Dionysios

[Circleofshroom]

Half Greek baby boy due soon. Will likely grow up in London. Struggling for names!!

Nickname would be Dio (to rhyme with Leo).

Bear with me as I have a half memory but I'm hoping the Mumsnet mind will know what I'm on about. There's a Greek series, probably on Netflix but I'm sure it's not kaos but I'm sure it's based on Greek mythology. There's a bunch of rich spoilt kids and one has a name that starts with P. I'm think it's prospero. It's been a while and I don't plan on any more kids so I forgot about it but I thought it sounded really good and kind of worked in modern life.

I’ve met people in Latin America with the Spanish version of this name and it’s used in Italy too. Uncommon, but certainly not weird. I like it very much!

I love it. And Dio for every day is a great name. My DD has a longer unusual name from her ancestral heritage and a shorter every day name and it's never been an issue. I would go for it.

All i can think of now when I hear Dionysus is the naked blue guy from the Paris Olympics opening ceremony. Personally I wouldn't name one of mine something that can be spelt so many different ways, is a bit of a mouthful and is the god of wine.

Personally I like Lysander as a boys Greek name.

Go for it OP, incredible choice. Hope baby lives up to it.

There are different variants. I’d pick one and presume people would learn. Maybe I’m being too optimistic.

You probably are. DD has what I think is a fairly regular English/French name. Not Top 100 but we've met others along the way. You'd be surprised just how many people seem to struggle with spelling her name.

I'm not too keen OP, it's too much of a mouthful for me.

The greek boy I know is called Agalos which I like. Also love Dimitrios and Asterios. Beautiful names.

Dio is a great short version, and he’d only have to use the full name occasionally . I think it’s a good choice.

Lysander is one of my favourites.

Other than that , Orion, Leon, Atticus , Dorian, Leander/Leandro , Demetrius.

Love it! Go with it.

Go for it! If you like it, it doesn't actually matter what a load of non-Greek, conservative name choosers think. I think it's great and that more children should have big, bold names! I just had to post a big that someone suggested Adonis as an alternative though 😂

I love it! It’s a strong name and love the shortened version too. I also love Anthony, Christian, Stefanos and Giorgios.

Dio would be very cute!

Lysander has potential and think fits your criteria?

No, it just doesn’t work - even the nickname. The prevailing English pronunciation starts with die not dee, so you’d get Dio not Deo. And Deo means god to a lot of people, which unfortunately would make you sound like a bit of a twat for calling your kid God.

I’d go for something normal, like Apollo, Atlas, Damon, Hector or Paris.

Congratulations!
I think if you don’t want to go for some of the more common examples like Nikolas, Giannis, Iasonas, there are some nice ones you can consider..

• Dimosthenis (Dimos)
• Dimitrios/Dimitris (Dimos, Takis, Mitsos, Jimmy)
• Alexandros (Alekos, Lex)
• Kyriakos (ruined for me due to the current most famous Kyriakos in Greece, but I used to think the name was nice)
• Eleftherios (Leftheris) - Related to free, freedom
• Panagiotis (Panos, Notis, Takis)
• Stylianos (Stelios)
• Miltiades (Miltos)
• Orestis/ Orestes

This will not be news to you, given that either yourself/your partner is Greek, but I think it’s nice to consider both the way the nickname would be Anglicised, and also the Greek way of using the diminutive version of the name, eg: (Konstantinos>Kostas). I don’t know how much time you’ll spend in Greece/around Greek speakers but this might have a bearing with Dionysios , where naturally people would default to Sakis, Denis, (maybe Nionios for some older Greeks) and it might be hard/er to make your chosen nickname stick.

Lastly I think most (non-religious) Brits will always assume the ‘Greek myth’
version of the name but I don’t think that means your name is as ‘outlandish’ as some make it sound, especially for the large part of the world familiar with Catholic or Orthodox tradition.

All the best for a healthy and happy baby!

I know this article uses the Latin spelling, but how you can miss the chance to honour one of the most wonderful name/title combinations in Late Antiquity?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudo-Dionysius_the_Areopagite

To add ofc, that names and nicknames are and should only be governed by what you make of them and your personal preferences, so F what anyone else thinks largely.

i just think the cultural context your son will be spending time in here could be significant, eg: something like Astérios > Rio sounds cool as hell in English but just wouldn’t stick in Greece, due to the inflection being on a totally dif. part of the name, alongside the way diminutives work.

Thanks all! Lots of opinions to take on board, and thanks for all the suggestions as well!

Definitely not set on using an “out there” name by any stretch, so am open to anything that works in both languages.

I know that people will muck up spelling and pronunciation and I won’t be surprised about that - one of my daughters has a name spelt phonetically and it is often butchered. I think it’s just a matter of unfamiliarity.

I’d be happy with the nickname being different in Greece than in the UK - but it would be nice for him to have the option of a nickname that Brits can easily say and remember.

The references to Deo meaning God are something to consider; however, Theo is God in Greek and I don’t think every parent of a Theo is “a bit of a twat”!

Christos is nice

OK, so going through all of your suggestions and I also like:

Asterios - but I worry about the “ass” sound

Demitrius - not sure which shortening would work well in the UK

Hector - feel like it doesn’t sound that Greek, although I know it’s of Greek origin

Leonidas - like it but not sure I love it

Panagiotis - I like Panos but not so keen on the longer version

Vasileios - wary of Vasili sounding like “silly”, but I like Vas

Perseus and Apollo are great, but somehow seem bolder than Dionysius to me and I don’t think I’d be able to use them.

Though I would find it bizarre/try hard if you were not Greek, it's a completely usable name given that you are, imo.

Dio in particular is really cute as a nickname.

I've got a soft spot for Kypros but I don't know whether that is considered to be a bit middle aged to actual Greeks?

Stavros Nikolaos Demitrio Andreas

Thalassi

But Nikos or Mihalis would be ok? How about Dimitrios? You could still use Dio but Dimi is nice too. I also Love Angelos and Valentinos. Markos also nice. Agree with PP that there are loads of nicer names than that one and that it looks like a misspelling to me

Stavros Andreus sounds nice, but Dionysius is okay if it's shortened to Dion.