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Baby names

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

Original poster

British, Irish, Italian baby!

60 replies

Stilldreamingofsun · 21/09/2016 14:07

Due in a few weeks and still can't decide on baby names!!! DP is English and I am Irish. We currently live in Italy so could get away with a British, Irish or even Italian name. Quite happy with my girl choices but I think a lot of the boys names are dreadful (DPs choice- he's much more posh than me!!!!) Please could you give me your honest opinion on these and feel free to offer any alternatives! I should add that we will probably move back to the UK next year, so don't want anything that would be difficult to pronounce or spell! Also, we are double barrelled. The first surname starts with S and is a very old, aristocratic name. Maybe rules out S first names?!

Magnus
Hector
Rafe
Rory /Ruairidh
Gabriel
Dominic
Sebastian
Torin

Alessia
Francesca
Saoirse
Freya
Aoife
Roisin

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Elephantsaremygods · 21/09/2016 14:10

I'm with you on the boys names - v v poncey (for my taste) except for Gabriel, Dominic and Rory

Will you struggle with Irish spellings in Italy?

Original poster
Stilldreamingofsun · 21/09/2016 14:12

Thanks for your honesty elephants!! I quite like Dominic as well! I don't think it's going to be an issue really- looks like we are moving back to UK early summer next year!

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Rinceoir · 21/09/2016 14:17

Don't think you'll struggle with Irish spellings more in Italy than England! I like Dominic actually and Ruairí/Ruaidhrí. Róisín is lovely and could be abbreviated to Rosie which is fairly universal. Francesca is really nice too. I love Saoirse but don't know if it would go with an S surname.

TeaPleaseLouise · 21/09/2016 14:19

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Elephantsaremygods · 21/09/2016 14:20

I like all your girls' names :)

Arborea · 21/09/2016 14:24

I love Italian names, so in your shoes don't think I could resist having the perfect excuse to use a proper Italian name, particularly one that can be Anglicised.

The ones that spring to mind are:

Massimo
Paolo
Lorenzo
Stefano

Chiara
Paolo
Elettra
Flavia

To name a few!

Original poster
Stilldreamingofsun · 21/09/2016 14:30

Hi Tea,
I like Nicolas- and love Nico! Teach several of them here in Italy!
Arborea- you're dead right! It's a great excuse to use an Itslian name. Unfortunately, DP hates Luca and Matteo which are my faves!
Are all men more obsessed about boys names than girls? Haha!!

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albertcampionscat · 21/09/2016 14:36

Well, the top 100 boys names in Italy include Alex and Max as well as Leo - or did last time I looked. And it's not (all) anglophilia - they're traditional shortenings for Alessandro and Massimo. Another option could be Walter? Walter Zenga (footballer), Veltroni (Mayor of Rome) Chiari (actor).

Original poster
Stilldreamingofsun · 21/09/2016 14:42

Hi Albert,
I have taught in London private schools so unfortunately I am a bit bored with Oliver, Leo, Max, Alex, Oscar, Edward etc! Peril of the job!! Walter is cool though- it goes quite well with our surname!

OP posts:
albertcampionscat · 21/09/2016 14:53

Fair enough. Personally I love Walt/Walter but it's a bit marmite.

OlennasWimple · 21/09/2016 14:56

Irish Catholic or Irish Protestant?

hollyisalovelyname · 21/09/2016 14:56

Rory
Dominic

chinlo · 21/09/2016 15:01

I like Hector, Dominic and Alessia

Original poster
Stilldreamingofsun · 21/09/2016 15:01

Olennas,
Actually a mixture of Catholic and Protestant!

OP posts:
VioletBam · 21/09/2016 15:03

Love Torin and Roisin

FreeButtonBee · 21/09/2016 15:03

Aidan (St A of Lindisfarne so English connection too)

Sgtmajormummy · 21/09/2016 15:04

I nearly went for Giulia/Julia with DD. Sounds the same in English and Italian.
Cara is a fun play on names. It's "friend" in Irish, "dear" in Italian and just a nice name in English.

I like Samuel(e) for a boy...

BUT that boat has sailed!

Original poster
Stilldreamingofsun · 21/09/2016 15:05

Freebuttonbee,
A great idea but my first name sounds exactly like that! Grin

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IDreamOfPeace · 21/09/2016 15:05

I personally love Rory and Saoirse, but worry Saoirse would be mispronounced by everyone she ever encountered who wasn't familiar with Irish names.

I wrote Saoirse on a piece of paper and showed it to my DH as a potential girls name for our baby. He looked very puzzled and said "You can't seriously want to call her 'swarse'?" lol! I tried to tell him it was pronounced 'seer-sha' but he was having none of it! Grin

Original poster
Stilldreamingofsun · 21/09/2016 15:06

Cara is a great idea! It's also a well known brand of matches in Ireland Grin

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Sgtmajormummy · 21/09/2016 15:07

You're right! That's one of the main reasons for us not using it!

GoNorthDarren · 21/09/2016 15:10

Weirdly I like your boy names better that the girls tbh.

Rory, Sebastian and Dominic are lovely and I wouldn't call any of them posh really.

I like Francesca but don't really like any of the others. I don't strongly dislike any of them though. Aoife is quite nice as well buy it is quite well used among people I know and then there are a lot of Evies and Avas where I live too (though maybe not in Italy)?

Original poster
Stilldreamingofsun · 21/09/2016 15:14

Haha idream!! I think my DD would never forgive me if I gave her that name- how annoying would it be constantly spelling it!!

OP posts:
Original poster
Stilldreamingofsun · 21/09/2016 15:20

Agree- soo many Eva and Ava's around and Aoife sounds very similar!

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DoinItFine · 21/09/2016 15:28

I like the boy's names more.

Magnus is great.