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HelpForeign Words as Names
There seem to be a few of these popping up on this board-- Je t'aime in my class and now little Lavibelle. From Sanskrit we get a rising number of little kids called Bodhi and from Spanish Estrella. What do you think of naming a child after a word or phrase in another language? Would it make it harder for them to travel? What are some foreign words that you think make good names?
"Night fell, lots of large stars came out, and the Hemulen loved his park all the better. It was wide and mysterious; one could lose one's way in it and still be at home."
-Tove Jansson
"Night fell, lots of large stars came out, and the Hemulen loved his park all the better. It was wide and mysterious; one could lose one's way in it and still be at home."
-Tove Jansson
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Replies
I think it's extremely tacky and corny.
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I think it's not a huge deal. If I met a foreign child called, say, I Love You or Awakened, I'd be very amused - but I'd learn to think of it as a name when I used it, and I'd imitate their foreign accented pronunciation of it to aid myself in doing that. I assume people in other places can do the same.
I don't know if they make good names or not, but I like Soleil, Merel, Jolie, Deirdre, and Winona.
I don't know if they make good names or not, but I like Soleil, Merel, Jolie, Deirdre, and Winona.
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I don't think its advisable, especially if they take up residency somewhere else. I suppose with the rising number of word names, generally speaking, it probably isn't a HUGE deal if its a nice word. Personally, I still wouldn't do it.
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There are lots of word names in many languages. Why would it make it hard to travel? Some English word names, if translated literally, sound really strange in other languages. And some word names already being used in non-English speaking areas, if translated into English, may also sound a bit weird.
For example, I don't know anyone called Reyezuelo (wren in Spanish) and it would be a really, really strange choice. But Wren is perfectly fine. And I haven't heard of anyone called Dew. Although Rocío (the Spanish word) is quite common for girls in some countries.
If the word itself doen't have a really bad connotation, I don't see it as a huge problem.
For example, I don't know anyone called Reyezuelo (wren in Spanish) and it would be a really, really strange choice. But Wren is perfectly fine. And I haven't heard of anyone called Dew. Although Rocío (the Spanish word) is quite common for girls in some countries.
If the word itself doen't have a really bad connotation, I don't see it as a huge problem.
This message was edited 8/20/2015, 2:32 PM
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I know Hispanic women named Estrella and Esmeralda, so those are fine in Latin America, so I don't see why there would be a problem with them. We have our own English word names, too. I think the only time it would be a problem is if it's too close to another word that is inappropriate.
Estrella
Esmeralda
Blanche
Perla
Nadezhda
Vera
Lyubov
Margarita
Seren
Corentin
Rosa
Citlali
Steren
Luna
Endzela
There are plenty here. http://www.behindthename.com/info/themes
Estrella
Esmeralda
Blanche
Perla
Nadezhda
Vera
Lyubov
Margarita
Seren
Corentin
Rosa
Citlali
Steren
Luna
Endzela
There are plenty here. http://www.behindthename.com/info/themes
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I think words are different than phrases. Simply because many words ARE names even in another language.
Case in point: my daughter has a middle name Bituin, and a second middle name Gioia.
Bituin is a tagalog word for "star". It literally is the noun you would say when you mean "star". Though used in common conversation, it is also an old-fashioned name.
Gioia means "joy" in Italian. It can be used in everyday conversation or as a name, just like the English name Joy.
This is how I see Estrella. A totally legit name, but also a word.
JeT'aime is not a name. It is a phrase. It is like the Puritan history of naming children things like Have No Fear. I thought that a bit much, and I think doing the same in any language it taking it too far.
My favorite foreign word name is Renard ("fox" in French) for a boy and Amihan ("monsoon" in Tagalog) for a girl. Both are used as names already though.
I can't think of any phrases that I think would be appropriate as names though. But, I am open to see what others post.
Case in point: my daughter has a middle name Bituin, and a second middle name Gioia.
Bituin is a tagalog word for "star". It literally is the noun you would say when you mean "star". Though used in common conversation, it is also an old-fashioned name.
Gioia means "joy" in Italian. It can be used in everyday conversation or as a name, just like the English name Joy.
This is how I see Estrella. A totally legit name, but also a word.
JeT'aime is not a name. It is a phrase. It is like the Puritan history of naming children things like Have No Fear. I thought that a bit much, and I think doing the same in any language it taking it too far.
My favorite foreign word name is Renard ("fox" in French) for a boy and Amihan ("monsoon" in Tagalog) for a girl. Both are used as names already though.
I can't think of any phrases that I think would be appropriate as names though. But, I am open to see what others post.
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