Jakub or Kacper? Maybe Olaf?

I teach in a rural area and have met an Olaf who was 5 not sure if he was Polish or not. I always ensure I say names as they such be pronounced not anglicised, as your name is your name but sometimes it's difficult to say some sounds. The Polish children I have taught always have tell me if I have said their name correctly and have had great fun trying to get me to say words.
I love Jakub and the nick name Kuba

Really.....
I never suggested giving him an English name. Merely that using a foreign spelling will complicate matters and potentially cause the child frustration. The op rejected Jacob in favour of the Polish spelling despite the former being easier for the child if staying in the UK.
I too have worked in a big London teaching hospital by the way and meet people from various nations every day. You are not unique in this. If I moved abroad I would choose a name which would be easily pronounced and spelt in that country.

I really like Jakub and Olaf, keep the original spelling that's how its meant to be. I tried to simplify my first 2 dc's Arabic names to make them more 'Englishly' I wish I didn't now they had beautiful spellings to begin with my dc 3 & 4 we have stuck to the originals!!

Really dislike Kacper (cack was slang for rubbish growing up and they sound too similar)
Like Jakob
Love Olaf

*Yesterday 22:50 Dolwar

Yes you want to keep your son's heritage alive by giving him a polish name. HOWEVER you have chosen to live in another country and to bring him up here so you need to consider how he will fit in with his name. Calling him something that no one will ever know how to spell or pronounce straight off is not going to win you any brownie points from him. As someone who has a name that is easily misspelt, I have missed many vital emails from people who spell it how they think it should be and not how it is when it comes to typing my email address*

Oh come on. I work in a big london teaching hospital, with many indian/sri lankan/pakistani/european/iranian/muslim/sikh dr's and nurses. Lots second generation, born and brought up here.

No one ever says any of them should have been given a english name, and it doesn't cause any problems.

I have the simplest english name possible. People still ask me how i spell it. A friend of mine struggles in th US with john- as they pronounce it "jahn"

If you lived abroad would you give your child a local name, or stick with james/olivia- what if the locals struggle with them?

Refusing to learn how to pronounce a "foreign" name is pure ignorant.

I really like Olaf- and to be honest, the Frozen (even if there is a sequel) hype will have died down waaaaay before he's a teenager and old enough to get annoyed- so he would probably find it kind of cool whilst he's still a kid- kids love that snowman anyway! And as a general adult name I think it sounds really sophisticated.

Yes you want to keep your son's heritage alive by giving him a polish name. HOWEVER you have chosen to live in another country and to bring him up here so you need to consider how he will fit in with his name. Calling him something that no one will ever know how to spell or pronounce straight off is not going to win you any brownie points from him. As someone who has a name that is easily misspelt, I have missed many vital emails from people who spell it how they think it should be and not how it is when it comes to typing my email address.

I would go for Olaf if you like it best, I think it sounds lovely and the frozen thing is not really a negative. The other 2 are nice too but I prefer Olaf. I don't think the polish spellings would be confusing in school, surprised by some of the comments! We're in London too and names from all cultures are normal to all the kids, some replies here are very narrow minded

I really don't like Olaf.

However I don't see any issue with Jakub or Kacper.

Op threads can get like this when Welsh/Gaelic names are mentioned too. Blows some people's little heads that people use names from their own cultures.

What sounds best with the surname?

I do have to say though that a foreign name will cause comment and queries 'how long have you lived here then?', which is a monumental pain in the backside, and I'm not convinced it's not a barrier when applying for jobs (assuming the surname isn't Smith of Windsor).

And come off it you lot who say you've not heard of Olaf the snowman - I've never seen Frozen, wanted to see Frozen or listened to the well known caterwauling song all the way through bit even I'm aware of is a snowman (as does anti cutesy-disney DS)!

Jakub is lovely and has the added bonus of a cool Polish nickname (Kuba). I'd choose it for that alone, although the others are great too.

From the time I was a child, I loved the name Phebe from the books by Louisa May Alcott.

But I had my first DD not long after Friends finished being made. So, I was worried people would think I had got my inspiration from the character on the show. (I think she may have had the Phoebe spelling?) So, I didn't use it, and I have always regretted that.

If I told you my 17yo DD was called Phebe, would you think Friends? Probably wouldn't even think about it.

So, I would say, if you like Olaf, go for it.

(My DC have friends of all different backgrounds. They don't really question their names. They're just names.)

I like Olaf and Jakub. Kacper will probably end up being pronounced Casper.

We live in a small, not very multicultural town and even our little school manages with children with Polish names without anyone spontaneously combusting. Names that aren't Jack and Ella really aren't a problem for today's children or teachers and don't result in bullying.

I like Olaf and jakub, I think they're nice names, but I haven't seen frozen so I don't know if that would change my mind!

Marmite

Olaf is just so strong and so cool. I kind of wish I could have another DS now, and be Polish, so that I could use this name!!

I would go for Olaf. I don't think the Frozen thing will really matter in 5 years when your child starts school it will just be another Disney film by then.I think it is also the easiest in terms of spelling and pronunciation. I have also taught quite a few Polish children whose names have a polish spelling but they go by the English pronunciation at school by their own instigation. I suppose because they get a little fed up of explaining the pronunciation to peers and teachers. I'm not saying that they should do this but some children obviously find it easier.

Op pick a Polish name spelt the right way and everyone will figure it out. I have an unusual name and spelling as it's not 'english' because I'm not. I get positive comments everyday. If you live in London even less if an issue.

Fwiw I work in an ara with quite a big polish community and the names are no issue. I know a boy who is 10 called Olaf and I love it he's really cool and his name suits him. I prefer Kacper over jakub as it's a bit more unusual.

Not now babulya he's in his late teens!

To be honest we always preferred the shortened version and he was supposed to be named the short version but - first baby, in labour for days, everyone comes to see him when he's a few hours old, I'm shattered and SMIL kicks up an almighty fuss about his shortened name and I just gave in Biggest mistake I ever made!!

She's tried it ever since with our other DC too and other things but unfortunately for her I've learned not to listen to her

I love the polish names Marek and Jerzy (Jurek) so would pick one of the, or maybe Stefan.

Ime kids won't say it the way it's written.

Very few will be able to read in reception. He'll introduce himself as kachper, and that's what he'll be called. When they do learn to read they'll learn that kacper is pronounced kachper, like they'll learn would is pronounced wood.

My dc go to school with a wide variety of cultures. Some of the names, from a white british pov are very odd, but the kids don't bat an eyelid. It's their friends name.

Even of it not pronounced cack per, kids will day that from the way it's written, and he could get teased. Which might be ok, depending on what kind of kid he is, or it might be hell.