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Baby names

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

Original poster

Dante or Rafael with Italian surname?

35 replies

Pinkywoo · 30/12/2021 13:22

DS2 is due in two months and we can't decide on a name! DH is Italian (Sicily) and I'm English, at the moment he prefers Rafael and I like Dante. He says no-one under the age of 90 is called Dante and he'll be the only one, but that's precisely why I like it, DH has the most common name in southern Italy, literally half of males in Sicily seem to be called it (any Italians will be able to guess it!).
Also DS1 is called Michael and which is quite similar to Rafael, help!

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Awrite · 30/12/2021 13:45

I love Rafael, love it.

Dante make think of Dante's inferno. I do like the sound of it though

LesLavandes · 30/12/2021 13:42

Why don't you go for Rafael? A compromise

Original poster
Pinkywoo · 30/12/2021 13:32

That's interesting about the onomastico, they'd just have to share! DH can't get his head around using ph for an f sound, his spoken English is good but he struggles with written.

OP posts:
KurtWildesChristmasNamechange · 30/12/2021 13:30

I love Dante! I'd go with that.

Melassa · 30/12/2021 13:28

I agree with your DH re Dante, the only one I know is mid 90s.

Michael, Raphael and Gabriel (or Michele, Raffaele e Gabriele) are the archangels and all have the same onomastico, which might or might not be handy Grin.

If you are going for Raphael English style then I would keep the ph spelling, I personally find Rafael a bit too in between (or Spanish?). Seeing as your first DS is Michael I would go full English, but that’s just me.

Original poster
Pinkywoo · 30/12/2021 13:28

Should add we live in England so that's why we like these two as they're easy to pronounce for both languages.

OP posts:
RedRobin100 · 30/12/2021 13:28

Rafael

Don’t think it’s at all too similar to Michael. Only the ae really

itwasntaparty · 30/12/2021 13:27

Rafael

Original poster
Pinkywoo · 30/12/2021 13:26

Long Italian surname ending in gio.

OP posts:
LesLavandes · 30/12/2021 13:24

What is the surname?