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Baby names

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

Original poster

are "foreign" names ok in the UK playground?

39 replies

svalbardy · 16/10/2008 18:47

I'm having a girl, I like Solveig as a name, but I am wondering if it's wise, after a lifetime of schoolyard torture over having a french name in Australia (and my sister and her daughter are currently dealing with the total mangling of Genéviève by idiot posh mothers who "know it's pronounced Jenvevv, I assume you didn't learn french at school").
Do kids with foreign names get utterly ponced on by know-it-all stupid mothers, and utterly dumped on by kids who tease them about their name, in this country? Ideally one would ignore silly people, but 32 years of dealing with stupid comments about my name is enough to feel like calling my daughter whatever the latest fashion is, so she blends in with all the other Zoës or Rachels or Skyes or whoever.

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Liffey · 16/10/2008 19:16

Wow. Now I know why somebody wanted to spell it with a K!!

chandellina · 16/10/2008 19:15

connard = "asshole"

nickytwoooohtimes · 16/10/2008 19:14

Lovely names there.
I must admit that it drives me insane when names are pronounced incorrectly. Happens a lot round here with some of the gaelic names.

Liffey · 16/10/2008 19:10

There is a Lithuanian girl in my dc's class called Rugile.

Unfathomably, that is pronounced LOO-Gray-Lya. Everybody copes!

beansontoast · 16/10/2008 19:10

my son has a foreign name..but then so do alot of his class.

Liffey · 16/10/2008 19:08

Galway girl, I love Clodagh too, but I was told it was slang for toilet in 'churman'. LIke loo is to toilet.

What does Conor mean in French then??

galwaygirl · 16/10/2008 19:07

OMG didn't realise Connor was a swear word in France! Love that name Not sure if you can pick any name that doesn't have negative meaning in some language.
I love the girl's name Clodagh but in DH's language it means itchy (or so he says ) - mine means wide

Liffey · 16/10/2008 19:06

ps, I wouldn't be entirely sure how to pronounce Genevieve, but i'm not a know-it-all or an ignoramus! I speak English, Spanish, gaelic, and have a smattering of French. I think you're being a little harsh on people.

Liffey · 16/10/2008 19:04

I quite like it, but tbh, I think the fashion is to want to stand out, but in a classy way. Foreign standing out is acceptable....

MmeTussaudsChmberOfChocHobnobs · 16/10/2008 19:01

I like the name Solveig, it is very pretty.

Thing is with unusual names, you could give your child a ordinary name like Connor then move to a French speaking country where is pretty near a swear word and some idiots people snigger at it.

I don't think that it is so difficult to pronounce.

galwaygirl · 16/10/2008 18:59

bythepowerofgreyskull - best explanation of pronunciation I can come up with is Sool-vague if that makes any sense?

galwaygirl · 16/10/2008 18:58

I love the name Solveig (when pronounced correctly) and it's one of my top girl's names DH isn't quite so keen as he thinks it's very old fashioned.
I think unusual names are fine in the UK, there are so many people of different nationalities living here that there will be kids with all sorts of names!

bythepowerofgreyskull · 16/10/2008 18:55

in DS1's class we have 1 Japanese name, 3 Indian names, 1 italian name, 1 Chinese name.. no issues so far at all...
I think Solveig looks pretty .. how is is pronounced?

mumof2andabit · 16/10/2008 18:51

I dont have an opinion I'm afriad but I think Solveig is a lovely name. It was my norweigan great grandmothers name and she was very beautiful

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