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Baby names

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

Original poster

Baby boy name - Please help! Which is better?

39 replies

Fivelittlemonkeys · 23/03/2022 14:27

Hello, our little baby boy will be named Asterios after a family member. Obviously, we are not British.

We are thinking of either keeping it as Asterios or shortening it to Ari, which is a common nn in our home country and we believe it will be digested easier in the UK, rather than his full BC name.

So, what would you do? Which one do you prefer and will be easier to use in the UK?

I am also very conscious that if we keep it as Asterios, he may be teased at school and got told Asterix, which I don't want. I know that kids tease anyway and find silly excuses but if I could minimise the risk, it would help.

Opinions please? Asterios or Ari for his everyday life? Hmm

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aSofaNearYou · 24/03/2022 08:19

I really don't think you need to worry about anyone calling him Asterix, I don't think that is something kids are likely to come up with at all. It is probable that people would naturally shorten it to something like Ari, especially if you've always called him that so he introduces himself that way.

Original poster
Fivelittlemonkeys · 24/03/2022 07:57

@TabithaHazel Astrid is a lovely name but I see your concern.

I also wanted to name my DD Evelyn until someone here said that she may be called Evil-lyn and than stuck with me...

Same now with my DS, Asterios, someone said about the Ass nickname and the Asterix one and they stuck with me... hence I think that it may be better to introduce him straight as Ari.

I am so puzzled as most people here weirdly seem to prefer Asterios even if Ari is so much easier to say/to write etc.

OP posts:
TabithaHazel · 24/03/2022 07:11

I think it depends where you live - in some parts of the UK no-one will bat an eyelid and in other parts people may struggle to pronounce it at first and yes children might come up with the ‘ass’ nickname.
I wanted to use the name Astrid and I saw a thread on here where someone said why would you call your child a name beginning with ‘Ass’ when there are so many other names, and that kind of stuck with me and we didn’t use it! On the other hand, some kids will always find something to be mean about, and I personally like the name. I don’t think Ari would be a natural nick name used by his peers though - unless he always introduced himself as Ari and if that was the case, just name him Ari :)

wouldHAVEshouldHAVEcouldHAVE · 24/03/2022 07:07

Asterios is amazing! Such a lovely sound.
I don’t ever shorten names unless the person introduces themselves as that name and children are no different.
If I meet a Joshua I’d never presume they want to be called Josh for example.
I don’t think Asterios lends itself to Asterix and all the kids I know (hundreds) haven’t usually heard of the character.
There’s many kids in my school who aren’t British and no one struggles with their names or shortens them so don’t feel you need to nickname it, it’s a fab name.

Original poster
Fivelittlemonkeys · 24/03/2022 07:03

Thanks all, that's useful and most of you seem to prefer Asterios.

However, how is this possible? I mean in the UK all people I know have nicknames.

Nicholas is Nick, Theodore is Theo and Alexandra is Alex, even Charles is Charlie!

So, on this basis, and given that full BC names are rarely used and people tend to shorten them, why do you say to keep Asterios?

I am worried that it may be shortened to something that starts with As (which may be a point of tease at school), or Asterix or Rio/Aster (which both sound very foreign in our home language).

So, why not introducing him straight as Ari, which is a real nickname in our home country, and avoid either teasing or being shortened to something that doesn't feel right to us? In this case no-one would know about Asterios as this would only be at his BC.

Any advice and help on this will help as I have this dilemma the past 8 months and I am about to pop now... Smile

OP posts:
IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 24/03/2022 06:56

Keep Asterios!! You can always abbreviate it to Ari if you want,’but Asterios is much nicer.

Knightbuss · 24/03/2022 06:33

Asterios is amazing! You could always use both.

groovergirl · 24/03/2022 05:32

Asterios is beautiful. It's also easy for English speakers.
Go with it, and keep Ari as nn if tongues get tied.

Pandypuff · 24/03/2022 00:01

I much prefer Ari and would definitely go with that.

PollyPutTheKettleOnKettleOn · 23/03/2022 22:45

@BlueChampagne

I would call him Asterios, and see how it goes. You've then still got the option of Ari as a nickname. Though some people might hear Harry.
I agree, its a lovely name. Greek?
fitzbilly · 23/03/2022 22:43

Asterois is much nicer than Ari and he won't get teased for it. Not in primary school anyway.

WeasilyPleased · 23/03/2022 22:41

Asterios is lovely. Use that.

BlueChampagne · 23/03/2022 14:31

I would call him Asterios, and see how it goes. You've then still got the option of Ari as a nickname. Though some people might hear Harry.

Lilaclavenders · 23/03/2022 14:30

I really like Asterios! It's easy enough to spell and say for English speakers.

I know a Hebrew woman called Ari.