Can we name our son Gabriel?

[MamaDane]

My SO and I are both women and we're TTC currently, so naturally we've been discussing baby names.

Now I've recently fallen in love with the name Gabriel but my SO is very much against the name because of how it's pronounced. She's worried he'd be bullied as "Gay-briel with the two gay mums".

However we currently live in Denmark (I'm Danish and she's an expat from England) and the name in its pronunciation of the "a" is closer to e.g. the a in Daniel. I'm just not sure it would be an issue here.

What do you ladies think? Would it be irresponsible to name our (possible) future son Gabriel or is it setting him up for bullying?

We do have other names in mind that we both love it's s just hard to let that one go. She suggested it as a middle name but since we're taking her surname I'd like the kids to have Nordic middle names (that we both love of course) to pass on my heritage as well.

My friend loved this name and always said she wanted to call her first son this! Her husband hated it and they called their son something else but she still loves the name - I think it's lovely. It's not a modern name but at the same time not so traditional.

I love the name and would have used it but it was one of many my DH vetoed. I can see where your partner is coming from though it may be a bit much for a boy to take.
Other names I lived but were struck off because my taste is too poncy (apparently) are Jocelyn, Dorian, Sebastian

I like it, DP vetoed it!

I did. He is now approaching secondary school age and is getting the 'Gay' thing. It is still a lovely name though.

The only Gabriel I know is gay. I've never even considered the link TBH.

It's a lovely name. Unfortunately, I see where your dp is coming from.

Oh no. Is it bad teasing and is he very affected by it?

It's a beautiful name! I would choose it for a boy.

Nobody but you, I'm sure, would ever think of 'Gabe' as a female type name. Gabe has been used as a name for eons.

Love the name Gabriel.

(Gabriella is 'Gaby', for short.)

If you are worried you could do a variation? I know a little boy called Gabriele (pronounced Gab-ri-el-ay) and other boys and girls called him Gaby, Gab or Gabe as nicknames.
That being said, Gabriel is a beautiful name and would be on my list for a son

I love it but DH wasn’t keen ( mostly because DS is an Xmas baby and it would look a bit cliched) but it IS his middle name
Coolest kid at my Secondary was called Gabriel ( usually Gabe). He actually did come out as gay a few years after we left funnily enough

1sttimeDD I think that name would be worse as it sounds more like a girl's name I'm already trying to convince my DP that Gabriel isn't a "sissy" name.

Why not - it's lovely, and I've worked with at least one (who was also lovely)

TBH you can spend forever thinking up ways that a child's name can be used against them by bullies, but me, I'd prefer not to let those bullies affect my child before they're even here. It's the bullies that we should be changing, not the child's name.

In England the short form is usually Gabe (I've heard that Gay is sometimes used in Ireland but I've never met one). I doubt if anyone would think of the word "gay" in a country where people don't even pronounce the name that way - unless the Danish word for gay happens to sound like the Danish pronunciation of the name (I'm guessing it doesn't or you would probably have thought of it!) Long story short, I think Gabriel is a beautiful name and in your circumstances I don't think it will cause any problems.

Is this a genuine question?

Does your female partner actually use words like "sissy" ?

My ds is Gabriel - and is gay and never had an issue - he loves his name.
Whatever a dc is called someone will make something out of it.

Its the name I've got picked out for a boy. I don't think there are any teasing potentials. There are plenty of William
(Willy-am) running around. They have no problems do they. Plus Gabriel is quite a main stream name now, so I don't think he'll stand out.

I love Gabriel & would certainly consider for a DS

I don't know what the Danish for 'gay' is, but if you're going to live in the UK, I wouldn't use a name that shortens to Gay.
Asking for trouble, sadly. Kids are awful to each other.

Agree with foxtiger.

Aside from anything else, you could spend hundreds of man hours coming up with a unteaseable name only for him to get the piss taken out of him because of his lunch box or choice of trainers etc. If children want to tease, they’ll find something to pick at.

There are plenty of William (Willy-am) running around. They have no problems do they.

Actually I know a couple of primary aged Williams teased with Willy.

I think the different pronunciation in Danish should prevent any gay related teasing.

I actually know a lesbian couple whose son is called Gabriel - the link had never occurred to me before now.

I think it’s ok and would he go by Gabe?

I doubt he'd go by Gabe in Denmark. I think he'll mostly go by Gabriel pronounced Gah-bree-el.