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Baby names

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

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Original poster

What do you think of these Italian boys' names ?

76 replies

spaghettina · 23/05/2015 16:13

Recently found out we're having a boy, now trying to find an Italian name which will sound fine to English speakers too - we live in Italy but I'm from the UK so want something that's not unpronounceable or ridiculous in English.
I don't want to use English name as first name, as we live in Italy and it would get mispronounced on a daily basis.

Obvious choices like Luca, Marco and Matteo (all easy to pronounce) have been vetoed by DH.
Also he would like to call the baby after his father (baby's grandfather) as that is the local tradition here and they are a pretty trad family - one name on the following list is FIL's name but I am not sure I agree with that idea...so am trying to come up with some good alternatives.

So I'm curious to know what people make of these?

Jacopo (J pronounced as a Y so "YA-copoh)
Edoardo
Raffaele (Raff-ah-EH-leh)
Ettore (ETT-oreh)
Niccolo'
Ugo

Bruno

Thanks in advance!

OP posts:

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NeitherHereOrThere · 25/05/2015 14:01

I know a few young Italians living in the UK - Guido, Marco and Enzo.

CrispyFern · 25/05/2015 14:18

It'd be a bit too weird having both children named after your in laws yes!

Your kids would feel like "where is mum in all this?"

I like all the names though, I really like Jacopo!
Maybe Ugo isn't great.

Annunziata · 25/05/2015 14:45

It is just so expected... My DS1 has the same name as DH, FIL and my dad. Thankfully I liked it!

Raffaele is a gorgeous name though... Rafeli or Lele or Lello for diminutivi!

Edoardo is beautiful too. Dado!

DrankSangriaInThePark · 25/05/2015 14:51

Niccolo'.

I am teaching one later and he is gorgeous.

It's really the only one I like from your list.

Is FIL Ugo? I imagine all Ugos to be rotund nonno-types with big baffi.

It's funny, I loathe Raffaele, yet love Raffaella....go figure.

NeitherHereOrThere · 25/05/2015 14:53

Just remembered another one - Nico.

Original poster

spaghettina · 25/05/2015 15:47

Love Marco, can't use it. Ditto Nico.

CrispyFern As Annunziata says, it is just the done thing, in this part of Italy at least. My DH and his sister are named after their paternal grandparents and don't think it's weird. Guess that's the result of such a strong male chauvinist society at work on the national mindset for centuries...

I think it is only weird to us "Anglo saxons" who tend to place greater emphasis on individuality than tradition. Which isn't a bad thing!

I was chatting to a relative yesterday - his DD is called after his mum, and he's still smarting that his wife wouldn't call their 2nd child, a boy, after his dad, even though his older brother already used the name for his firstborn so there would be two first cousins with the same name.

DrankSangria FIL is actually Raffaele. I quite like it, but I know what you mean about preferring Raffaella! Although I don't like Raffaello as it sounds like a Ninja turtle/Ferrero chocolate.

OP posts:

SylvaniansAtEase · 25/05/2015 15:53

I would not agree to both of your children basically being mini- FIL and MIL, no. It's so dismissive of your side of the family, and unfair - and utterly chauvinistic. You are already completely happy with giving your children names from HIS culture not your own - that's enough. Really enough.

I think I'd dig my heels in here and say, it's either Edoardo Raffaele, or I get heavy and insist that we have an English name, to be fair.

SylvaniansAtEase · 25/05/2015 15:54

Oh, and tradition - it's not your tradition though, and YOU are 50% of these children and 50% of their heritage. If he wanted a guarantee that all his traditions were continued, your DH should have married someone from the next village...

SylvaniansAtEase · 25/05/2015 15:57

...and, and - you say lots of nice choices have been vetoed by your DH - Luca, Matteo etc. What happened to compromise here? Your DD is already named for HIS family. HIS surname is being used. HIS father's name will undoubtedly at least be in there as a mn - sorry, but I'd be saying that the first name choice here should be very much weighted to what YOU are happy with and what YOU would choose, with a nod to what would appeal in your culture. But - he can't even allow that small compromise.

YonicScrewdriver · 25/05/2015 15:57

Rafaelle and Edoardo are both nice and can be pronounced here. Nadal has made the former quite well known in the similar Spanish form.

Davide? Stefano? Giorgio? All pretty do-able

YonicScrewdriver · 25/05/2015 15:58

That's a good point sylvanians.

SylvaniansAtEase · 25/05/2015 16:05

I know, it's got me quite worked up !

It would be utterly fair for OP to smile and say, sorry, DD was named after your family so this one will be named after mine, as is of course utterly fair. Now, we have my dad Stephen, or possibly my granddads James and Aubrey... then if it's a girl, I'd quite like my mum's middle name of Adeline with my grandma's name Catherine for the first name... DH? Sorry, I don't understand the problem. Oh right, you want THIS one to be completely named after your family with no reference to mine too? Sorry darling, I don't think that's how it works. I'm a person, you see, with a family and a heritage too. Not a womb on legs which dropped out of the sky to facilitate the continuation of your lineage . It's called equality and fairness, and marriage...

Annunziata · 25/05/2015 16:49

It doesn't work like that Sylvanians, it just doesn't. I'm sure OP's DH doesn't mean to be hurtful, this is just what he thinks the baby should be called. Especially a baby boy.

I know quite a few MILs who refuse to call babies anything but The Name That Should Have Been Picked!

Marisola · 25/05/2015 17:30

"I think it is only weird to us "Anglo Saxons" who tend to place greater emphasis on individuality than tradition"

It was very much the same tradition here in England in earlier times. There was a surprisingly small pool of names in use until the early 20thC, when people started to be a bit more adventurous.

Original poster

spaghettina · 25/05/2015 17:32

Deep down that was my gut reaction as well Sylvanians. I do think this tradition belittles the woman's side.

However, it is such a strong expectation that if I do decide to dig my heels in, it might well be viewed as a bit of a snub to my lovely FIL.
Don't think it would have been such a big deal if I'd wanted to call DD something original and not happened to love my MIL's name. The fact is, their only son's first and probably only son is a Huge Deal to them.

But as you point out I am 50% of this couple and not just an incubator!

It also irks me that the only acceptable alternative in their mentality would be my father's name, which I don't want to use for various other reasons I won't go into, but at the same time it's annoying that the default assumption is that we should use FIL's name and not honour my father who died years ago' if that makes sense?

Just been reading threads on this on an Italian parenting website and opinions are very divided. Women really trying to fight their cause but often meeting with a complete stonewall. There are even in laws who refuse to speak to their sons/DILs because they didn't use the FIL's name. Ridiculous!

OP posts:

Original poster

spaghettina · 25/05/2015 17:33

You're right about that Marisola

OP posts:

DrankSangriaInThePark · 25/05/2015 19:59

My MIL fainted and had to be taken to A and E when we announced that dd would NOT be called Antonietta.
Dp has 5 nephews called Antonio. Guess what FIL is called?

Sgtmajormummy · 25/05/2015 20:16

I know a sister and brother called Roberta (done their duty) and Roberto (just to rub it in)!

Annunziata · 25/05/2015 20:48

My MIL fainted and had to be taken to A and E when we announced that dd would NOT be called Antonietta. Dp has 5 nephews called Antonio.

I must practise fainting for becoming a MIL! So far I have been crying, sulking and nagging. I'd forgotten about fainting

Antonios are always beautiful and marvellous though

QheenofSheba · 25/05/2015 21:03

My MIL fainted and had to be taken to A and E when we announced that dd would NOT be called Antonietta. grin
Dp has 5 nephews called Antonio. Guess what FIL is called? grin

Bertie?

Original poster

spaghettina · 26/05/2015 09:32

Brother and sister Roberta and Roberto?! And Italians are known for their creativity in just about every other area

Sangria at MIL!

OP posts:

Anjou · 28/05/2015 19:58

Some suggestions to add to your mixing pot (and my favourite Italian names!)

Alessandro (so many nn opportunities!)
Cosmo
Arlo
Rocco
Ludovico/Ludo

Lovely names!

DimpleHands · 28/05/2015 20:25

I think Jacopo is the best name ever. Really want it for DS but me and DH are as English as they come so couldn't really pull it off sadly!

Original poster

spaghettina · 30/05/2015 09:42

Dimple I really like Jacopo too but it seems to be too tricky to pronounce for the Brits... Maybe it doesn't even matter after all in the grande scheme of things - I suppose that's when nicknames come in handy!

OP posts:

PolkadotsAndMoonbeams · 30/05/2015 10:03

I don't think Jacopo is particularly hard to pronounce. (But then I have Dutch relatives, so J as Y doesn't faze me.) if people hear you say it it will probably be ok won't it? Or he could just go by Jacob to English family? I know someone who's Jeroen (sort of yuh-run) at home and Jerome over here, or a Job who gets Yob and J-oh-b.

I always loved Tonino as short for Antonio (this is from reading Diana Wynne-Jones!). Is that actually used?

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