Mixing Ethnic Names -WWYD

Scenario

Your DH is Italian and has a very Italian last name. You are a mixed mutt, which includes 1/2 Irish.

The names you like do not really "go" with your last name, i.e.

Liam Russo

Your DH thinks you should stick with either Italian names, or less "ethnic" names so it "goes". (think Marco, Anthony, Christian)

So if your name is Martinez, Pappagolous, Jacobson you cannot name your child Liam? Only McDougal’s are allowed:(

Can we tell I really am liking Liam I get it, our child probably will NOT look like a LIAM, but does that matter?

Does your children’s name "Go" with your last name. Am I just setting my child up for an identity crisis? LOL

(real names and identity have been changed to protect poster )

Message edited 3/23/2011 9:43:08 AM.

Re: Mixing Ethnic Names -WWYD

our plan for a boy is Liam and our last name is Follo...

ETA: the reason all of our possible names are irish is because of our last name being italian...

Message edited 3/23/2011 9:44:42 AM.

Re: Mixing Ethnic Names -WWYD

I somewhat agree with this...if you have a REALLY ethnic last name, it might sound odd to have a REALLY ethnic first name of another nationality. I'd get a chuckle out of a little boy named Giuseppe O'Donnell.

We have a very ethnic last name, so we're leaning towards more generic first names.

Re: Mixing Ethnic Names -WWYD

We're trying to stick with ethnic (Irish) names that suit DH's last name and I'm having a hard time finding ones I really love. I think if there is any name you love then that's what you should name your child. You don't want to just pick any name and could regret settling.

I know a family with a very Jewish last name and one of their sons is Aidan.

Oh, and I do love the name Liam - it reminds me of Liam Neeson

Message edited 3/23/2011 9:48:54 AM.

Re: Mixing Ethnic Names -WWYD

Our last name is a fairly common one. Before we knew we were having a boy I was throwing out fairly Italian names for a girl, because I am mostly Italian. I say if you like the name go for it.

Re: Mixing Ethnic Names -WWYD

my brothers neighbors are from India and both of their kids have irish first names... i thought it was pretty cool

Re: Mixing Ethnic Names -WWYD

i don't see why you can't mix the names. I think if you like the name then go for it!!

Re: Mixing Ethnic Names -WWYD

I am Italian & Irish,though I look all Italian

DH is all Irish--blonde&blue eyed

Our lastname is MC name!

I love a lot of Italian girls names and may very well pick one.

Boys names we actually prefer Irish sounding names to Italian--but if we loved the name Angelo for example I would do it!

Re: Mixing Ethnic Names -WWYD

Posted by ODonnell

We're trying to stick with ethnic (Irish) names that suit DH's last name and I'm having a hard time finding ones I really love. I think if there is any name you love then that's what you should name your child. You don't want to just pick any name and could regret settling.

I know a family with a very Jewish last name and one of their sons is Aidan.

Oh, and I do love the name Liam - it reminds me of Liam Neeson

Re: Mixing Ethnic Names -WWYD

I like the idea of representing both of your heritages. DH is Greek, but his last name is not, regardless we are most likely doing an Irish first name.

Re: Mixing Ethnic Names -WWYD

I have a very Italian last name and the name we are going with is considered a strong name (can be considered Irish) I'm 100% Irish, so I wanted some Irish in there.

I think it sounds great

Re: Mixing Ethnic Names -WWYD

our last name is scottish, and we chose scottish names for our sons. idk, i guess I agree with your DH - it just GOES!

Re: Mixing Ethnic Names -WWYD

Umm if you're a mutt, so is the kid! Go for whatever name you want!

Re: Mixing Ethnic Names -WWYD

I don't think Liam Russo sounds all that bad IMO.

And personally I like Irish names better than Italian names.

Re: Mixing Ethnic Names -WWYD

I'm half Italian and DH is 100 %

Our son is Marco Peter, last name obviously Serra lol,
And DS # 2 is not here yet but will be Andre Lorenzo

My dad is Irish German which makes me 25 % each and resulted in an Irish last name but my mom is VERY Italian ! So when she married my dad she got stuck with Constantina Mc Kenna

IMO u pick what u like, may not be the norm but who cares! Ethnic names are fun

Re: Mixing Ethnic Names -WWYD

This post actually cracks me up because my DH and I looked at names the complete opposite way. DH and I have a Jewish last name, and our DD's name is Hebrew. We almost didn't choose the name because we were afraid people would think our DD is from a really religious family (which we aren't AT ALL). We chose the name anyway because we loved it. I think it's nice to break it up with different ethnicities--it worked for Angelina Jolie! .

Message edited 3/23/2011 3:07:04 PM.

Re: Mixing Ethnic Names -WWYD

We will use an indian first name with our irish last name. I prefer to have both cultures represented.

Re: Mixing Ethnic Names -WWYD

we may very well use Liam also as a short version of William (which is DH's name and he insists on using ) and our kid's going to be Puerto Rican and Italian so...

our last name isn't ethnic though, but I don't think it's a big deal if it "goes" as long as you like the name.

Re: Mixing Ethnic Names -WWYD

The reasoning is not really about representing cultures or anything that significant, although my DH is very "pro european" and I am as American as you can get. It's more about the look and sound of the names not really matching....i.e. Jose Patrick O'Neil

Re: Mixing Ethnic Names -WWYD

I have no problem with it. If our DS was a girl, we were going with a French first name. My last name is obviously not french. Actually, I don't know what it is.

I once worked with a woman who named her son Dean Mason. She did that because her last name was very ethnic and she wanted to give him the option of using his first and middle name as his first and last name if he wanted to.

Re: Mixing Ethnic Names -WWYD

I LOVE the idea !

my son has a VERY italian first name, and an Armenian last name.

I think it's beautiful to represent any and all cultures and backgrounds that the child comes from !

a friend of mine has a Greek/Irish name for her son.

I LOVE IT !!

Re: Mixing Ethnic Names -WWYD

We made sure it sounded OK. We have a Jewish last name, but no one in DH's family has been Jewish since 1940 and DH doesn't know that family/culture anyway, so we weren't going to limit ourselves.

Re: Mixing Ethnic Names -WWYD

I think it all depends - is it a REALLY italian last name? (ex: my maiden name is about 10 syllables !!) so IMO Liam wouldn't work -

Liam is my 1st pick too (but I now have a 1 syllable German last name - and my 1st son is Sean Patrick)

I don't think they have to match ethnicity - but I think it can sound funny if it's WAY off .............

Re: Mixing Ethnic Names -WWYD

Our last name is very Irish and our DS name will be Irish too. I liked the name before realizing that it was an Irish name.

At first DH didnt like having both names Irish, but he caved. Thought that the name would stereotype him but our DS isnt 100% Irish.

For our future DC whatever name we like we will choose no matter what the ethnicity is.

Re: Mixing Ethnic Names -WWYD

I thought about that a lot when pregnant and I see you have my sons names on your list However our name is very Mayflower sounding)old English) so it kind of went with a lot of different names