Is this name to American for living in the UK?

[Sprinklesomepixiedust]

DH and I have decided on a name for soon to be born DD1. When we revealed the name to my parents they said it sounded ridiculous and far too 'American' for living in the UK. However DH is American and before you say anything, there are careful reasons why we chose this name.
The name is Savannah Dallas Kaitlynne
Savannah is one of our favourite names and always has been. Dallas may sound a little ridiculous but it is where DH originates from and was where she was conceived naturally after 3 unsuccessful rounds of IVF in the UK. It is also pretty much my favourite place in the world! And Kaitlynne was the name of DH's sister who sadly died last year so we thought it would be nice to include that.
DH's family love the name but I do worry it sounds very American for the UK(we dont live in a particularly multi-cultural area at all, I think DH is pretty much the only foreign person!) What are your opinions on the name?

[ladymia]

OP you said "What are your opinions on the name?"

My opinions on the name: I think they are not great.

Savannah is the female version of Jayden to me.

Dallas is not a great name and only great to you because it has some special meaning, you conceived your child there. I am sure your child is going to love you explaining that to everyone (and cringe every time they hear it)

Kaitlynne - again the spelling is just "off" and unless you explain to people what it means every time they will just believe you to be the kind of person that want to take a perfectly boring name and make it unique with bad spelling. It doesn't however make sense to change the spelling as you are actually honouring the relative.

All that being said, Savannah is rising in popularity and middle names hardly get used. You like the names so go for it. Why ask for opinions if you are just going to tell people that it's not important what they say you are using it anyways?

[SconeRhymesWithGone]

Full disclosure: I am American.

Savannah is a beautiful name; it has a lovely sound, I think. As for Dallas, it is a surname of Scottish and English origin that existed long before it was used to name a Texas City for a fellow named Dallas. And I think it is wonderful that you are honoring your DH's sister in that way, and I would spell the name exactly as hers was spelled.

[SconeRhymesWithGone]

toobreathless, the expression "trailer trash" is offensive.

[MidnightMasquerader]

I can't believe people are giving you grief about the middle names. I bet these are people who gave their DDs Rose, May or Grace as a filler middle name. Yawn.

The entire point of middle names is to honour family members and/or be a bit wild and use a name you wouldn't saddle them with for a first name. You've done both. Great; go for it. :)

Nobody uses middle names in day-to-day life, so the sorts of considerations you have to give first names simply don't apply.

Savannah is really not to my taste, but if you like it, then go for it!

Congrats on your pregnancy, and don't tell anyone else your choice IRL.

P.S. one of our neighbours growing up was (prob still is!) a female Dallas and I'd say is in her 70s now. This is in NZ.

[nooka]

My view (as you have asked for our opinions for some reason) is that having two middle names is a pain, and that Dallas is a bit OTT in any case. I don't personally like Savannah, and yes it is a bit American, but with an American dad I don't see that as a problem (probably not really a problem regardless).

I'd also generally recommend not telling anyone your name until your dd has arrived. You'll get a much better reception!

[whyno]

Savannah kaitlynne is beautiful and just out there enough. I do think it would be a bit mean to give her Dallas as well. If you must I'd use kaitlynne first.

[Gwennan]

I'd get rid of Dallas, personally. I'd be mortified if my middle name was given mostly because it was where I was conceived! If your DH was from Poughkeepsie or Northampton or Glasgow, instead of Dallas, and that's where your baby was conceived, would you still use it?

Savannah Kaitlynne sounds prettier. Personally, neither name is to my own taste but you both love Savannah and Kaitlynne relates to someone important to you. I think 'honour names' are big in America.

The other reason I'd say to scrap Dallas is that it makes the name very long. Neither Savannah nor Kaitlynne is a short name and I think you've honoured the baby's American heritage enough with those two names alone.

That said, she's your baby and, as mentioned above, middle names aren't used that often, anyway.

[TallulahBetty]

Love Savannah and Dallas. Not keen on alternative spellings so Kaitlynne is not for me, BUT with the sentiment behind it I can overlook that

[blueshoes]

I would agree with toobreathless

[FlatsInDagenham]

I think it's beautiful. Especially having understood the reasons for your choices.

[MrsSham]

I would have Dallas at end rather than the middle. Savannah kaitlynne Dallas.

I do prefere this spelling rather than Caitlin.

[LinusVanPelt]

Yes, 'trailer trash' is offensive. Ridiculous that anyone should have to be told that.

Living in a trailer, probably because that's what he or she can afford, does not make a person 'trash'. Neither does being American. Neither does having a name that is not to your taste.

Grow up.

[LinusVanPelt]

Sorry, OP - I love when names have meaning behind them. I think your choices are lovely, particularly the part that's after your dh's sister.

It's a beautiful way to give your daughter a strong connection to her auntie.

[MerryMarigold]

I think: why not? The middle names will be important to no-one except her, and there's a lovely history there.

Just wonder though if your family's apparent bitteness is because there is nothing in her name to do with your family. If she is a long awaited baby, maybe they feel like it is all about your dh, is history and his family. Do they feel you are getting lost in him?

If I were you, I would dump the Dallas (which imo is the worst of the names) and put something in that has relevance to your history or your family, like your maiden name or your grandmother's name or whatever. That way you have something of you in there.

[Littlefish]

Sprinkle, you asked for people's opinions. Why bother? You're not going to change your mind. You were never going to change your mind. You don't care what people's opinions are. That's absolutely fine. You love the names, you want to call your dd those names.

[AmandaPayneNeedsaHoliday]

merry makes a good point actually. Have you thought about putting something from your family in there?

[IroningBoredDaily]

I like the name Savannah.

I like the name Caitlin, but not with the alternative spelling I'm afraid. I can understand using it to honour your late sil, but you have to think about how you will feel explaining the name to others as you have said it wouldn't be your personal first choice. Don't use a name you are not 100% sure about.

I wouldn't definitely not use 'Dallas'. There is no need.

[IroningBoredDaily]

^ damn auto correct

[Timetoask]

I like Savannah!
Granted, she is a much wanted baby and was concieved in Dallas, BUT, do you really need to call her after the place? What if she would have been concieved during a holiday to Saudi Arabia or the falkland islands? Would you have called her that?
Personally, naming children after dead relatives is not my thing but I can understand why your DH wants to do so, and it is a lovely name.

[BabyRoger]

I think it's quite a nice name. I do prefer Dallas on the end, though. Savannah. Kaitlynne Dallas.

[flossy101]

Love the name savannah, and how special to have middle names that mean so much!

[Branleuse]

its your baby, and the name is fine.

[expatinscotland]

I'd get rid of Dallas.

[lljkk]

I am the only foreign parent up at the school, hard to think of any other foreign adults locally. Savannah would be fine around here (fits with the little Zarannes & Sarayas...) & nobody but relatives would remember the middle names, anyway. That said...

Debbie does Dallas screams to mind, sorry.

I think where you touched a nerve is by not honouring both sides, nothing in the names seems to come from her British heritage. conservative with a small c, all that.

the spelling Kaitlynne drives me batty but I understand: am American too, and my dad/DS2 middle name is a similar bizarre spelling on an ordinary name, there's a whole funny story behind our strange spelling.

[sparkle12mar08]

Seeing as you asked for oppinions, my own personal oppinion is that they're all bloody awful names. And in my, again asked for, oppinion, they do scream trailer trash/chav/illiterate etc. Because if people don't know you or your reasons for choosing them and only see the names written down or called out, then that's exactly what they're going to think, I promise you. MN can be very irght on at times but Joe Public? Not so much.