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Baby names

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

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Original poster

If you saw the name Sebastien..

20 replies

camarelia · 18/02/2012 23:04

Would you think that the person just couldn't spell Sebastian or would you recognise it as a legitimate alternative spelling? Just wondering really as DH really likes the name for this DC but I am sure that he would have a lifetime of spelling his name out. Thoughts?

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cerys74 · 18/02/2012 23:09

I'd think you were French, probably (not that they can't spell, just that the last 3 letters seem...Frenchy)! He would have a lifetime of spelling it out I'm afraid... it is a nice name though.

HeidiHole · 18/02/2012 23:21

Sorry I'd think you couldn't spell. Was my reaction when I saw the thread title before I even knew what the question would be!

PastGrace · 18/02/2012 23:26

I'd think you were French.

FWIW I know two who spell it that way - one is half French (but his mother, so he has a very English surname and for the first three years I knew him I thought it was spelled Sebastian), and I think it is great.

The other, erm, well I don't like him anyway. But I was in a tutorial with him at uni and he was sitting next to the tutor in the first week. Tutor went round the room asking names and writing them down and he leaned over and said "errrrrr it's Sebastien with an EN" in a really knobbish tone and all I could think was "you're not sodding French. Don't be pretentious".

Not very helpful, sorry. I think it's a beautiful name though.

IndieNile · 18/02/2012 23:28

I`d assume you were French as that is the French spelling.

Lovely name however you spell it :)

pressingbuttons · 18/02/2012 23:29

I would not think you had spelt it wrong I would presume you are French/DP French or have some French link. However there is some difference in its pronounciation. I would think it a little futile if you used the French spelling only to pronounce it as 'Sebastian.' What would be your aim with spelling it differently if it you didn't pronounce it correctly; that's my only reservation. Great name either spelling.

Pandygirl · 18/02/2012 23:31

Its the french spelling of Sebastian, which is fine if you / DH / any of your family are french AND you want him to have to spell his name out constantly. For example if I'm e-mailing a person who pronounces their name seb (which I assume would be the nn), I would type sebastian.
In short it could cause them issue in future, which I don't think many people consider when naming their children.

justanuthermanicmumsday · 18/02/2012 23:35

its one of my fave names, but hey im muslim so its off limits. for me. but dont worry about the spelling spell it as u wish, if its not the spelling its the pronunciation. the main thing is you both like the name.

you know a lot of names i pick wll obviously be arabic or persian as many muslim names are. and a lot are long, or have weird spellings, just to emphasise where the word is meant to. be elongated. when we chose our sons name i said to my husband at school they wont be able to say his. name or they will leave the aa out a the end. he said who cares as he gets older his friends and teachers will know it, and we like the name so sod it. we kept it. within a week of nursery the teachers were saying his name correctly and spelling it right too.

so if u like the name and the way u spell it is deemed more correct for you, then register it like that.

Dotty0 · 18/02/2012 23:39

I'd say it's the french spelling, but if you said the name to me I'd spell it Sebastian.

GrimmaTheNome · 18/02/2012 23:45

Seeing the title, first thought 'can't spell', second thought 'French'.

Why does your DH prefer the 'e' spelling? If he's of Francophone origin fair enough

kbsydney · 18/02/2012 23:59

I'd think you were french. If there isn't a reason to go for the 'en' ending, then I'd just go for the normal 'an' ending or it'll be a lifetime of spelling it out! Lovely name.

BeaMinor · 19/02/2012 08:28

I would be reminded of a very sweet boy I met on the school French exchange aged 12 :) aside from that I love the name especially with an 'e'. (I wouldn't worry about the spelling it out thing if you/your DH prefer it like that - my son has a name no one can spell!)

PopcornBiscuit · 19/02/2012 12:04

I'd assume there was a French connection.

Trills · 19/02/2012 12:14

I'd think they were a bit French.

I'd also think it was pronounced "en" not "an".

talkingnonsense · 19/02/2012 12:17

I would pronounce it differently, so be awaRe of that.

dandelionss · 19/02/2012 12:35

i'd think it was French like Lucien. But i would be wary that you would be condemning him to a lifetime of having his name spelled wrongly

LaTristesse · 19/02/2012 14:46

I would assume some French connection too.

People will either spell it wrongly or he'll have to preempt that by spelling it out himself. A bit like Damien I guess... 'is that with an a or an e?'

Original poster

camarelia · 19/02/2012 15:05

Thanks, that's exactly what I thought. In our family's weird naming tradition our children each have a french name, italian name and english name as they are a bit of each of those nationalities. DH gets to choose the french name but I'm not sold on this one so needed a reason not to use it. Looks like the spelling of the name is it!

OP posts:

Trills · 19/02/2012 15:20

If you say sebasti-EN (because it is the chosen French name) then there's no good reason not to use it. Sorry.

Pandygirl · 19/02/2012 16:30

Why not Bastien rather than Sebastien? It's less anglo so there won't be any misunderstanding as to spelling?

(btw I think it's a lovely name however it's spelt).

birdofthenorth · 19/02/2012 20:19

Saw title thread, assumed it was a typo/ spelling error. Sorry.

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