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Favorite Basque names?
I feel like Basque names don’t get much appreciation. Anyone have any favorites?I like Alazne, Amets, Arrats, Eder, Edurne, Ekaitz, Elixabete, Eskarne, Euri, Itsaso, Itxaro, Izar, Maite, Martzel, Nekane, Osane, Udane, and Zorion.I also like pairing Basque names with more familiar Spanish names: Carmen Itsaso, Leonor Alazne, Beatriz Nekane, etc. They feel like a nice balance between common and unusual, and a very interesting take on the usual Iberian names you see.
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This message was edited 1/2/2021, 12:26 PM

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I like Basque names, they are neat. Balendin, Garaile, Jakes, Lore, Luken, and Zurine are all pretty cool. I love how unexpected Basque names are, so alien.
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I love Basque names! My favorites are:Girls: Alaia, Enara, Irati, Katalin, Maialen, MirenBoys: Balendin, Benat, Erramun, Iban
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Basque names are interesting and distinctive... I like Arantxa, Erlantz, Eskarne, Itxaro, Itzal, and Txomin.
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Zorion is my absolute favourite. I like Naiara and Amaya for girls.
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MAIALEN!Sorry about the overly-enthusiastic title, but people hardly ever ask about Basque names, so there's rarely an opportunity for me to talk about one of my actual favorite names, across cultures: Maialen!I believe it's pronounced just like Maia / Maya, but with "len" (short-E) attached. It's the Basque version of Magdalene, and it's gorgeous. I feel like it would still work well outside Spain / southwest France, despite being an uncommon Basque name, due to its similarity to another popular name.Other Basque names I like / find intriguing:
Asier
Balendin
Beñat
Erramun
Julen
Kemen
Luken
Xabier
&
Alaia
Alazne (like you)
Amaia
Elixabete (like you)
Enara (very similar to Inara from Firefly)
Erlea
Esti (though I've usually heard this as a nickname for Esther)
Katalin
Lorea
Miren
Nahia
Naia
Naiara
Nerea
ZuriñeAramis can be considered a Basque name I think, or at least Basque-derived (from the surname d'Aramitz, which is Basque).
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I like Nerea and Aramis
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Sounds just like Myelin, like myelin sheaths.Myelin sheaths are really cool!
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I love Maialen, too! I've always liked Maia, and the -len gives it more substance.
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I like Maialen as well! I really like how it looks. On a side note, I also like Madeleine (perhaps more than Magdalene).I forgot about Balendin, it’s really handsome. It kinda gives off a more... feel than Valentin, if that makes sense.
Asier is pretty interesting, too, and Naia is cute - it sounds a bit trendy, though, like another Maia/Maya.I’m not sure if Aramis can be considered Basque or not. Though the origin of the name is clearly Basque, I don’t think the name itself is used in Basque communities. Or maybe it is, I dunno.
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Tiny typo:I meant to say that Balendin gives off a more "romantically rustic" feel than Valentin, if that makes sense.
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A little off topic, but I can't believe how close Maialen's pronunciation is to my real name (Marjolijn). I'd totally react to it if I heard this used :)
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