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Baby names

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

Original poster

Italian Baby Boy

33 replies

PrincessMarm · 13/01/2020 11:39

Myself and my partner cannot decide on a name for our little one (due end of Feb). He is Italian (so baby will have an Italian surname) but I am Welsh and would like to incorporate someway.

We have decided we will have a middle name (none of his family do) in order to compromise.

We are trying to think of names that can be pronounced by both of our families.

What are people's thought on the following:

Jacopo (pronounced Yacopo) Jac for short
Nicolo - Nico for short
Romeo
Dylan or Rhodri (middle name)

:)

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KatnissMellark · 15/01/2020 15:22

Leonardo also fits your criteria I think.

KatnissMellark · 15/01/2020 15:20

My absolute favourite Italian boys name is Giacomo. If only I'd married an Italian and could use it without looking silly.

I think would sounds lovely pronounced in a Welsh accent too!

Otherwise Matteo (maybe Matty for short) works well I think.

BluueVelvett · 15/01/2020 15:13

What about Angelo or Giovvani, Gio for short?

FishCanFly · 15/01/2020 13:17

how about Ezio

Original poster
PrincessMarm · 15/01/2020 09:28

@Oriunda I know! He has relatives called Daniele, Andrea, Gabrielle, Nicole who are all male, and we have discussed the implications whilst in the UK and at school!

We actually live in England now and possibly will not be moving back to Wales, so here lies the English mispronunciation of Welsh names also!

As if naming a baby wasn't difficult enough already!!! We'll get there :) :)

OP posts:
MiniGuinness · 15/01/2020 02:11

Do you live in Italy? I'd go for a welsh first name if he will have an Italian last name. That way both backgrounds are honored.

Oriunda · 15/01/2020 02:05

Italian DH, living in Uk. Our son is Cosmo (his nonno is Cosimo). Works well in both languages and easy to pronounce. He has an English middle name and Italian surname.

The ‘o’ ending names work quite well. Don’t use the ‘a’ ones like Andrea or Nicola because they’re feminine outside of Italy.

Jacopo is however problematic. As is Gennaro as it’s a soft g in Italy but likely to get mispronounced in Uk. Ditto Romeo.

Alessandro works well - easy to pronounce and shorten to Alex if desired.

I also like Ludovico (Luco or Vic). Or Carlo.

Original poster
PrincessMarm · 14/01/2020 12:20

Thank you everyone, good points to take on board to our discussions :)

@NameChange30 He will have a Welsh middle name or maybe even first name, depending on how it sounds.

I don't want to use my surname as it means nothing and is not important to me; it is my mothers step-dads surname, who I have never met and she would rather forget. She hasn't had the surname since she got married and my siblings don't have the surname either. My mother is also an only child so has no siblings with the surname either. My partners name means much more to him and his family and when we get married we will all have the same :)

OP posts:
GRW · 14/01/2020 11:56

Someone I know with an Italian husband has called their son Gennaro.

TheCanterburyWhales · 14/01/2020 11:23

I prefer Nicolo of your choices- though you'd have to settle on which spelling variation you prefer (Nicolo' or Niccolo) Nicola is much more old fashioned and ubiquitous- it was very popular particularly about 15-20 years ago.
Romeo is more of a surname, I have never met an Italian male with Romeo as a first name.
I like Rhodri and Ianto and no Italian would have trouble pronouncing either, I don't know how modern/traditional/old-fashioned they are in Welsh though. (Giovanni, for example has been named after his grandfather and is never going to be chosen by an Italian these days for any other reason)
Luca was, for years, the most popular Italian name and there are about 4 in every class.

Ellmau · 14/01/2020 00:03

Jac as short for Jacopo - wouldn't that be pronounced Yak? I'm not sure that would work.

I quite like Romeo of your choices. Through pronounced differently in Italian and English. Romano?

Lorenzo
Antonio
Francesco
Filippo
Cristiano
Carlo

littlealexhorne · 13/01/2020 21:16

I love Romeo, and, like PPs have suggested, everyone will know how to pronounce and spell it. I like Matteo too

NameChange30 · 13/01/2020 20:20

"He is Italian (so baby will have an Italian surname)"

Why don't you give your child your own surname? You are carrying and birthing the baby - and presumably raising it together with your partner? Dare I say you might even intend to be the primary carer?

You could give the baby both surnames.

Don't just give the baby an Italian first name and surname, it should have at least one name to reflect its heritage on the mother's side too.

AlpacaGoodnight · 13/01/2020 20:16

Nico or Romeo! I know a Romeo and everyone always commented on how much they loved his name!

MikeUniformMike · 13/01/2020 19:53

Matteo is nice, and could be Matt when older.

massistar · 13/01/2020 17:06

Niccolo will be mangled by English/Welsh speakers and Romeo isn't pronounced the same. Just depends how much it'll annoy you!

What about Marco? Gianni? Gianluca? Antonio (Nino)? There's a lot more of a chance in Italian of it clashing with a family member's name as they tend to stick with traditional names so less choice.

GryffinDora · 13/01/2020 16:02

What about Cosmo? So cool!

travellover · 13/01/2020 15:52

Nicolo and Romeo are so nice Smile

MikeUniformMike · 13/01/2020 15:46

It's quite different. The name is known in both languages, which is a plus.
Romeo is not that nice a term in English.

Lavenderblues · 13/01/2020 15:37

Oh ok, so the emphasis is slightly different. But it's still a well known name in both languages.

Unlike Jacobo for example, which is unfamiliar to most English speakers.

MikeUniformMike · 13/01/2020 15:05

@Levenderblues,
Romeo in English is ROME-ee-o
Romeo in Italian is Rom-AY-o

Lavenderblues · 13/01/2020 13:55

Romeo is a great classic name that is pronounced similarly in Italian and English.

I hadn't thought of the Beckhams at all. Who cares about that anyway, they're not mass murderers or anything Grin

MikeUniformMike · 13/01/2020 13:51

@PrincessMarm, Love your brothers' names.
Vincente is quite nice, Vin as a nn Wine

Jacapo - I hear welsh people saying it as Jac Appo. Jac is quite popular in Wales.

Original poster
PrincessMarm · 13/01/2020 12:57

Thank you everyone :) It is such a difficult decision; I guess we will just 'know' when he's born :)

@MikeUniformMike I do speak Welsh actually, my brothers are named Ieuan, Tomos Llewellyn and Lloyd.

Also, my partners name is Davide so would not want to name him the same and do not like the name David.

Romeo has nothing to do with Beckham, I hadn't even thought of that.. We were in just Verona whilst discussing names...

@ElphiasDoge my partner can actually pronounce it quite well as they also roll their 'R's in Italian.

@massistar my partner has a huge family and a lot of first cousins with names we are trying to avoid. Luca is one of those!

OP posts:
ElphiasDoge · 13/01/2020 12:39

Nicolo sorry. Probably wouldn’t go with Nicole but it’s your baby!