Is it wrong to use a name that has roots in Arabic/Hebrew

[NorthernRunner]

...when you are from the NE England and your husband is from NW?

We both really like Nouri and there are sentimental reasons why we like this name. Would it be ok to use?

I would read up on cultural appropriation. Being of a minority culture it does frustrate me when people (dominant cultures) take on things from other cultures thinking it's cool/sounds different.

It means more than 'light' depending on the context you place the name in - as with many things if are not of that culture/speak that language then you just won't get it. That was what I was trying to explain. Of course you can choose whatever name you like but don't expect your daughter to go her whole life without some questioning or understanding of what her name means. Simply put she won't get it unless she know the language from where her name comes from.

Thank you Carpet, this was my husband and mines concern which is why I wanted to put it on here.
I am nervous of it seeming like cultural appropriation. To be honest we love the name because of the person who baby will be named after, they were very special to us and are sadly no longer here. But he was an Japanese man, with Arabic heritage, and we aren’t, so I really don’t want to cause offence. The love for the name is coming from a sentimental place, as opposed to being cool, but of course not everyone will know that...

Do you know whether your baby is going to be a boy or a girl?

Personally I think you absolutely can, but as carpet says, prepare for a lot of questions about it.

I gave my son a Welsh name (we are English) and was surprised at the level of vitriol on here for doing so.

In your shoes I would use Nouri as a middle name.

IMO it's not appropriate as a first name. It's cultural appropriation and it would be a PITA for your child to have to explain it all the time.

I realise that seems to be a minority view on this thread!

Yes baby is a boy.
I know many may hear Nouri and think girl but it is traditionally a boys name.
We were going to have James as a middle name as it’s a family name...

Your son will benefit from the privilege of being white and male.

If you call him Nouri a lot of people will assume (before meeting him) that he is an ethnic minority woman, which should not be a problem in itself except that unfortunately prejudice still exists.

I realise societal change has to start somewhere but personally I wouldn't start with my son's name.

Yes I think on reflection you are right NameChange, I love the name but I don’t want to be guilty of cultural appropriation and I don’t want my son to be at the but of jokes/ridicule...what a shame, I got really excited that we may have found a name at last but I don’t think it’s right afterall.

Many thanks to everyone who contributed to the thread!

An appropriate boy’s / unisex name is Nour / Noor.

Really sorry to rain on your parade but I think you can and will find another name that you love.

NameChange- you haven’t, you have just highlighted what my husband and I were thinking but didn’t really want to hear. We already knew really that it wasn’t to be.

People will assume your son has heritage of the name's origin, but does that really matter?

Just be prepared to say "we just love the name" a million times!

I'd go for it!

I just really don’t want to cause offence and be insensitive.
I think if it was a case of using an Irish name for example, I wouldn’t mind, but it feels different when it’s a Muslim/Arabic name...

Perfectly fine don't worry about that most names originate from another culture or faith.

Northern....it's a beautiful name.

My youngest has a name not from our culture. Suits her and she loves learning the language now.

I’m Indian and want to use a fairly bog standard English name if I have a boy. Nobody on MN would accuse me of cultural appropriation. In fact I suspect a fair few would love that I’m embracing British culture. I see it as no different for you OP. If you like Nour for a boy use it.

Teddy, that’s interesting...I suppose my worry is that being white I am not a minority.

We have 11weeks, roughly until baby boy arrives so we have time to mull it over.
I really do appreciate everyone’s input though, it’s definitely food for thought!

My dd is a very similar name - Noora. I’m Irish originally and dh Asian but as we’re Muslim all the dc have Arabic names. I actually think Noor / Noora / Nouri is a bit of a cultural cross over name because you do get Norah like the welsh singer, I have Irish relatives Noreen and so on.. they’re all variants of the same name and even Eleanor has the same meaning because of the “nor” part doesn’t it?? But obviously all of those are girls names, and maybe it would stand out more on a bit. I wouldn’t say you have to definitely rule it out though? It is a beautiful name! Maybe you could at least put it in as an extra middle name if you weren’t sure??

My girl is Esther which is a religious bane and common in the Jewish culture.

We're not religious in any way, I just loved the name!

Boy not bit sorry autocorrect

If you look in to the origin of names loads are Hebrew in origi9n because people used names from the bible.

It's a lovely name and Britain is becoming ever more multicultural.

Totally agree with Kennehora in that it depends very much on the name.

"I’m Indian and want to use a fairly bog standard English name if I have a boy. Nobody on MN would accuse me of cultural appropriation. In fact I suspect a fair few would love that I’m embracing British culture. I see it as no different for you OP."

Actually it is different because you are an Indian person living in the UK and using a common English name.
The equivalent for the OP (who is white British) would be if she lived in a majorly Arabic-speaking, Muslim country, and she decided to give her son a name that was common there.
In which case it would make more sense.

majorly majority