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Baby names

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

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Original poster

Naming a child from a country you have no links with

62 replies

TripTheLightFanjotastic · 01/12/2014 20:53

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.

OP posts:

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SwedishEdith · 09/12/2014 00:04

I've never met an Ingrid but I'd think of it as similar to Heidi or Greta - both really mainstream now.

AWombWithoutAFoof · 09/12/2014 18:03

My dream name for my hypothetical second DD is Målin. Even though the nearest I've been to Sweden is Ikea.

Aisa · 09/12/2014 18:33

I think both of them are gorgeous and no one would think twice about either. Something foreign that other English speakers would have to think for a while before knowing how to pronounce would be odd if there were no connection, but Douglas and Ingrid are fine.

BlueStarsAtNight · 09/12/2014 20:17

I like them both, and I def wouldn't hesitate with Douglas, but Ingrid I do kind of see what you mean, I would wonder if you had Scandinavia connections.

It's weird because I love Greta but feel like I can't use it for the same reason, but I wouldn't have that problem with Heidi! It's definitely a personal perception thing.

DrSeuss · 09/12/2014 20:24

Technically, my children's names are Hebrew. We're not Jewish.
My name is Greek, I am not.

LadyintheRadiator · 09/12/2014 20:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Starlightbright1 · 09/12/2014 20:41

My DS has a welsh name I am English with no Welsh connection. I just loved the name

FishCanFly · 10/12/2014 11:59

Why not? We live in a multicultural society. People can name their kids as Lord of the Rings characters these days if they want to

InanimateCarbonRod · 10/12/2014 12:00

My DD has a native name from the South Pacific. I've never been and have no connections. I just liked it!

IgnoreMeEveryOtherReindeerDoes · 10/12/2014 12:07

My DS has a welsh name, we have now Welsh ties.

I had a uncle called Douglas and he was very northern. Love the name Ingrid btw and wouldn't even question the origin

WolfMoon · 11/12/2014 01:31

I was given an Italian name by very much English parents - and went on to marry an Italian man. We now have DT girls with Italian names

CruCru · 13/12/2014 14:19

I think both are fine as everyone in the UK would know how to spell and pronounce them. I'm not so keen on Irish names that are pronounced very differently from how they are written.

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