Naming a child from a country you have no links with

[TripTheLightFanjotastic]

So in the running are Douglas if a boy and Ingrid if a girl, but both myself and DH are English. There are no Scottish links and no Scandinavian links, we just like the names.

Would this be a bit weird? It doesn't help our surname sort of sounds a little Scottish.

I've never been asked about our heritage as a result of our children's names (Scottish and Italian origins). I think there are some names that would draw those sorts of questions but I don't think Douglas and Ingrid are anywhere near that mark for most people.
Neither of them scream "culturally specific" to me. Not like Niahm where you would have to understand it's cultural heritage to have any idea how to say it.

Sukvinder and Abdul might be a bit weird if you had no connections but Douglas and Ingrid are in common use in England so they are fine.

noisytoys a fan of Spirited Away by any chance? I love Chihiro, it is a lovely name :)

OP I'd wonder if you did have a connection to the country and would maybe think it a little odd if you didn't, but I wouldn't ever comment on it and it'd be more of a moments thought than a lingering feeling. Saying that, Douglas and Ingrid aren't 'out there' names by any means.

I think a lot depends on how aware people are of name origins. As SurfsUp1 said, the number of truly English names is miniscule, and most people accept names like Deborah or Michelle without immediately assuming the person has Israeli or French roots.

I think French, Irish and Scottish names are so ubiquitous in England - look at Isla, for example - that no-one would raise and eyebrow at them, and Nordic names aren't that unusual either.

Douglas has been popular in England for hundreds of years, to the point where the accepted pronunciation is now based on how English people say it - originally it was pronounced Doo-glas.

Criteria for me is: is something lost when said with my accent? Ie. I know when I say etienne and morag something beautiful is lost with my English accent. I also would probably not use a non European name as I think as an English person it's a little odd to give a child an Indian/ japanese name. Is it kian from west life who gave his son an Hawaiian name? I found that odd.

Well, I'd think of Ingrid as an Orcadian/Scottish name rather than a Scandi one - which just goes to show - no country really owns a name.

They're both nice names which are immediately recognisable throughout the UK. No-one is going to say 'Eh?'. I think they're fine.

Both names are fine. As earlier posters have said, Douglas has been used in many parts of the UK for generations. And I think filmstar Ingrid Bergman made Ingrid an international name.

Just to put the record straight, Angus and Lachlan did not originate as Scottish surnames. Angus = a Celtic god of love; Lachlan = a nickname, in Gaelic, meaning 'person from Norway (ie the land of the lochs', ie a Viking)

Ingrid is not just scandi, it is very common in the Netherlands and in Lithuania the equivalent is Ingrida.

Douglas and Ingrid seem very mainstream to me. I know they come from elsewhere, but for starters, Britain is a multicultural society, and secondly they have been used for a long time by English people. I would put them in the same category as names like Ruth or Alexander - neither are native English names (whatever that means) but they have been co-opted into the culture.

(Fwiw, Douglas and Ingrid are both lovely names imo.)

Come to think of it, my own DCs' names are Irish, French, Shakespearean madey-uppey, Hebrew and Greek/Russian. All of them are family names used by my Irish family for generations.

noisy chihiro is beautiful.

Nothing wrong at al. Why not?

Aha! I was expecting something well crazy :P
Douglas and Ingrid are perfectly normal, if at times more unusual, names which have been used throughout the UK for centuries.

Coming from someone from someone who is quite intent on using a Japanese middle name...

I don't think it's weird. DS2 is called Ephraim. DH is actually half Israeli but it has never occurred to me that it could be weird, especially as DS looks far from Israeli-Jewish with his blonde hair and green eyes.

I know a little Soren who is half Thai and half Jewish American. I thought the combination was pretty cool when I met him!

I also know an Eduardo who's parents are both as English as can be. They just preferred it Edward and made no apologies or excuses, so Eduardo he is.

Ingrid and Douglas are both lovely.

We'd have trouble here in Australia if we had to only use Australian names.
I can't really think of any other than Aboriginal names and very few of us are Aboriginal!

Thanks for the replies. I understand that names and naming trends evolve through time and will continue to do so.

For me the question was more of if you saw the name Douglas on paper, would you assume that person to be Scottish, likewise for Ingrid. (Not about limiting myself to English names only.) From what it sounds the answer is no, but other names it would be yes, and I guess that is very dependent on peoples perception of a name!

I think it is more the name itself than people's perception of it. Some names have been around for a long time and have become part of the general culture. Perceptions have therefore changed. Maybe four hundred years ago Douglas or Ingrid would have seemed 'Scottish'. Not any more. Names like Struan or Murdo otoh are relative newcomers and would seem more Scottish imo.

And I think surnames also make people have a perception of a name. Douglas Baker would seem quite English to me whereas Douglas McLeod would make me wonder if he was Scottish.

I love both names. my parental great grandfather was Douglas and was as English as you come with no Scottish connections. likewise we have a few ingrids on my mother's side - but we do have scandi links there. based on my background I wouldn't assume Douglas = Scottish. I might slightly expect ingrid to be of scandi background but wouldn't be surprised to find an English ingrid and certainly wouldn't think why are her parents using that name if they arent scandi?! fwiw, dd has a greek name (albeit one which is common in Germany where dh is from) and we aren't Greek!

I think Douglas and Ingrid would be fine. Do you like the shortened versions of Doug and Dougie too?

Mrsfrumble, the Soren I know is German! Names are fluid imo, providing they can be written in your native script and make sense, go for it.

I called my middle child a Hawaiian name and we are Irish no link to Hawaii what so ever but we loved the name. I would go with your heart.

Depends .... irish welsh scottish i wouldnt even think to wonder

I had Paloma and Bruno on my lists. Lots of French names i love. Arnaud eg

But for me, a japanese or arabic name would have been really inappropriate.

I know a Douglas and an Ingrid- both very firmly English.

If I meet an Ingrid I assume she's Scandi and will ask the connection. If I meet a Douglas I assume there's a Scots connection.

I must be old fashioned. I find it odd to use those names if you have no connection to them culturally.

Sorry, what I meant to say was that I rather thought your children would regularly be asked the cultural connection re. the origin of their names.

But reading this thread I think I am wrong!