Baby Name Question!!! Worried.....

Updated on August 02, 2011
S.G. asks from Salt Lake City, UT
22 answers

I'm looking through baby names, and love several names that are not traditionally 'American' names. Some of them are Greek/Brazilian/Latino, like Paloma, Liriel (girl names) or Rafael (boy name). My husband and I are very very white looking (doesn't matter in my book) and have been told our kid will be mocked/beat up/whatever else by Latino kids and parents/other ethnicities if we use names that aren't "white". I want to believe this is silly, but know people can be foolish and judgemental. Tell me your honest thoughts!! What would you think of a little blonde girl named Paloma or Aikaterine??? (Or something else different sounding)

For the record, our concerned friends with very good intentions are from several different racial backgrounds and grew up in the SF Bay area - very diverse, and yes it has racial issues like many places.

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So What Happened?

Thanks for your ideas/thoughts! That really helped. I was very very happy to hear from lots of perspectives - Hispanic, Greek, White, mixed couples - thank you!! I also loved the names that were shared.

BTW Paloma actually means 'dove', but I understand translating to pigeon as well. It's nice to hear from people that like and don't especially like the names I'm thinking of, gives me a perspective on what a bunch of people will think. I know we'll go with what we like in the end, but I'm relieved to know some people of other ethnicities wouldn't be offended by our using one of "their" names. :)

Featured Answers

C.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

I know a blond haired, blue eyed girl named Paloma, she was in my sons preschool.
Actually, the town in Mexico where my husbands family is from has a lot of light haired, light skinned, and blue eyed people in it. My bil has blond hair and blue eyes and his name is Javier. I don't think it matters!

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K.H.

answers from Detroit on

If you are really worried pick a name with an obvious nickname. Kate or Kat for Aikaterine, for example. I wouldn't worry too much about it. If a kid wants to make fun of another kid, they'll find something - whether it's their name or what they eat for lunch.

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S.!.

answers from Los Angeles on

We were going to name our son Cooper till we read in a book that be cautious what you name your kid b/c of teasing and they used Cooper as an example: Cooper Pooper.... so we used Cooper as the middle name. We then decided on Ian for a 1st name and the first thing my FIL said was Ian's Peein and Cooper Pooper... Ugh! So we figured screw it and named him what we wanted b/c anyone can make a spoof of a name.

Go with what you love and Congrats!

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C.N.

answers from Baton Rouge on

Name your kids what YOU want to name them, and anyone who doesn't like it can be cordially invited to sit down and STFU.

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J.D.

answers from Phoenix on

I'm a white girl so maybe my opinion doesn't matter? I used to teach kindergarten and if I got a student with an interesting name, I would usually first question it's pronounciation (sp), then may wonder the background of the name. Like, I wonder where her family is from? I don't think I've ever had a child make fun of another because the name isn't "American." More likely it would be because of how the name sounds or because it rhymes with something funny. I know some Spanish so I guess, if I had a child in my class named Paloma, I'd be like "why'd they name their kid Pigeon?" I'm not particularily found of pigeons. I think you should name your kids what you want, being careful it doesn't rhyme with anything embarrassing or sound funny with your last name. The nationality or origin shouldn't matter unless it bothers you.

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F.H.

answers from Phoenix on

I would be more concerned with picking names that us white people can even pronounce correctly. =) Like Liriel and Aikaterine, I'm sure I'm not saying them right let alone if I had to spell them after hearing them. I don't think any kid would like a name, no matter what nationality, that they have to correct everyone every time they try to say it or spell it. Good luck.

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H.G.

answers from Dallas on

I am white and my husband is from mexico. All of his family have very authentic mexican names. I never even tought about it when I was pregnant with our daughter. Her name is madisyn layne, can't get much whiter than that! We love it! His mom calls her madilayna. Go with what you like who cares what anyone thinks!

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L.F.

answers from San Francisco on

I think you should name your baby whatever you feel is the best for him/her. I wouldn't think anything of it if I saw a white baby with a more hispanic name or whatever. I would most likely compliment you on the name because it is more rare or different etc. I love the name paloma and liriel. GL!

M

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C.C.

answers from San Francisco on

My daughters both have French names (although we are not French, I speak French and love the country and culture). Nobody has ever made fun of them for their names. Likewise, at school they have friends of all different races, and many of them have names you wouldn't normally think of (at least not for a child who looks the way they do ;), but these days there are such a variety of names out there that I don't think kids know the difference one way or another. Also, who's to say your family isn't Spanish? Many Spanish people ARE actually blond, and they are named, yes, Spanish names!

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A.G.

answers from Albuquerque on

I dont think it matters. I think Paloma is a very pretty name. And I am very white, and my husband is not, and we orginally choose the name Fatima for our daughter ( we changed it when we found out that their were twins and we couldnt find another name that began with F that we liked) Name her what you want, and worry about what noone thinks.

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T.J.

answers from Seattle on

I love Paloma! Some of the names may work, especially Greek ones. Liriel and aikaterine are a little strange to me, a Caucasian kid with a typically ethnic name should probably be a name people have heard at least once in my opinion. I agree that changing traditional spellings is worse! I grew up with a name that no one had ever heard of and still hate having to pronounce and spell it!

I also like Alessandra, adriana, caterina/Katerina, Carolina, cristina , Delia, elisabeta, Francesca, Gianna, iliana, Juliana/giuliana, Lucia, magdalena, mariana, mischa, Natalia, natasha, rayna/raina, samya, Samara, soleia, talia/Thalia, Valentina. Cristian, Cruz, Diego, Fabian, Elian, Joaquin, Leo, Mateo, matthias, noa, paolo, taio, taro, tyce/tice, Vincent, roman. Congrats!

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J.K.

answers from Sacramento on

My son also had a little girl named Paloma in his preschool. She was light haired and blue eyed and as white as they come. The only baby names that bug me are ones that are intentionally spelled weird so that they can be "different". Like Ashlee or Mykal. The kids will go through their whole lives with their name being mispronounced and having to correct people who spell their name the traditional way.

I also wonder what people are thinking sometimes when thy come up with sort of cutsey names. There was a post a few months ago about a mom who wanted to name her baby Rainy Dayz or something like that. She got a lot of negative posts about it sounding like a stripper name and I remember thinking that it sounded like a My Little Pony.

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D.P.

answers from Tucson on

Hello,

I really think that a name should be something you and your husband like. I have met white kids with Latino/Greek/Brazilian names before. They were not ridiculed for it. Yes, kids can be mean, and you can never tell what will happen. Even if a kid has a normal name, they can be bullied. Just have to wait and see. Don't let anyone bully you into naming your child something other then the name you love and want.

D. P.

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T.K.

answers from Dallas on

screw it! kids will always be teased for one thing or another. Go with a name you love. Your names are gorgeous, by the way.
My boy is Isaiah (traditionally a Mexican name in our area) and he does look hispanic. He is actually black. Hispanic people walk up to him and start speaking Spanish to him all the time. They just laugh when they find out he's no Mexican. lol But he's learning a little Spanish, so, give him time.

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T.R.

answers from Orlando on

I don't think that people would be judgmental or make fun, but, I think names spark interest in people's nationality, and they are always going to ask your child, "So, where are you from? Or where is your family from?" Your child will be asked this ALL of their lives, and will have to say, It's not my nationality, my Mom just liked the name. Which, there is nothing wrong with that, but maybe just something to think about. BWT, I do speak from experience. I have a French name, and happen to be French, so when I have answered those questions a million times over, I happen to be proud of my nationality, BUT if I wasn't french, I think I would have tired a long time ago to all of the presumptions. Anyway, just a different thought. Good luck to what ever you decide :)

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S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

Well gee, I am here in Hawaii, land of multi-cultural and multi-ethnic and varied skin colored people.

MANY kids, white or not, have Hawaiian names. They are not Hawaiian, ethnically. So what.
It is a name, the parents chose.
It is nice names.

You name your child, as you wish.
Not according to skin color.

If your friends came here to Hawaii, and saw ALL the kids names we have here, per culture and ethnicity and skin color, they would be aghast.
There are no such name 'rules' here.
Like as they tell you.

I have never heard, that names have to match a person's skin color.
Ridiculous.

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S.T.

answers from Kansas City on

i dont think it would matter!!! i think those are beautiful names, name your baby what you want!!

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K.G.

answers from Phoenix on

I have to be honest... I think your friends are right. As much as we don't WANT to believe the world is judgmental, it is. I personally don't see a problem with naming the baby anything you want. I do see how they may be mocked. Kids, and some adults, are cruel.

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T.H.

answers from Kansas City on

I find that hard to believe as well, unless maybe you live in a place where white is the minority and there is predominately one other ethnicicty, then maybe (maybe) that group would mock you, but it seems far fetched to me. I'm Greek and we have some pretty "different" names! I always love to hear Greek names though and I certainly would never mock you for it! :)

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N.F.

answers from Albuquerque on

If you wait to tell friends the baby's name until after the birth, the comments get fewer and fewer.

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D.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

I like Paloma....not so much Aikaterine (reminds me of Interuterine!lol)

I say pick a name you love....don't dwell on the ethnicity of it.

C.T.

answers from Santa Fe on

I just LOVE the name Paloma. Every time I hear it I just think it is beautiful. I personally think naming your child one of these names is just fine. I would not think anything of it. A good friend named her daughter a traditionally African (and very different) name just because she thought it sounded so beautiful. Then 5 years later she went and adopted two African American boys and named them David and Will. Funny. I will read what the other posters say now.

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