Names that work in multiple languages

[SorbusAucuparia]

Morning,

I'm getting a bit ahead of myself as we're TTC#2, but naming DD was difficult (and I had doubts for months afterwards). We're bilingual German/English, living in a German-speaking area, and we need a name that both sets of grandparents can pronounce. I much prefer longer, more traditional names. On the plus side, many popular names in the UK are rare here so having four in the same class isn't much of a risk. I'm of Russian extraction so it would also be nice to reflect that aspect.

DD is called Charlotte Sophia Josephine, after a louche 4x4 trip to Princess Charlotte Bay H's grandmother, her saints' name day, and our first baby, whom we lost in late pregnancy.

Any thoughts on the following? Any suggested combinations? Or any advice on finding multilingual-friendly names?

Alice
Anastasia
Philippa (one of H's middle names is Philipp)
Wilhelmina (H's grandfather is Wilhelm)
Luciana (my grandfather was Lucian)
Mathilde/Mathilda
Flora
Victoria
Ottilie (in German it would be pronounced more like Ott-EElee-uh rather than Otterly, like the ending of Emilia)
Leopoldine
Leontine (I love -ine endings, can you tell?)
Theodora

Benedict (another one H hates and I love, possibly due to Benadryl Cucumberpatch)
Alaric
Leopold (Leo-names are hugely popular here though)
Frederick (another family name but I dislike Fred/Freddie)
Gustav (unusable in English?)
Otto (ditto)
Ludwig (ditto)

I can imagine why your DH would hate his child to be named after Benadryl Cucumberpatch!

I love Anastasia!
Personally I wouldn't be surprised by a Gustav. It's a name I'm familiar with. I'd just assume the parents had some kind of foreign heritage (which you do) although I'd have guessed French.

Anna, Stella, Lucas and Adam are names that often up on “multilingual name” threads.

I like all your suggestions. Gustav would be fine by me (English, no knowledge of German).

@cerealgamechanger

I can imagine why your DH would hate his child to be named after Benadryl Cucumberpatch!

Bandersnatch Cummerbund?

Alexander, Thomas

Clementine, Anna

Alexander is already "taken" and I'd rather avoid using it again, even though I really like it. Alexandra is also out, unfortunately.

Anna is my name so I'd also not use it for a DD - thoughts on Annabel?

I had Clementine on the list for DD1 but Clemmie... clammy... I don't know.

Martina
Christina
Johanna
Hannah
Angelika

Maximilian
Benjamin

Meant to add - I love Luciana. Such a pretty name.

You've chosen some beautiful names, how lovely.

I love Anastasia - lots of nicknames and very international but not over popular
Luciana and Ottilie (German pronunciation especially) are both lovely and also go with your first DDs name

Of your boys names I like Otto the most

I would avoid Leopold and Charlotte - reminds me of a Royal couple (Leopold of Belgium was married to Princess Charlotte) Also Leo is very popular in Germany now.
How about Helena for a girl? I love Wilhelmina but could be seen as old fashioned maybe? Not sure if you mind.
I had considered it for DD (and calling her Billie). I also like Constantine/Konstantin but different pronunciation in German. Wouldn’t use Annabel if you are Anna.

Celestine!

Anything biblical tends to work across languages

Alice - lovely
Anastasia - lovely but might get the dreaded "Stacey" nn
Philippa (one of H's middle names is Philipp) - I feel like I should like Philippa but I strongly dislike it instead
Wilhelmina (H's grandfather is Wilhelm) - no, the wprld isn't ready for Wilhelmina
Luciana (my grandfather was Lucian) - very pretty
Mathilde/Mathilda - also very pretty
Flora - love Flora!
Victoria - strong but no nice shortenings
Ottilie (in German it would be pronounced more like Ott-EElee-uh rather than Otterly, like the ending of Emilia) - like Ottilie said this way
Leopoldine - no no no
Leontine (I love -ine endings, can you tell?) - no no no
Theodora - Love Theodora!

Benedict (another one H hates and I love, possibly due to Benadryl Cucumberpatch) - I love this too but do you really think your DH will back down and agree tl use a name he hates if enough of us MN wenches claim it's great?
Alaric - made me think 'Alan Rickman' and then remember he was dead and feel sad
Leopold (Leo-names are hugely popular here though) - Leo is nice. Wasn't there a really hideously cruel King Leopold? Makes me think of him.
Frederick (another family name but I dislike Fred/Freddie) - like this, bht nk point using it if you don't like the inevitable nicknames
Gustav (unusable in English?) - don't like Gustav BUT Gus is very cool
Otto (ditto) - lovely
Ludwig (ditto) - no

Leonora/Leonore?

Annaliese?

I know a German/English couple with children called Holly and Joshua.

While I adore Anastasia, Wilhelmina and Luciana I think they are a bit elaborate compared to classic Charlotte - where as Alice fits perfectly (both are timeless, traditional names in many countries). Flora, Victoria or Mathilde would also work okay, but I think Alice is a better match.

My choice would be Alice Lucy Wilhelmina or Alice Wilhelmina Lucy or Alice Lucia Wilhelmine depending on your surname. This fits nicely with Charlotte Sophia Josephine and I think it's nice to honour both grandfathers, but Lucy/Lucia flows better than Luciana with Wilhelmina/Wilhelmine.

And while I love Benedict and Alaric (and think Gustav is perfectly useable, Leopold okay but Otto and Ludwig too much for me) - I'd suggest Frederick has a similar classic/traditional feel as Charlotte (and I don't see why he can't be Ed/Eddie, Red or Rick rather than Fred/Freddie). Frederick Wilhelm Lucian would be lovely or Frederick Phillip Otherfamilyname.

If you want suggestions, may i submit Emma and Felix?

Alice and Frederick are nice too!

Alice - OK
Anastasia - love it - but would it work if you're Anna?
Philippa (one of H's middle names is Philipp) - OK
Wilhelmina (H's grandfather is Wilhelm) - would be pronounced difference in English and German, not as pretty as your other suggestions imo, although Mina might be nice nickname/shortening
Luciana (my grandfather was Lucian) - lovely
Mathilde/Mathilda - OK, quite popular here
Flora - lovely
Victoria - good solid name
Ottilie (in German it would be pronounced more like Ott-EElee-uh rather than Otterly, like the ending of Emilia) - pronunciation issue
Leopoldine - very nice
Leontine (I love -ine endings, can you tell?) - very nice
Theodora - very nice, but pronunciation an issue (resume Germans pronounce Th as T?)

Benedict (another one H hates and I love, possibly due to Benadryl Cucumberpatch) - like it, but your dh hates it it's not going to work
Alaric - love it
Leopold (Leo-names are hugely popular here though) - like it
Frederick (another family name but I dislike Fred/Freddie) - nice
Gustav (unusable in English?) - perfectly OK!

Otto (ditto) - OK, feels VERY German
Ludwig (ditto) - ditto

Other suggestions:
Marina
Mariana
Albertine

Maximilian/Max

Lena or Elena?
Lukas / Lucas
Emma

I like Anastasia a lot too

Oh I love Marina too

Marina and Maximilian are lovely! As is Helena.

Alice

• nice, lots in Uk, matches w Charlotte.

Anastasia, poss a bit try hard, very different to Charlotte Philippa (one of H's middle names is Philipp) - love it, and Pippa as nn Wilhelmina (H's grandfather is Wilhelm)

• nooo sounds like a horse

Luciana (my grandfather was Lucian)

• nice. Prefer Lucienne

Mathilde/Mathilda

• nice, lots in Uk - I think Matilda more int.

Flora

• yup nice

Victoria

• due a revival, nice

Ottilie (in German it would be pronounced more like Ott-EElee-uh rather than Otterly, like the ending of Emilia)

• not v international, and very fussy.

Leopoldine

• fussy with bells on / sounds made up / no

Leontine (I love -ine endings, can you tell?)

• as above

Theodora

• yep nice

Benedict (another one H hates and I love, possibly due to Benadryl Cucumberpatch)

• haha, long as you happy w him being Ben

Alaric

• like it

Leopold (Leo-names are hugely popular here though) - ok, if you call him Leo Frederick (another family name but I dislike Fred/Freddie) - fine Gustav (unusable in English? - yes) Otto (ditto) - people do, but they shouldn’t Ludwig (ditto) - unusable in English yes

Other thoughts / with regional variations aplenty but recognisable

Elisabeth
Helena
Francesca
Sophia
Marianne
Louise/a
Leonie / Leonora

Nicholas
William
John
Gabriel
Joseph

Perhaps Dominic is an alternative to Bendersplit?

You have some gorgeous names on your list.

I particularly love Alaric, Leopold and Frederick and Luciana, Alice and Mathilda.

Other suggestions of names that work well internationally:

Sabrina, Claudia, Silvia/Sylvia, Camilla, Marina, Lydia, Ada, Beatrix, Emma, Elena, Adelheid/Adelaide/Heidi, Louisa, Natalie/Natalia, Rosa, Nina.

Adrian, Dominic/Dominik, Max, Gregory, Oscar/Oskar, Felix, Simon, Samuel, Adam, Nathan, Lucas/Lukas, Nicholas, Jonathan, Sebastian, Theodore, Oliver, Rupert, Rudolf (I wish I had the heritage to carry this off!), Caspar

Given that Charlotte and Alice are two of my favourite girls names, I have to second this fabulous pairing though. Frederick fits beautifully with Charlotte too IMO.

Stephanie
Natalie/Natalia
Helen/Helena
Anoushka

Alice - I like this and it will work well with Charlotte
Anastasia - I think this is gorgeous. I can't imagine anyone ever going for Stacie as a nickname but if you are in Germany is surely even less likely?
Philippa (one of H's middle names is Philipp) - I think this would work well too
Wilhelmina (H's grandfather is Wilhelm) - not so keen. It feels like a queen victoria sort of name
Luciana (my grandfather was Lucian) - I prefer Lucia which is really lovely
Mathilde/Mathilda - lovely
Flora - lovely
Victoria
Ottilie (in German it would be pronounced more like Ott-EElee-uh rather than Otterly, like the ending of Emilia) - lovely as long as you don't mind different nationalities pronouncing it differently
Leopoldine - too much!
Leontine (I love -ine endings, can you tell?) - don't like
Theodora - I love this.

Benedict (another one H hates and I love, possibly due to Benadryl Cucumberpatch) - I love this
Alaric - is ok
Leopold (Leo-names are hugely popular here though) - I like this
Frederick (another family name but I dislike Fred/Freddie) - not if you don't like the shortened version
Gustav (unusable in English?) - I think it's ok in English. Gus is such a cute nickname.
Otto (ditto) - very usable. I know a couple of Ottos (both with German heritage as it happens but I don't think it's weird at all).
Ludwig (ditto) - harder to use I think but still ok.

I would pick Anastasia or Theodora from you list and Benedict or Gustav.

Other options:
Eleanora/Eleanor
Francesca
Victoria
Elizabeth/Elizabetta
Clara
Matthias
Benjamin
Xander