I have an "ethnic" surname, so are these ethnic names best avoided?

[saffron_rice]

What's your view on having an ethnic surname and using a first or middle name from another ethnicity? Too clashy? I like the Welsh names Bethan and Seren and the Irish name Cathleen (this spelling only). But I have an ethnic surname that is neither Welsh nor Irish. Except for Bethan (it's one of the few B names I like), I'd only use them in the middle name position. Thanks!

[stripedsocks]

I think especially for a middle its completely fine.

And for a first, well, I'm going the other way - I married an Irish guy with a rather Irish name, but I have no intention of giving up ALL my family names!

[irmgard+theodorian]

Depending on the surnames country of origin, it may or may not be too clashy.

I think Seren is sort of culturally neutral as it isn't so common that it's not associated with one group.

Some names that are similar:
Alden
Auden
Austen
Avalon
Bryony
Elowen
Maren
Vesper

[mommymee]

I think it is perfectly find as long as the names flow together. My Dh is Filipino and i am Irish so why should my kids name not reflect who they are. So i say go for it.

[taz]

I think it depends. I have an ethnic surname as well. It's long, difficult to spell/pronounce and Russian/Eastern European.

May daughter's name is French but it sounds great in Russian & Polish accents of our family members- if that isn't a concern I think it matters much less.

I think that Cathleen works with a non Irish surname cause the sound & spelling are familiar in the US. More out-there, less popular picks with obvious Gaelic spellings might trip people up or cause them to assume your kids are half Irish. It just depends if that matters to you.

[oliviasarah]

It definitely depends on exactly what ethnicity your surname is.

Bethan, Seren and Cathleen are quite commonplace in England so I don't really see them as very Celtic anyway. I actually know a little girl named Bethan who's father in Indian and she has a traditional Hindi surname.