[name_f]Yo[/name_f] nameberries!
This is my first post 
What do you think of LUSTIG?
nn. [name_f]Lu[/name_f] or [name_f]Gigi[/name_f]
It means happy, funny, merry, cheerful in [name_m]German[/name_m] and is pronounced lÊstÉȘç (looh-stick ⊠gawd that looks awful).
Iâm truly trilingual (ENG, GER, FR), partner is [name_m]French[/name_m] speaking⊠and the name/the nn would have to work in all three languages.
Very curious to get your feedback <3
To be completely honest, Lustig looks like the name of a type of bug. (Not trying to hurt any feelings this is just my honest opinion!) I also dislike the âlustâ word in the beginning of it, and the pronunciation doesnât sound the prettiest to my ears.
However, [name_f]Lu[/name_f] and [name_f]Gigi[/name_f] are adorable nicknames and the meaning is delightful.
Iâm not familiar with many names that work equally well in [name_m]French[/name_m] and [name_m]German[/name_m], so I canât help much there. Some names/nicknames that sound like they could work well in all European languages are [name_f]Anna[/name_f]/[name_f]Ana[/name_f], [name_f]Ellie[/name_f] or [name_f]Lina[/name_f], if that helps at all.
If you plan to raise her in an English speaking country, I wouldnât use it, because it looks too similar to lust and lusty. High middle school teasing potential. I also wouldnât use it if the baby will have a [name_m]French[/name_m] surname, because Lustig Boucher/Tremblay/Boudreau/whatever feels very mismatched to me.
It looks very like Lusty to me, and I donât think it sounds pretty at all either sorry.
Thanks everyone, for your honest opinions.
I was expecting to get some straight-forward ânuh-uhâ-type reactions â and I can totally see how Lustig might make a humanâs life unnecessarily difficult, but I just [name_u]LOVE[/name_u] this name. Which is completely made up, btw. Never heard of a [name_m]German[/name_m] woman (in fiction or in the flesh) named Lustig.
To make matters worse (or better?), we donât live in a [name_m]German[/name_m]-speaking country at present (currently in [name_m]French[/name_m]-speaking country but this might change in a few years), so we would constantly have to explain the name and give instructions re. pronunciation.
If we always use a nn, could Lustig be her secret first name? Or could that be de-stabilising for the poor kid?
My grandmother was [name_f]Maria[/name_f] but everyone called her [name_f]Mia[/name_f] her whole life, I donât think it was a negative experience for her at all.
Any Lustig lovers out there? Though I feel this may be a party of one, lol!
Also, donât most European countries have some sort of name laws? Would they approve a German adjective that has no historical name use as a first name? Itâs also already in use as a surname, which I canât imagine would help.
Would Lustig be received badly as a name in Germany? In the US, naming your daughter Cheerful would be considered kinda weird.
Hmm, good point. [name_m]Will[/name_m] investigate. But I could imagine itâd get through, as some doozies have slipped under the radar in my circles, lol!
It would totally be received as super weird in [name_m]German[/name_m]/y. It would also be extremely weird to call somebody this, nobody would believe that itâs actually her name and honestly sheâd me ridiculed to no end (which would be sad as her name isnât her fault, but this ones way too easy to make fun of).
I can tell you really adore this name, but I honestly canât find any support for using Lustig as a first name. Between the beginning âlustâ and the strange pronunciation, I just donât think it works. Iâm a fan of out of the box word names myself (though I only speak English), so I can appreciate the sentiment. There are some fun names that associated with happiness though - [name_f]Blythe[/name_f], [name_f]Felicity[/name_f], [name_u]Bliss[/name_u], [name_f]Allegra[/name_f], [name_f]Serendipity[/name_f] (though [name_f]Serendipity[/name_f] isnât much more usable than Lustig). I wonder if you might enjoy [name_f]Lumina[/name_f]? Itâs a latin name meaning âbrilliant lightâ but Iâve also seen it defined as âsunshineâ. The spanish version, [name_f]Luminosa[/name_f], even shares a lot of sounds with Lustig. Either one could share the nickname [name_f]Lu[/name_f].
Is it not an option to use it in the middle? I donât like the look or the sound of it. Since itâs made up then no one would be familiar with it which could cause additional issues.
I thought Iâd use it as a middle to avoid likely contention (and possibly making someoneâs life a bist miserable). But I donât like any other name quite as much, lol!
I do have some alternative options âŠ
Iâll either post them here or start another thread as Iâd love some feedback.
Though Iâm still leaning so strongly towards Lustig, wonderfully curious strange little name
Yes, it would be forbidden to name a child Lustig in Germany. It would also be forbidden to name a child Hoffnung ([name_f]Hope[/name_f]) or Glaube ([name_f]Faith[/name_f]). Word names arenât really a thing in [name_m]German[/name_m], very few exceptions.
It would be received very badly, like even worse than [name_f]Cheerful[/name_f] would be in the US. Since word names arenât used in Germany, even a name like Hoffnung ([name_f]Hope[/name_f]) would be considered ridiculous in Germany. In some situations lustig might be used as a word for cheerful, but usually it means funny. I mean who wants to be called funnyâŠ
Letâs say if you really want to name your child Lustig, make sure he or she will never live in Germany.
Put it in the middle spot and people will think itâs a family surname. Then call her [name_f]Lulu[/name_f] anyway. 
I think it would depend on where in Germany you live (I lived in [name_m]Berlin[/name_m] for 15 years and can tell you that anything goes), and what kind of circles you run in.
And we donât live in Germany at present, though still have strong family/work ties to various [name_m]German[/name_m] and Austrian cities.
Anyway, thanks for sharing your thoughts!
That might true for some names that are just a little out there. But Iâm sorry to say that Lustig is not even close to âa little bit out thereâ. [name_m]Even[/name_m] Hoffnung and Glaube would be way too weird even in a big City like [name_m]Berlin[/name_m]. There are just some names that will always be considered ridiculous. The only way it might work in a big City like [name_m]Berlin[/name_m] is if she had only contact to people who arenât [name_m]German[/name_m]. SorryâŠ
Iâve met [name_m]German[/name_m] kids called Kosmos, [name_f]Didi[/name_f] (nn for Diamant) [name_u]Echo[/name_u] and Ewig
[name_m]Just[/name_m] sayinâ
But yes, youâre correct in that Lustig is quirky (or weird, to use your term). I find it so happy-making but feedback so far suggests that others do not.
I can well understand that you love this name and want to use it. But, you have to remember that you are naming a child, one who will have to live/deal with this name on a daily basis. Youâre not naming a toy. Naming a child shouldnât only be about what the parents want⊠it should also be what best suits a child throughout his/her life. Choosing a name that you want, but which has potential to be bad/strange for your child, is selfish.
Other PPs have noted what doesnât work about Lustig⊠I agree with all of them.
You could always name her [name_f]Luisa[/name_f] and then used Lustig as your pet name for her?
If you really love it, I would shift it in to the middle name position. âLooh stickâ sounds in British English like something you use to clean the toilet. I have to agree with others, that the name just isnât going to be easy for a child to wear.
Would something like [name_f]Louise[/name_f]/[name_f]Louisa[/name_f] work for you? It works in all three languages, and [name_f]Lu[/name_f] would be a nickname for it.
Good luck.
[name_f]Susan[/name_f]
I really like it, in theory. In practice, I donât think it meets the criteria youâve mentioned.
The English word âlustyâ used to mean something like âlustigâ, and was pronounced similarly. Unfortunately, it really doesnât translate well in modern English. I expect it would be tricky in French-speaking countries, too.
I wonder whether you might like Zelig? Itâs close to âseligâ, but possibly different enough not to feel to wordy (possibly. I donât speak German). The nickname Zelie works well in French and should be fine in English (you might have to give some thought to diacritics in order to get your preferred pronunciation, but for a nickname you wonât have to worry about naming laws). Or perhaps Zell, Zizi or Lili/Lily/Lillie?
Or you could use Selig, if it works in German (with Sellie, Sell, Selah, Sisi etc as a nickname if you one). The modern English word âsillyâ used to sound a fair bit like âseligâ and meant much the same. Another one that doesnât translate well in modern English :). I donât think the connection between âsillyâ and âzeligâ is commonly known, though - itâs something I know because it relates to my work. I think most people will think Zelig or Selig is an unusual name, because we donât commonly use the âigâ or âich/ickâ sounds at the end of girlsâ names, but I doubt theyâll think of any negative meanings.
In addition to what has been said already, I want to note that the word lustig does not quite have the connotation youâre going for. The dictionary might put âhappyâ as the first meaning, but in everyday use, itâs almost exclusively used as âfunnyâ or even âridiculousâ. I donât see it as an (exclusively) positive trait when put on a person, sure, it might mean âis fun to be aroundâ but it could just as easily be interpreted as âis easy to make fun ofâ.
If youâre still set on that meaning Iâd suggest Froh or the previously mentioned [name_m]Selig[/name_m].