Well, I thought it might be interesting to do a post on names that I like but may be culturally inappropriate but I love for some reason for another. Now, by culturally inappropriate I mean names that might be out of place or just weird on my likely whitey white children, or out of place in my heritage. I’m of German, English and Irish descent with a boyfriend who’s mostly the same. And I felt like doing a post on boys’ names, since I don’t really discuss them enough.
- Alasdair: I am in no way Scottish. I know that the random person on the street doesn’t know what, but, well, I don’t know. Does it seem culture-grabby? I just love the sound, and do plan to visit the country someday. Sean has and he loved it, and he wants to go back, hopefully with me! I mean, this is a potential actual name I would consider, so, tell me: Is it too Scottish for a non-Scot, no-Scottish-heritage person to use?
- Antony: I love the sound, and find it miles better than Anthony. I would use this in reference to a family Tony on my boyfriend’s side who unfortunately passed away. He was Italian, but I’m not. It just seems to Italian to me, that I’m not sure if it would be out of place. However, this is a middle choice, so I’m not too worried about it.
- Ivan: I will never use Ivan in all probability, but I’ve toyed around with it. Too Russian? I’ve heard of Asian children with this name, so I’m inclined to say no.
- Johannes: I love Johannes. I think it’s handsome and unusual while being classic. I know that it is primarily seen as German, and I have that heritage, but I’m not sure if it’s too German, if you understand. I don’t want to be that person who is like 1/300th Irish and uses Riley or somesuch. It seems to be quite popular in Sweden and Norway though, so I guess it would not be strange to use it, as Adelheid or something would be. What do you think? Would you be put out to see a young American Johannes?
- Leif: I like the “Leaf” pronunciation. End of story.
- Niels: I think this is such a smooth name. Again, I probably wouldn’t use it because the “kneels” pronunciation can give way to way too many sex jokes in junior high school. However, I think this is a more debonair Niles (which I love as well).
- Nikolai: Another Russian name of awesomeness. I’d love it with the nickname Nik/co, but wouldn’t use it. The Nick sound is too commonplace for me. The name is so awesome in full though. I love Alexei as well, but the Alex sound is the same as Nick; too common.
- Stavros: No way would I ever use Stavros. It’s too Greek, too religious, and just too damn sexy. Seriously, I would feel awkward calling my son this. It’s just one of those names for me. It’s a total guilty pleasure, though; I’m inexplicably drawn to it.
So yes, my weird loves from around the globe. Remember, when I say “culturally inappropriate” I don’t mean that names shouldn’t cross over. I just mean that I might feel a little hesitant using these because I feel they are very tied to a certain country/culture and might be out of place on a child of mine.
What are your favorite “culturally inappropriate” names?
Moniker Madness! 
Thursday, December 11th, 2008 at 10:15 pm
Oh, I love Alasdair! As someone with a fair bit of Scot in her, I wouldn’t mind seeing him on a non Scot! (In fact, I may even prefer him on a non Scot, especially with a bland, English surname). I keep toying with the Idea of Ivan for myself, it’s my favorite form of John, ever. And I went to high school with a non German Joachim (bland English dude) and no one blinked at his name. I never even thought twice about it. I can’t see why Johannes wouldn’t work! The others, I’d use in the middle, so they wouldn’t feel too out of place. But if you’re saying leaf, instead of LAYF, write Leif off, entirely. I actually like Leif, pronounced properly. he’s one of the few one syllable names I do find completely charming. Stavros strikes me as very severe, almost evil, even. I don’t know why he sounds villainous but he does. I don’t like Stavros. he could give me nightmares!
Everything on my lists sounds culturally inappropriate with my surname. (Except maybe Alasdair!) Cosmo, Balthazar, Valentin, Constantin, Maxim… Why do you think I put them in the middle (well, most of them)? 🙂 Cosmo’s the only one of thse that really sounds awesome with the surname. Really dashing, actually. Some more I’d love to use but find them culturally clashy: Porfirio, Laszlo, Casimir, Gavriil (doesn’t he look fantastic?), Massimo, Kirill, Zenobios, Carmine, Bruno… I could keep going but I’m getting sleepy. Off to bed I go. 🙂
Friday, December 12th, 2008 at 12:15 am
Well, my surname isn’t bland and English, quite recognizably German, in fact, but my boyfriend’s is. Johannes as usable makes me do the happy dance! I just love him. Stavros is rather severe, yes, but it just reminds me of a sexy Greek for some reason, which is strange since I don’t have a thing for Greeks at all. I think Bruno sounds fine with your surname, but Cosmo beats all with it. As far as more “normal” ones, I’m still holding out for Malcolm!
Friday, December 12th, 2008 at 6:02 am
Ah, Alasdair! I swoon every time I see this name. I love it. It sounds very British to me. I’m not very Scottish (though I’m guessing I probably have a few drops of Scottish blood somewhere in my family tree), but it’s one I wouldn’t hesitate to use. I have been to Scotland, though, so I perhaps feel a bit more entitled to use this one than I would an Irish name. Alasdair would sound great with a bland English surname, as Lola has said. I think this is definitely worth keeping on the list.
Ivan would definitely work; it’s not a personal favorite, but it’s definitely a good name. I, too, have known several Ivans who were of Asian heritage, so the name has a bit of multicultural appeal. Niels and Johannes seem workable as well, and Leif isn’t bad. Antony feels more Ancient Roman historical than modern Italian, so I think it would wear fine on a boy of a different heritage. Nikolai and Stavros are the only two I think you had better avoid.
As far as the culturally inappropriate names on my list: My husband suggested Diego, which isn’t inappropriate considering I’m 1/4 Mexican, but I don’t have any ties to Mexican culture and the name doesn’t pair well with his last name or any of our other names choices. I think Esperanza is very pretty, but I’d avoid it for the same reason.
I love a lot of Greek names, and my family is of partial Greek heritage, so I wouldn’t feel that inappropriate using them, but they do sound funny with our obviously English last name. Demetrius and Persephone are two favorites that I’d never use.
I have a secret love for the Nigerian Adaeze (ah-dah-EY-zey) because of its meaning, but I have absolutely no ties to Nigerian culture so I can’t justify using the name at all.
Friday, December 12th, 2008 at 11:38 am
Adaeze sounds beautiful! Some African names are so gorgeous, but of course there’s no way I could use them either. Yeah, Ivan is Ivan, probably wouldn’t use it myself but have definitely thought about it. My major malfunction with Leif is I like “leaf” better than “layf” and it is so completely wrong. 😀
Monday, December 15th, 2008 at 11:38 am
Oh I like Alasdair – but it made me think of Alistair Crowley, so I don;t think I would use it. Plus, I think the kids on the playground would shorten it to Ali, which I DON’T like, so there you go.
Stavros is very cool – I see what you mean about it being sexy, it IS very strongly caustically sexual. It does seem too Greek for me, and since I have no Greek in my background that pretty much cuts it out.
I have know people with all of the other names on your list, and none of them were particularly different culturally, or at least, none of them exhibited and obviously different culture from anyone else, so I don’t attach those names to different cultures, so none of them are taboo to because of mismatch.
I did know someone with the version of Niels that was spelled (and pronounced) Nils – he was of Norwegian descent I think, but was completely Americanized. I, too, love Niles…
Monday, December 15th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
Any Alasdair of mine would probably be Alec. I knew one in high school and he never had any trouble enforcing the nickname. He was an Alexander, though, I think. Nils is a very neat option, although it reminds me of “nil” in the sense of none. That’s sort of traumatizing. 😆 Thanks for stopping by!
Monday, December 15th, 2008 at 2:18 pm
Funny, we had this argument over Dante and I *am* Italian! My husband argued that Dante felt more like an African American name than an Italian heritage choice.
When I said he was crazy, he rattled off a list of African American Dantes from the NBA, NFL and college sports. (Granted, some of them are Donte or Dantae or Dontay.) My brother-in-law joined in. I grudgingly agreed that it might be a tough name to wear if he grew up to be a scrawny bookworm type, and removed it from consideration.
I was set on Giacomo when we found out the baby was a girl. 😉
As for Alexei? You better believe the “Alex” bit is common. What’s more, Alexei seems to read female to many people. I recently mentioned his name to another mother who asked my son’s name, and she said, “Oh, I’m sorry I thought he was a boy!”
I love all the names on your list! It’s tempting to go international for boys – it feels like a nice way to use a classic without going too crazy.
Monday, December 15th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
Alexei as female? Oh lord. I knew of a male Alexei, so maybe that’s why I was immune to this confusion even before I started with name-nerdery. That’s just weird, though. It’s probably its similarity to Alexa, Alexia, Alexis, etc. Although Alexis is male. 😕 And I totally agree about why international is so tempting; it’s all about a classic feel while retaining individuality.
Monday, December 22nd, 2008 at 2:05 pm
I also love Alasdair! To me, Antony is not at all culture-grabby and it doesn’t even strike me as particularly Italian, either. That is the standard pronunciation of the name “Anthony” in England (it’s actually my hubby’s MN and it is said “Antony” but spelled “Anthony”). And, finally, Ivan is a nice name that is usually said “EYE vin” in the US. I like it that way. In slavic pronunciation (specifically Russian, which is the only one of the living slavic languages I can claim to speak reasonably well), it is more closely “ee VAUGHN” which I also like. This is interestingly one of the few slavic names of which I LIKE the anglicized pronunciation. (Lots of other Russian names, such as Vera, Jana, Boris, and Dmitri, sound wonderful to me with the Russian accent/pronunciation that would never be achievable here, sadly). Another nickname for the Alex names, with a Russian background, is Alyosha… but I fear the sha ending would sound feminine to most ears…
I’m all for “international” names (but then I’m a language/linguistics nerd, so that’s no surprise, right?) – I say go for it!
Monday, December 22nd, 2008 at 2:20 pm
Really? That’s so interesting about Anthony’s English pronunciation! I’d probably use that now that I know! It’s so Italian to me, I think, because Tony was Italian, from Italy. Most Anthonys in this area are Italian descent I think. I prefer the Anglicised pronunciation of Ivan myself, if only because it is easier. No Russian background, but Alyosha is very interesting. Reminds me of Aloysius. Is it pronounced, roughly, uh-loy-sha? Al-yo-sha? I’m dying to know!
Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you stick around!
Monday, December 22nd, 2008 at 2:58 pm
On the Alyosha pronunciation – in Russian it’s most closely “all YO sha” But one of the great things about adopting and adapting is the adapting part – so if it comes out differently as you would say it, that’s cool… it’s how language adapts, changes, becomes something new and refreshing! (That’s my take anyway!)
Monday, December 22nd, 2008 at 5:55 pm
That’s interesting! I agree about Anglicisation; it’s not wrong, really, just different. I do like to know what things sound like in their native language, though.