeFish]

Giovanna is beautiful, we have 2 in the family and no relation whatsoever with Italy. They seem to be coping fine with it. Apart of possibly having a british surname do name and surname sound well together?

DS has a french name and a surname that although not french may be easily confused by one. He is fine, apart of some parents and GP trying to practise their French with me (ha ha ha!) things are ok...

[HeadFairy]

It's funny what you say about Giovanna being an old ladies name Bucharest, I had a childhood friend called Giovanna and she was very very beautiful even at 12 years old, and was terribly exotic. I was slightly inspired by her. She could always be Jo if she wanted to Anglicise her name.

Carlotta - well that's just a cheeky one of mind because if she was Lottie, it would really rhyme with my surname. I'm less sold on that one, but it is pretty.

A third choice for me is Alice. Much more trad, pretty though I think. Works really well with our surnames.

[HeadFairy]

Sorry Orangefish, meant to reply to you. When you mean possibility of an English surname, do you mean when/if she marries? She could always be rebellious like me and not change her name

Both names sound great with our surname, Giovanna with our surname sounds particularly exotic, makes me think of Gina Lollobrigida

I get people always assuming I'm fluent in French and Spanish, now it's pretty good but I'm by no means fluent. Perhaps we'll have to make sure our children speak Italian as they will have such resolutely Italian names and they won't have to perpetually disappoint people when they say they only speak English. It's always the first thing people ask me!

[OrangeFish]

I was thinking more about your surname rather than the one of a potential husband.

If they go well together go for it, it is not bad at all to have a touch of exotic to a name, them are more memorable and help people to remind your name (great for a professional career, not so good if she joins the maffia )

[HeadFairy]

I found it hard growing up in the 70s with an unusual name, but I think unusual names are much more common now so I don't think children will feel awkward in the same way. I have benefitted quite a few times from my name, mostly from men who get quite excited by a foreign name - for some reason the think I'll be some tempestuous firey Latina - which of course I am

[OrangeFish]

Same here, I hated my name as a child but as soon as I was past primary school, I immediatly realised of the benefits , it also helped my career a good deal (I'm the arts type)

[Bucharest]

I do think you need some sort of furrin roots to carry it off classily though...I went to school with a girl called giovanna now I think about it, (her Dad was Italian) and she was also impossibly glam....I like Gianna too (my Mum's sister is called Joanna, but has always been Janna to us all, and dp is always bemused that mad Aunty has Italian name)

I do loathe this Luca thing though.....when it's people just wanting to be "different".

I know a totally 100% in Italy little girl called Whitney which is similarly

[OrangeFish]

"I went to school with a girl called giovanna now I think about it, (her Dad was Italian) and she was also impossibly glam...."

It is the same with my cousin, and her daughter is going exactly in the same direction . There should be something about that name...

[HeadFairy]

Eek Bucharest, ds is called Luca

But he's got his Italian parentage in his defence (and mine!)

[Pingpong]

I think both are lovely and totally acceptable with your heritage.
If they want something more British as a nickname then they could chose Anna or Carly for example but the full names are beautiful IMO.

[Bucharest]

Lol headfairy As you say- you are entitled! Apologies for my example!

I'm definitely coming round to preferring Giovanna to Carlotta. (also because there is a Carlotta in dd's nursery class and I can't see her being glam when she's older bless her, and we've established that all Giovannas are!!)

[HeadFairy]

In my defense (again ) Bucharest, the only alternative dh would accept for ds was Enzo, now that really is an old man's name I think

I do love Giovanna too.... better hope I have a girl now

[Bucharest]

Oh, yes Enzo has no teeth and one of those Sicilian beret things....

(now Enzo's mother is going to crop up and batter me)

[notevenamousie]

With the background, I think they are both lovely, and could be abbreviated if so wished.

[newgirl]

lovely names not pretentious

very likely to be shortened but that is ok isnt it? lotta and gio nice too?

[sifuentes]

Hi Head I'm the equivalent of a plastic italian having lived there studied it and with brown hair to boot! So I am jealous of your dcs and their italian sirnames. DP's sirname is totally horrendous and goes with nothing. it's so bad people laugh when i tell them and tell me to always keep mine.

I know a gorgeous lovely girl from genoa called Carlotta. I also really like Viola, with the italian pronunciation.

not at all pretentious names. I love Enzo too!
And Alice is v pretty and not too popular i don't think.

italian and argentinian - i'm nearly passing out with envy at your heritage!

[pointydog]

I quite like Carlotta.

yeah, you'd get away with it