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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Assisi

74 replies

Mummysharkdoodoodoodoodoodoo · 05/10/2022 17:53

Met a baby Assisi today (via Zoom with an old friend) and I was surprised by how much I loved the name! Pronounced like 'Cici' with obviously an 'A' at the beginning - she is named after the saints and nicknamed Cici. I think it's beautiful and thinking about it am surprised it's not more popular? As other Italian place names are extremely popular - I know multiple Florence and Siennas and even a couple of little Romas, and a little boy named Milan. Was wondering what MN thought of this name - due an increase in popularity or think it will remain very rare?

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JaneJeffer · 05/10/2022 18:03

Well if Mumsnetters think Killian is Kill Ian they will think Assisi is Ass Is I. So yes it will remain a rarity.

Ladywiddio48 · 05/10/2022 18:05

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Original poster
Mummysharkdoodoodoodoodoodoo · 05/10/2022 18:05

Hahahaha. Good point!

OP posts:
TooMuchToDoTooLittleInclination · 05/10/2022 18:06

NN Frankie

Original poster
Mummysharkdoodoodoodoodoodoo · 05/10/2022 18:06

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😳Poor child? For having Catholic parents?

Wow... didn't think the thread would take this turn !

OP posts:
Original poster
Mummysharkdoodoodoodoodoodoo · 05/10/2022 18:07

TooMuchToDoTooLittleInclination · 05/10/2022 18:06

NN Frankie

Am I mad for thinking that actually would be cute...

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MurderAtTheBeautyPageant · 05/10/2022 18:09

people would hear 'a sissy'

NunAyaBizniz · 05/10/2022 18:10

Awful

Original poster
Mummysharkdoodoodoodoodoodoo · 05/10/2022 18:11

MurderAtTheBeautyPageant · 05/10/2022 18:09

people would hear 'a sissy'

They might pronounce it wrong if they just saw it on paper, but surely mispronunciations aren't as big of a deal in real life as they are on MN? Like most people introduce themselves verbally rather than just writing down the name, so people hear the name first and rarely mispronounce it?

OP posts:
Forfukzsake · 05/10/2022 18:11

After the Saint I think of the animal sanctuary. So to me it is a surname and a company name. I don't see it as a girl's name. I'm not liking it.

MurderAtTheBeautyPageant · 05/10/2022 18:16

Mummysharkdoodoodoodoodoodoo · 05/10/2022 18:11

They might pronounce it wrong if they just saw it on paper, but surely mispronunciations aren't as big of a deal in real life as they are on MN? Like most people introduce themselves verbally rather than just writing down the name, so people hear the name first and rarely mispronounce it?

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Sure, but you're surprised it's not a more popular name and I think this might be one reason.

Original poster
Mummysharkdoodoodoodoodoodoo · 05/10/2022 18:22

MurderAtTheBeautyPageant · 05/10/2022 18:16

Sure, but you're surprised it's not a more popular name and I think this might be one reason.

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Yeah. You're probably right

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Original poster
Mummysharkdoodoodoodoodoodoo · 05/10/2022 18:23

Forfukzsake · 05/10/2022 18:11

After the Saint I think of the animal sanctuary. So to me it is a surname and a company name. I don't see it as a girl's name. I'm not liking it.

Oh , I've not heard of an animal sanctuary with this name. The more I use Mumsnet, the more i realise I'm clueless about a LOT of things! 😂

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Allmarbleslost · 05/10/2022 18:24

Great idea. His friends can call him Ass for short.

Original poster
Mummysharkdoodoodoodoodoodoo · 05/10/2022 18:25

Allmarbleslost · 05/10/2022 18:24

Great idea. His friends can call him Ass for short.

She's a girl 😂

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Geamhradh · 05/10/2022 18:28

Well, they have named the child after the town, not the Saint for starters. Cici as a nickname would be pronounced Chi-Chi in Italian, not See-See which is presumably what they're after.
Roma, Florence and Milan are all well-established names in other cultures so not really comparable. Sienna seems to have derived from Siena the town/colour but is only used in the English speaking world.

Doveyouknow · 05/10/2022 18:30

Just makes me think Francis! I think the first letters spelling ass would put me off.

Cismyfatarse · 05/10/2022 18:32

Mummysharkdoodoodoodoodoodoo · 05/10/2022 17:53

Met a baby Assisi today (via Zoom with an old friend) and I was surprised by how much I loved the name! Pronounced like 'Cici' with obviously an 'A' at the beginning - she is named after the saints and nicknamed Cici. I think it's beautiful and thinking about it am surprised it's not more popular? As other Italian place names are extremely popular - I know multiple Florence and Siennas and even a couple of little Romas, and a little boy named Milan. Was wondering what MN thought of this name - due an increase in popularity or think it will remain very rare?

It is a poem by Norman MacCaig taught to loads and loads of Scottish kids. You would get actual groans from teenagers in my class if that was your name.

Original poster
Mummysharkdoodoodoodoodoodoo · 05/10/2022 18:33

Geamhradh · 05/10/2022 18:28

Well, they have named the child after the town, not the Saint for starters. Cici as a nickname would be pronounced Chi-Chi in Italian, not See-See which is presumably what they're after.
Roma, Florence and Milan are all well-established names in other cultures so not really comparable. Sienna seems to have derived from Siena the town/colour but is only used in the English speaking world.

Yes, they have named the child after the saints connected to Assisi.

Her nickname is Cici pronounce see-see because that is the sound in the name of the town? I just spelled it Cici because that's how the nickname pronounce Cici is generally pronounced in English. No idea how they are spelling it - it was a Zoom call so no text.

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kuvira · 05/10/2022 18:33

I knew an Assumpta when I was growing up. Assisi strikes me as the kind of name that might have been used by Catholic parents 50+ years ago. I think, in this day and age, any name that starts with "Ass" is a questionable idea.

Geamhradh · 05/10/2022 18:39

Mummysharkdoodoodoodoodoodoo · 05/10/2022 18:33

Yes, they have named the child after the saints connected to Assisi.

Her nickname is Cici pronounce see-see because that is the sound in the name of the town? I just spelled it Cici because that's how the nickname pronounce Cici is generally pronounced in English. No idea how they are spelling it - it was a Zoom call so no text.

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If they were naming the child after the Saint it would be Francesca.

@kuvira , there are still a few Assuntas around, but they are all very old you're right! I think Assumpta is Spanish and possibly what would be used in Ireland. Here (Italy) it would be Assunta. Usually a middle name, like Maria Assunta etc.

There's really not the tradition here of using towns as names, and slowly but surely, the Saints are dying out too. Though it will take a few more generations I think!

Original poster
Mummysharkdoodoodoodoodoodoo · 05/10/2022 18:43

Geamhradh · 05/10/2022 18:39

If they were naming the child after the Saint it would be Francesca.

@kuvira , there are still a few Assuntas around, but they are all very old you're right! I think Assumpta is Spanish and possibly what would be used in Ireland. Here (Italy) it would be Assunta. Usually a middle name, like Maria Assunta etc.

There's really not the tradition here of using towns as names, and slowly but surely, the Saints are dying out too. Though it will take a few more generations I think!

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Well no, it needn't necessarily be Francesca. Of course Francesca is an option but they chose not to use it. They wanted to name the baby after Francis of Assisi and Clare of Assisi so they chose Assisi. The baby is still named after the saints in that they are the inspiration for and cause of her name.

OP posts:
Choconut · 05/10/2022 18:45

Yeah I wouldn't call my baby Ass anything. It's not a name, I might as well call them Poland.

Original poster
Mummysharkdoodoodoodoodoodoo · 05/10/2022 18:45

To be clear, they didn't choose the name to pretend to be Italian/because they have an obsession with Italian culture or something, which is what I think you think? Maybe I haven't been clear in my posts. They are Catholics so they named the baby after two saints that they like, they went for Assisi so chose Assisi. It's not really about Italy as such, it could have been any country. It's about the saints.

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caitlinrose · 05/10/2022 18:58

I'm sorry, but is this a serious question? I cannot quite believe it.

Assisi has the word "ass" in it as well as the sound of the word "sissy". What are you going to call her for short? Sissy? Ass? Assy? I can't believe that you can't see how problematic this is and that you compare it to names like Milan.

I also don't think that this is a popular name among Catholics. Not here and not in Italy. I went to a Catholic school for some time, know lots of Catholics and a good number of Italians and none are named Assisi. There are plenty of sacred places that do not have the word "ass" in it and it is a word that people outside of the UK are definitely aware of.

Sorry, I really like unusual names, but this would be a burden I believe.