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Baby names

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

Softer/European Boy's Names

38 replies

Nonplus · 30/06/2026 19:32

Living in the UK, but the name needs to be pronounceable by the rest of the family, who all live in central Europe.

I like:
Emil
Karol (I love this name, but I won't be using it because in the UK he'd probably just get a lot of raised eyebrows at best)
August (probably a bit too trendy now)
Konrad
Ansel

Are there any similar names I might not have thought of?

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StationJack · 06/07/2026 20:55

What language is it, @Nonplus ?

Nonplus · 06/07/2026 16:17

PrincessOfPreschool · 04/07/2026 20:10

Konrad is definitely not a softer name!

Stefan
Gabriel
Luca

Ah, you've made me realise that there is a slight but important difference in pronunciation/syllable emphasis between my language and English. It does sound a lot harsher in English. Maybe it's out. Thanks!

OP posts:
PrincessOfPreschool · 04/07/2026 20:10

Konrad is definitely not a softer name!

Stefan
Gabriel
Luca

GoneWithTHeWindJammers · 01/07/2026 15:16

staybyyou · 01/07/2026 15:14

Camille

Camille Pissarro - brilliant artist

staybyyou · 01/07/2026 15:14

Camille

GoneWithTHeWindJammers · 01/07/2026 15:00

SwedishEdith · 30/06/2026 23:52

Jesper
Asa - love this name
Linus

The World Cup is a great opportunity to peruse international male names.

Linus Pauling - double Nobel Prize winner, Chemistry and Peace. Unique accomplishment.

TAS123 · 01/07/2026 14:58

Olin
Soren
Bastien
Albin
Alaric
Dario
Florian
Willem
Nikolai
Yves
Julian
Milan
Sacha
Lyon

WonderWeeksArentReal · 01/07/2026 14:44

My friend is Czech and her son is named Daniel, nn Danny.

StationJack · 01/07/2026 14:00

Bellybellas · 01/07/2026 13:26

I understand that but unfortunately the UK official documents can’t cope with an Å, so it’s Asa.

It's usually Aosa.

MrsBeltane · 01/07/2026 13:30

Benoit

Nonplus · 01/07/2026 13:29

mathanxiety · 01/07/2026 03:24

Kilian
Marius
Adrian
Adam
Oskar
Florian
Dominik
Robert
Maximilian
Anton
Stefan
Roman
Patryk/ Patrick

Quite like Oskar and Antoni. Thanks!

OP posts:
Bellybellas · 01/07/2026 13:26

StationJack · 01/07/2026 10:49

The Swedish name is Ã…sa not Asa.

I understand that but unfortunately the UK official documents can’t cope with an Å, so it’s Asa.

StationJack · 01/07/2026 11:12

Central Europe is generally defined to include Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Liechtenstein, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Switzerland,...

Any particular countries, @Nonplus ? Does it need to work in the UK and sound (almost) the same in all languages?

What do you mean by 'softer'?

I woudn't think of Konrad as a softer name but would Emil.

I'd rule out a J sound, a W sound, a TCH sound, and the 'ch' sound you get in German.

StationJack · 01/07/2026 10:49

Bellybellas · 01/07/2026 07:01

Asa is a popular girls name in Sweden!

The Swedish name is Ã…sa not Asa.

wolfinappleskinjeans · 01/07/2026 10:34

Stefan, Nico, Elias

GrinchPink · 01/07/2026 10:23

No one mentioned Damian.

Caspianberg · 01/07/2026 10:18

Henry
Max
Fabian
Vito
Lucas
Tomas
Leo
Marcus
Eric
Alexander
Oscar

Otto is seen as very dated old man in most mainland Europe

We found names starting with Vowels harder or th or J as all pronounced different

Chamallo · 01/07/2026 10:01

I actually really like Karol too and don’t see why he couldn’t pull it off with that spelling. How international is it where you live?

user1492757084 · 01/07/2026 07:10

Karl
Albert
August
Gustav
Vincent
Victor
Henri
Henrik
Roland
Nils
Otto
Michael

Bellybellas · 01/07/2026 07:01

SwedishEdith · 30/06/2026 23:52

Jesper
Asa - love this name
Linus

The World Cup is a great opportunity to peruse international male names.

Asa is a popular girls name in Sweden!

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 01/07/2026 06:02

Milo
Anders

mathanxiety · 01/07/2026 03:24

Kilian
Marius
Adrian
Adam
Oskar
Florian
Dominik
Robert
Maximilian
Anton
Stefan
Roman
Patryk/ Patrick

Gooseling · 01/07/2026 03:23

Jonah
Anders
Viktor
Magnus
Paulo
Nico
Felix
Fabian
Maxi
Jakub
Artur
Florian
Bruno
Cristian
Edwin
Kaspar
Ellery

SwedishEdith · 30/06/2026 23:52

Jesper
Asa - love this name
Linus

The World Cup is a great opportunity to peruse international male names.

Firebird83 · 30/06/2026 23:27

Luan
Felix
Hugo
Casper
Elias
Florian
Luca
Nico
Marius
Elio
Matteo
Robin
Oliver
Fabian
Louis
Milan
Rasmus
Stellan
Magnus
Leo
Theo
Noah