Ethic/Cultural names you'd want to use

[holbs]

*sorry, keyboard slip, I meant Ethnic in the title, not Ethic!

Are there any names that you'd secretly love to use if only your child was going to have the right background/culture to pull it off?
Of course in the case of adoptions I realize that can be a great way to honour heritage, but I'm thinking more along the lines of total guilty pleasures that are really associated with one culture you'd love to be able to use (or maybe you actually would use)

Mine are:

Girls:
Saoirse
Myfanwy
Ykaterina
Lupe
Pilar
Priya

Boys:
Rolf
Dmitry
Constantine
Knut
Alejandro
Klaus
Lars

[ashthedreamer]

I have a couple for each nationality, haha--I tell myself that I'm just saving them should I adopt internationally, but in all reality, I plan to adopt domestically for the most part, so I think they're mainly just GPs. My favorites are Eastern European names--I love Polish names like Ariadna, Cecylia (sp?), Sabina, Lilija, Gracja, Ziven, Eliasz, Jonasz, etc. I also love the German Oskar and the Czech Eliska.

I also love Mei-Lin, Jia-li, and Mei for Chinese girls' names. And I love the French Aurelie, Auguste, Armand, etc.

[catloverd]

Latika - Indian

I can actually get away with Chinese names, but I don't want to since my children will live in America, but my favorites:
Xuemei
Meili
Biyu
Mingyu
Aiming
Lihua

[kjash1971]

I would stay away from ethnic names. The reality is an ethnic name on a resume can reduce a person's opportunity at getting an interview. It's not right, but it's life. I will take that into account when naming my child.

[holbs]

@ ashthedreamer -- Oh my gosh, I can't believe I forgot Armand! I LOVE Armand. And I think I'd actually use Sabina if it felt right, I adore that name, it was actually my mother's "almost name" even though she has no related background.

@ catloverd -- I don't have a lot of experience with Chinese names, but I really like Xuemei from your list

@kjash1971 -- I understand your point, but I think that applies more often in the case of kreatif spellings or extremely unusual, difficulty to pronounce names, not just any ethnic name.

[catloverd]

I think this thread is just focused on names you like from other countries, not that you would use them. I would never use Latika, it's just a gp of mine ever since watching Slumdog Millionaire. I forgot to mention Priya! I love Priya, but again, would never use it.

I do agree that putting an Asian name on a White baby is a bit odd and could cause them problems later when trying to get a job. It's sad how racism still exists, but it does, which is why most Asian parents give their children American/English names if they move to America. I'm half Chinese. My mom kept her Chinese name as her middle, but she didn't give me or my sister Chinese names. She didn't want us to be at a disadvantage.

However, European names seem to be acceptable on Americans, like Bianca and Sebastian. It has a lot to do with skin color when it comes down to it.

@holbs: Xuemei is my favorite it means beautiful snow

[lineska]

Top of my list of ethnic names that would look funny on any child of mine....Imani! So gorgeous. I also love Araceli.
My husband loves a lot of Irish names, but they just dont work with a very Polish last name in my opinion.

@ashthedreamer, yup, it's Cecylia. I adore Gracja too but those j/ys don't cross the pond very easily

@catloverd, i loved the name Latika after slumdog millionaire too

[violetgray]

I love a few ethnic names. Most are from my heritage but would probably sound odd with my english sounding last name.
Mine are:
Magdalena
Bronwen
Francesca
Tatiana
Ekaterina
Saoirse
Aoife
Lucia
Zofia
Elowen

[daisy451]

I love, love, love Esperanza and the nn Anza, but my Spanish-speaking friends and family would die laughing at me. Ah well. Maybe one of them will use it.

[aj_bear]

I love a lot of English names, but I'm not English in the slightest! I also have a soft spot for German and Russian names, but a lot of them wouldn't work with my uber-French last name (which ironicly means "German.") I like some Irish names too, but, again, they wouldn't work well wtih my surname.
-Athena