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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Donte / Dontae for a white british boy?!

82 replies

emmagreen481 · 02/11/2018 17:16

I'm 23 weeks pregnant with a boy and I am really struggling with finding a name. I've looked at almost every possible name on this planet and I don't like any of them. The only one I've considered is Donte / Dontae pronounced don-tay however everyone I've spoke to about it has told me it's a black man's name, is this true?! and does it even matter?
Before anyone mentions it, I have thought about the name Dante instead and I don't like it

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ElizabethMainwaring · 03/11/2018 06:03

I know a young Dante and a young Dontay. Both white.

mathanxiety · 03/11/2018 05:48

Dante is pronounced Dan-tay

I am in the US where Dante is pronounced Dontae/Dontay, and I would say that 99.9999% of the bearers of the name are African American. The Italian poet connection is a sideshow, to the extent that you might even be accused of cultural appropriation if you used it as a white person of Italian heritage in the US.

Shadow1234 · 03/11/2018 01:10

Do you like Luca - which I believe is an italian boys name.

Original poster
emmagreen481 · 02/11/2018 20:29

Nope, just saw a character off a TV show years ago called Dontae! Although I do like 'foreign' names. I had Alya picked out for a girl which is pronounced ar-lee-ar which is Arabic

OP posts:
ladydickisathingapparently · 02/11/2018 20:26

Are you looking for a name with (say) Latin/Italian heritage or did you like the sound? What about Darius or Devon?

Original poster
emmagreen481 · 02/11/2018 20:24

Not a fan of Dawson as I know someone with that as a last name. The other ones I've thought about are Dalton, Tate, Lucas, Theo and Bobbie but there's issues with all of them.

I like 'nickname' names

OP posts:
Original poster
emmagreen481 · 02/11/2018 20:22

My son's father is quarter Chinese and has olive skin, also my mum is Italian so it's highly likely our child will be tan with dark hair and dark eyes

OP posts:
Whiskeyjar · 02/11/2018 20:21

What about Dawson?

Original poster
emmagreen481 · 02/11/2018 20:18

Thanks for all the comments, I think I'm going to avoid it! Now to find another name

OP posts:
Boredboredboredboredbored · 02/11/2018 19:57

Awful name!

greendale17 · 02/11/2018 19:56

It would seem odd on a white boy. Don’t do jt

Sethis · 02/11/2018 19:55

Really the only person in control of what a name gets shortened to is yourself. If you never call him Dan, and always call him Dante, he should call himself Dante, and thus so should everyone else.

SatsumaFan · 02/11/2018 19:51

I only know one Dante (pronounced kinda inbetween Dan/Don tay) who is mixed black/white heritage.

BrokeLuce · 02/11/2018 19:50

I wouldn't do it.

PenguinSaidEverything · 02/11/2018 19:49

I know a Dontae - he is indeed black!

Original poster
emmagreen481 · 02/11/2018 19:49

Dante is pronounced Dan-tay and I do like the name, my mum is also Italian so it would fit in well. I just don't want it being shortened to Dan which I think might happen

OP posts:
Playdonut · 02/11/2018 19:49

It's a nice name. Go for it. Names don't have a colour. I like the donte spelling best but both are nice x

canihaveanap · 02/11/2018 19:47

And not for race reasons either, because it's god awful

canihaveanap · 02/11/2018 19:46

I really wouldn't

Glumglowworm · 02/11/2018 19:44

Definitely not Dontae!

NorthernRunner · 02/11/2018 19:19
Hmm
Whiskeyjar · 02/11/2018 19:17

Your son would not thank you for that name

JC4PMPLZ · 02/11/2018 18:51

Don't

daisypond · 02/11/2018 18:49

Dante is pronounced Dan-tay, as in the Italian poet. I've never heard it pronounced as Don-tay. But Collins dictionary does say it can be pronounced both ways - a bit of a surprise there.

CheerfulAsEver · 02/11/2018 18:47

Regardless of whether you think the name has a 'colour' . I think don-tay sounds horrible anyway. What about pronunciation Dan- Tay. Similar but a little nicer, also leaves it open for the little one to use the nickname Dan if he chooses.