Gigi or Gia ?

[Farawaytoday]

ongoing disagreement with DH, we’ve decided on the name Gigi however I think official name should be Gia and we’ll call her Gigi day to day, mainly as although I do love Gigi it feels a bit like a nickname to me. DH thinks this is silly as Gia is just as short and doesn’t see the point in naming her Gia and calling her Gigi. Gia feels a bit more grown up if she wants to go by this as she gets older too. What do others think? Am I overthinking this, is Gigi on its own ok?

There was a Gigi on love is blind, her full name is Giannina and her family is from Venuzuela.
Pretty name but might be a stretch to use if you don't have any heritage in the countries that it's from.

Gia is lovely and different, but Gigi sounds a bit stripperish, sorry.

We have a similar situation with our son - he has a given name, but is known by nickname. It means he has a choice when he's older, as he may find the nickname a bit childish (although not necessarily) and want to use his given name, which has more gravitas. I think the Gia/Gigi thing works nicely.

Gigi sounds like a poodles name. I'd be embarrassed to be called Gigi as an adult.
If you're in the UK, Giselle will be pronounced Jizz-elle which isn't great.
Gia is nice.

Is Gia pronounced with a hard G like Greta? Or with a soft G like George?

I prefer Gia as a full name. I used to have a Beanie Baby poodle called Gigi though.

Hi ! Did you call her Gia ?! Love the name too ! 😍
wondering how you are getting on ?
either are such beautiful names !

I know a little Georgia who gets nicknamed GiGi, both names are super cute on her.

I think Gianna is a little odd if there are no Italian connections in the family. Just my opinion.

Gigi is fabulous as is Gia!
I am inclined to agree with you and have Gia as her full name and use Gigi day-to-day etc. In saying that though I’d absolutely love to be called Gigi and I’m a sensible grown-up, professional just-turned 30-year-old woman :) I don’t find it “twee” at all. Mumsnet loves that term 😆

Oops just seen this is an older post from earlier this year. What did you go with op @Farawaytoday?

In Chinese Gigi means penis (not spelled the same, but pronounced the same) so it’s really put me off using the name as a full name! I’d definitely choose a full name and let Gigi just be her nickname. I work in China so can’t even use it as a nickname sadly! 😞

I'm something of a film buff but I've never heard of the film Gigi so I don't think it's something your child's generation will know about.

I'm not much of a film buff and I've heard of it. So I'd say it's pretty well known. Its most famous song Thank Heaven for Little Girls is a bit ick.

Gigi sounding like the Chinese word for penis, as per pp, would make it an automatic NO for me though.

*'Gigi sounding like the Chinese word for penis, as per pp, would make it an automatic NO for me though'

Why do people worry about these things? It's culturally relative. If I introduced myself as GiGi to someone and they sniggered and said, 'it means penis in our language' I really couldn't give a fig. I'd just be like 'oh really' It doesn't in ours. We could find a negative connection to every single name. Just say if you dont like it, no need to get silly about 50 year old movies and what not. Same with rhymes etc. 'Don't call her Danni, it rhymes with Fanny' etc. Raise them to not be victims and no amount of name calling will bother them.

Good for you.

I wouldn't call a girl who was going to be raised in the UK Fanny and say 'listen, Fanny, you need to buck up your ideas and stop being a victim. If anyone sniggers at your name that's their problem'.

Because it would be Fanny's problem.

I just personally wouldn't pick a name knowing it meant cock or cunt or whatever. Hopefully my child will travel and having a genitalia related name seems like such an unnecessary pain. Other people are free not to be bothered by such associations.

They both sound like Parisian prostitutes in the 1890s.

Gia is beautiful. And as someone said Gigi is a bit of a stripper name.

Unnecessary pain? 🤣 Bit dramatic don't you think. I just think it gets abit silly. My name actually is^ Danni and I've not once been Fanny in my 36 years on this planet. It was an example of the madcap reasons people come up with to advise against a name. I'm also hoping my children will be well travelled, but I'm not going to worry if they'll call me up one day from Indonesia and say something like 'my name means farts over here mum, can you get me an urgent flight back home cos the pain is too much. You've ruined my life' Most of the reasons are just non issues. But of course its each to their own. I should consider that some people do worry about these things.

but I'm not going to worry if they'll call me up one day from Indonesia and say something like 'my name means farts over here mum, can you get me an urgent flight back home cos the pain is too much. You've ruined my life'

I think perhaps it's you that's the dramatic one?

I meet a lot of Chinese people via work and finding out I had a name that was slang for cock in their language would be a pain in the arse. But that's just me!

I know quite a few Giannas with no Italian heritage, but all are from devout Catholic families and named after the saint.

@MiMissHavishamsMouldyOldCake

Sorry, that was a joke about how far-fetched I find it for someone to be caused pain or distress over a name that's liked and acceptable in some cultures/languages but means something generic in another. But we will of course agree to disagree.

I can't get past the whole 'thank heavens for little girls thing' with Gigi. Grooming and totally ick. Avoid avoid.

Gianna is unusual and very pretty.

Gia is neither a nickname nor a name in Italy, it's a made up Italian American thing like spaghetti bolognese. Già means 'already' in Italian. For Giovanna there are other nicknames. Same for Gio which is not an Italian name.