Italian surname, will I regret not going for Italian name?

[latenightdreams]

I am Scottish-Irish, DH is Italian. Baby will have his surname.

I like Irish uncle names- Joseph, Vincent, Michael- but would poor DC sound like something out of the Godfather?

For girls I like Charlotte, Philippa and Claudia. Claudia is my favourite but there would be the pronunciation issue of Cloudy- a or Clawd-ya.

Any ideas?

Ha, I think The Godfather is far enough in the past for your DC's generation not to care! Go for those solid avuncular names if you like them.

Girls: Italians of my acquaintance are Claudia, Chiara, Sara, Allegra, Carla, Aurelia, Loredana, Lisa. There are plenty that work in English as well as Italian. I like Giulietta and Giorgina too.

Anna
Stella
Louisa
Marissa
Emilia
Carina

Leo
Max
Felix
Daniel
Samuel
Reuben

I think Vincent might be a bit godfathery but Joseph and Michael would be fine. Love Joseph.

Girls names all lovely. I guess if you went for Claudia most people who get it wrong will be easily corrected by one simple instance of you saying it correctly, I don't know if that would be a terrible burden. Everyone can spell it and there's only really two options. I think the Claw Dee Ya version is more common.

I always loved the name Claudia but the pronunciation put me off. I prefer the cloud-ia version but in the uk people will generally use claude...

I think an alternative spelling would be more of a bother than a slightly alternative pronunciation/ accent. I also really like Chiara and Stella.

I love Joseph but hate Joe and Joey, and either one of those with the surname sounds a bit caricaturish IYKWIM?

I am also trying to keep future siblings (eternal optimist!) in mind.

I do like Luca and Matteo too. Leo also an idea which is growing on me...

Luca and Matteo are both lovely. I think you can easily mix heritages in names. Quite like single syllable names like James in those circumstances.

I like Cara for a girl too, and works well with Italian surname

Girl:
Valeria
Sara
Lucia

Boy:
Vincenzo
Leonardo
Francesco

They'll have an Italian surname and will be known as first name surname at school so everyone will know he's half Italian. Italian names are beautiful but there are a lot of beautiful English names too. Why not give him an English first and Italian last. Or an Italian first name and your English surname? I like the idea of both sides of the heritage being in there not just one.

I went to school with a lad called Sonny [insert Italian surname]. Although Sonny isn't Italian it has Godfather connotations that didn't suit him. He was blonde, blue eyed and rather geeky.

I think it’s fine. However, Walter and Max are both Italian names....

Out of your boys names I like Natteo best (but only if you can live with mat/Matty or Tay). & not if you live in Ireland or he's bound to get tayto 🤣

I like Charlotte & Claudia, I don't like Philippa, but I like pip/pippy/Pippa.

Really hate Vincent - sorry & I think you're right about Joe with a string Italian surname.

Good luck choosing!!

I think it will sound fine. I have come across Savanna, Francesca, Bianca, Sophia/Sofia, Ellie/Elle, Paula etc from Italians in London. Doesn’t seem like their names are that different than English

Same with boys/men I have come across too, they have generic English names with an Italian surname

Why not a Scottish first name - so many lovely ones and that will sound so interesting with an Italian surname.

Love Malcolm and Roderick (Mal and Roddy) at the mo.

Only like Charlotte from your girls - dislike Philippa - so prim - and Claudia no due to prn issues.

Like all your names. And they are English enough to be lovely with an Italian surname.

I love both Michael and Claudia (Claudia is one of my very favourite girls names! and I like both pronunciations for it). I don't think either of them would sound too Godfather with an Italian surname - they are classic names, well-used in Europe (but that are not too overused/popular in the UK).

Similar choices to Michael would be Samuel, Gabriel, Nathaniel (although I like Matteo too!).
Similar to Claudia would be Celia/Cecilia, Cordelia, Julia, Antonia, Aurelia, Lydia.

Anna
Lucia
Cara
Carlotta

Luca
Mark

Chiara is a beautiful name.

I do think you need to avoid Joseph with an Italian surname, sadly!

Does it matter about the dual pronunciation? My DD has a name like Claudia - English speakers say it one way, Italians the other. She answers to both. You can't register a pronunciation!

We have an Italian surname. Have a Clare (she was born on St Clare's Day, who was an Italian Saint, so it was sort of a given!). If she grows up to marry and change her name, she'll still have some of her Italian heritage in her first name

DS has a very plain English saints name though, as (we assume) he'll keep his Italian surname throughout his life.

I've heard that Pippa is slang for fellatio in Italy, I'd double check if that's internet nonsense or true with your Italian DH.