5 replies to this topic

[zingadel]

Hi all! My husband and I are expecting our little one any day now. We are Americans who have just moved to Ecuador and plan to raise our family in Ecuador. We'd like to use one Ecuadorian (Spanish) name and one American name. We are still so new to the country and the language that it's not an easy topic to "talk about" with the locals (we really don't know anyone yet anyway) plus everyone only speaks Spanish or Quechua and we are only just beginning to learn Spanish!

So!

What will be easier on the baby -- the Ecaudorian name to be first or second? I have met a few men that use their second name, but I don't know if that is customary or not. I'm thinking like once our child is in school, etc. how we can make life easier for him. The American name would be in honor of our families back in the US. Thanks so much for any thoughts!

[ashooles]

I think as he'll probably grow up learning Spanish in school, and he'll make friends with Spanish names, it'll probably be easier to go with the Spanish one first. Might be easier for everyone to pronounce, perhaps?

[Addison]

I have a friend living in Mexico who is named Stephen, but while in Mexico he goes by the Spanish equivelent, Esteban. So that's another idea to go by the spanish equivelent of a name. That way when you go back to the States he can go by a name familiar to people in the US but not have to use his middle name. Also, that would mean that when he grows up goes back to the states to go to college and/or get a job people won't wonder why the heck an all-American has such a foreign name, haha

Some examples:
Arturo - Arthur
Alexandre - Alexander
Antonio - Anthony
Carlos - Charles
Cristián - Christian
Edmundo - Edmund
Eduard - Edward
Felipe - Philip
Gaspar - Jasper
Gregorio - Gregory
Guillem - William
Jeremias - Jeremiah
Marco - Mark
Mateo - Matthew
Moises - Moses
Patricio - Patrick
Paulo - Paul
Pedro - Peter
Pepe - Joseph
Salomón - Solomon
Teodoro - Theodore
Timoteo - Timothy
Tito - Titus
Xavi - Xavier

Or maybe a name that transfers well into both cultures? Like Aaron or Cruz or Elias or Felix or Gabriel.

[CLA]

I agree with Addy. A fn name that transfers well between languages would be best.

[Laura2013]

Oooo I love Addy suggestion of Felix or Gabriel. Alexandre or Alexander is also a good choice.

Laura

[zingadel]

little one decided to come into the world last Monday on Labor Day and still we had no boy names picked out! No worries though, "Isabela Maria" doesn't need any boy names!! Thanks all for chiming in =)