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Baby names

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Original poster

Is it pretentious or somehow wrong (foreign names)

59 replies

RivieraKid · 10/01/2016 22:27

Backstory,

A good friend of mine has recently found out she's having a girl. She had a celebration/bump blessing thing this weekend and said that as she's a huge fan of everything Italian and visited while she was pregnant she wants to give her baby an Italian name (Carlotta). This has caused a surprisingly big issue with a couple who are mutual friends; they say it's pretentious and somehow inappropriate because neither she or her husband have a family/heritage connection to Italy. The wife even said it was cultural appropriation (isn't that something you can only do to oppressed peoples?)

Has anyone here given their baby a foreign name and been given stick for it, or decided against it for this reason? I just don't see that it's any of their business what she names her daughter.

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Figwin · 10/01/2016 22:53

Imo, it doesn't matter, it's up to them what they call their child and it's far kinder than calling a child something that can easily be used against them like Richard Rogers of something.
With a name like that she will probably get called Carly or Lottie half the time anyway. And her peers wouldn't think twice about it either way.

Original poster
RivieraKid · 10/01/2016 22:45

I just felt so bad for her, making those comments at her party was completely unnecessary I thought :(

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Original poster
RivieraKid · 10/01/2016 22:44

No, Swedish, I'm not part of the couple, it just interested me that it got such a strong reaction. Exactly, Paddington - it's not as though English names don't have several different etymological origins to begin with.

OP posts:
christinarossetti · 10/01/2016 22:43

Well, if you want to stretch the point, most language is some sort of linguistic thus cultural appropriation isn't it?

Two of my children have names derived from Hebrew and one from Latin.

They're all fairly standard names, although one very unfashionable at the moment and one not often used in the UK.

If the parents love Italy, why on earth not use an Italian name?

defineme · 10/01/2016 22:40

It's just life and fashion ...take names like Spanish Lola or Italian Luca-rare until recently and then in the top 100 baby names. Don't think it's particularly pretentious.

SanityClause · 10/01/2016 22:36

And the moral of the story is that you should never tell anyone the name until the baby is born.

Only the very rudest people will criticise a name when introduced to a squishy new born.

SwedishEdith · 10/01/2016 22:34

Are you the couple? Call your child what you like but people will ask if you're Italian/have Italian connections.

Paddingtonthebear · 10/01/2016 22:34

Some of the most everyday/commonly used names in the UK are of "foreign" origin though aren't they? Louise, Sarah, Claire..

ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight · 10/01/2016 22:32

Cultural appropriation! Lol. Yes you're right, that's only applicable when there is a significant power imbalance.
Carlotta is not too out there. There are far more typically Italian names that would raise an eyebrow but carlotta is ok. I do think that using names from completely unrelated cultures can be pretentious especially when the name is quite out there.

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