Torben

[Starkitty]

Starting to try and think of names for my son, due in June. I'm Scottish, my husband is Italian, so he will have an Italian surname. Middle names will probably be the names of his two grandfathers. So we're trying to think of a unique first name, but something that would be pronouncable in Britain and Italy. We're both quite keen on Scandinavian culture & Viking history and have come across the name Torben, which means 'bear of thunder' or ' Thor's bear'. Just wondering what people's thoughts are about it, is it too obscure?

I love love LOVE IT!!!

Lovely!

There’s one at my dds nursery I really don’t like it sorry

Love Torben. It's a great name.

Makes me think of Torben Friis from Borgen (not a bad thing). I quite like it actually, and it's straightforward to pronounce and spell.

I know a little Torben, he goes by Toby. I really like it!

I like it. Unusual and strong.

I like it

It looks like a watered down Torbjorn to me, because I know lots of Swedes with that name (pronounced, more or less, Torben/Torbin). But Google tells me that it’s a legit Danish name so sure, why not.

It is very nationally linked though, so you (and your son in years to come) will have to have the conversation that goes “no actually we’re not Danish, no we just liked the name” many many times, which would get a bit tedious but no worse than that.

Personally I prefer the Scottish name Torin (although I know that to read Italians would pronounce it Tor-een but if you aren't in Italy and any Italian family are mainly hearing it before reading it it shouldn't be difficult for them to pronounce it as Torin).

I really like it! Never heard of Torban until now but I think it's cool without being strange which is hard to do

Is it the name that is Torbein in Norwegian?

I know two so it may be rising in popularity but I do like it x

Thanks everyone! lovely to get mostly positive comments about it! 🙂
It is the Danish version of Torbjorn, but I really feel Torben is more accessible in English and Italian, in terms of spelling and pronunciation. I really like Torrin too, but my husband said that's the name of the Hobbit in the film/book. So not so keen after learning that.
I really like the idea of Toby as a nickname! But I wouldn't mind Ben either.