If your first born has an ethnic name, did you give the rest of the kids ethnic names too?

[Anonymous]

DC is named for a beloved relative and has a name that is an ethnic version of a name that has variations in many European languages. Something like Nikolai, or Giulia, or Andrés. DC goes by the ethnic diminutive, e.g. Kolya for Nikolai. DH comes from another ethnicity, DC has his last name.

We are starting to think of names for #2. Would you seek another name from the same ethnicity? There is a name I love for boys, that is actually the same in both languages, but the nickname I like for it is the American one. There's a name I love for girls that's the same in both languages, but it's pronounced differently in both languages and the pronunciation I love is the American one. There's another name I love that's pronounced the same, but spelled differently. Can I get away with the American pronunciation?

What have other people done?

[Anonymous]

I like all the names to be in the same category. No naming one kid Eve but the other Mariska.

[Anonymous]

Kind of the opposite for me. My older brother is named William and my older sister is Victoria. I'm the baby with the ethnic/unusual at the time name. Growing up eople always point out it so different than my siblings names but it's really nbd as an adult

[Anonymous]

Id assume different dads

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Id assume different dads

In what situation?

[Anonymous]

We chose names that work in multiple languages and just accept that it will be pronounced differently in different settings--kid has a European name and an American name, similar ot how some kids have a Chinese name and an American name.

[Anonymous]

We're multiethnic, and my kids have several given names to reflect each of their origins. It turns out that my son's first name is a little unusual to pronounce in English (he often hears the Spanish version of his name), and he goes by his other ethnic name, which is not known in the US but it easier to pronounce.

My daughter's first given name is frequently used in the US.

We did not plan it this way, because we did not intend on staying here for long. Now we're applying for a green card, and eventual citizenship

[Anonymous]

I would want to stay with a similar feel. Not necessarily the same nationality, but something that crosses cultures. So, with a

Nikolai, or Giulia, or Andrés

Maybe Mario, or Maria, or Nina

Daniela, Gabriel, Luca or Lucia?

[Anonymous]

We gave them names from our culture/language. It would be really weird to have a Busarakam and then Michelle, Jennifer, and Brandan.

[Anonymous]

Yes, keep in the same. I knew a Vietnamese family growing up. The eldest was Thao and the next child had a totally American name (like Jessica). It seemed strange.

[Anonymous]

Does this count? We have Irish names for two but not for eldest so it’s (similar to):

Emily, Colleen and Patrick.

[Anonymous]

I gave all 7 of my children names from my chosen culture. In fact, I renamed myself. I vacationed outside the US when I was growing up and this other country and culture is so important to my family, I forget I’m not actually from there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We chose names that work in multiple languages and just accept that it will be pronounced differently in different settings--kid has a European name and an American name, similar ot how some kids have a Chinese name and an American name.

This is similar to my situation. I was not born in the US but my parents knew it was likely we would move here soon after, so they chose a name that exists in our language and in English. To my family and friends who speak our native language, I've been known one way and all through K-12 and with English-speaking people my name is pronounced the American way. It has not been a big deal to me at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does this count? We have Irish names for two but not for eldest so it’s (similar to):

Emily, Colleen and Patrick.

I think this is different because Colleen is basically an American name and Patrick is Anglicized.

If it were Emily, Caoimhe and Padraig, that would be weird.

[Anonymous]

We gave all three kids the "ethnic" names, but only one continued to use the heritage language diminutive (Sasha for Alexander, for example) beyond early childhood.

So if you meet my kids, you might think only one got the ethnic name because at first glance it looks like I named them, like, Liz, Alex, and Nadezhda. One of these things is not like the other.