Hello Berries!
I’ve long had a fondness for girls’ names ending in o ([name_m]Roc[/name_m]ío, [name_u]Calypso[/name_u]) or beginning with Am (Amora, [name_f]Aminata[/name_f]). So I finally found a name ([name_f]Amparo[/name_f]) that checked both of those boxes and I was ecstatic. I have a new favorite name!
It has a beautiful meaning that happens to have quite a bit of personal meaning to me and my family. It’s quite uncommon for where I live, it’s neither frilly nor tailored, and it gives a subtle nod to my similar sounding surname/future maiden name. I absolutely love it.
One question though- [name_f]Amparo[/name_f] is an uncommon (at least where I live) Hispanic name, which might make it weird for me to use it. I do have Mexican heritage but I’m not very connected to the culture, and I feel like I’m using my heritage as an excuse for me to be able to use the name. Is this a problem, or am I just overthinking things?
Opinions/middle names are greatly appreciated as well. Thank you!
[name_u]Mo[/name_u]
You are overthinking things, yes!
You could name you daughter a Greek, Hebrew, [name_f]Indian[/name_f], [name_m]French[/name_m], or Korean name and why not?
More than being Mexican, [name_f]Amparo[/name_f] comes across as religious. It’s one of the many epithets of the Virgin [name_f]Mary[/name_f] and has a long history of usage in the Iberian peninsula and Latin [name_u]America[/name_u] in general, as a compound name ([name_f]Maria[/name_f] del [name_f]Amparo[/name_f]).
[name_f]Amparo[/name_f] means “protection” and “safety” and is used to refer to the Virgin [name_f]Mary[/name_f] as a protector and safety net, a divine “someone” who you can count on. I think it’s beautiful, personally, and like you said has a gorgeous meaning. It’s not an ethnic name but rather a word name from another language, therefor perfectly fine for you to use if you love it. 
[name_m]Just[/name_m] thought you might benefit from knowing the context of why it is/was used as a given name.
@lesliemarion, you have given me courage to put [name_m]Etienne[/name_m], Uneko and [name_m]Vasili[/name_m] onto my main lists. Thank you. 
@pinkplus, thank you! I had actually been wondering for a while about [name_f]Mar[/name_f]ía [name_f]Amparo[/name_f] and whether [name_f]Amparo[/name_f] as a standalone would be unusual (from what I gather, it’s not). While the Catholic meaning is beautiful, as a nonreligious person I am also grateful for the secular (if not rather general) meaning of refuge.
It is interesting, but I worry about it as a stand-alone first name. I think it might be nicer as a middle name, although [name_f]Maria[/name_f] [name_f]Amparo[/name_f] would make it distinctly more Spanish and more religious.
I think it’s definitely usable! I’m Greek and honestly I think it’s cool that Greek names are being used by American parents despite the butchering of their pronunciation, so why not use a Hispanic name that youre pronouncing correctly and know the meaning of?
Also, since you mentioned it, I don’t think not being religious should keep you from using it either.
By the way, [name_f]Amparo[/name_f] is a gorgeous name!
[name_f]Amparo[/name_f] looks too masculine…
I like it! It’s unusual, but not unheard of, and it’s not fussy, which so many popular girls’ names lately seem to be.
Thank you guys!
@rubberry, I definitely hear you, I like the look of [name_f]Amparo[/name_f] as a middle name better as well, especially something shorter and more frilly. But I’d rather have the name I like better as a first name than delegate it to the middle name spot.
@emmievis, thank you so much! Your encouragement means a lot. Now I have to figure out which Greek names I am not pronouncing correctly!
@susette, [name_f]Amparo[/name_f] does look masculine, probably because of the o at the end. That might be sort of the appeal for me, but at least [name_f]Amparo[/name_f] is an established girls’ name!
@skiftande, thank you! I couldn’t have put it better myself.
Use it! Especially if you have Latin heritage, there’s no problem at all.
Beautiful! From what you’ve said, I see no reason why you can’t use the name, as long as you’re OK with the religious backstory. It’s an uncommon [name_u]Marian[/name_u] name, so I don’t think it’s as obviously Catholic as something like [name_f]Bel[/name_f]én or [name_f]Soledad[/name_f], but that’s still something that would give me slight pause as a non-religious person. But it sounds like the perfect fit for you!
It’s tough to pair with middles, though! Maybe something quite traditional and/or secular for balance:
[name_f]Amparo[/name_f] [name_f]Helen[/name_f]
[name_f]Amparo[/name_f] [name_f]Pearl[/name_f]
[name_f]Amparo[/name_f] [name_f]Violet[/name_f]
[name_f]Amparo[/name_f] [name_f]Esther[/name_f]
[name_f]Amparo[/name_f] [name_f]Jane[/name_f]
[name_f]Amparo[/name_f] [name_f]Luna[/name_f]
[name_f]Amparo[/name_f] [name_f]Tess[/name_f]
[name_f]Amparo[/name_f] [name_f]Eve[/name_f]
[name_f]Amparo[/name_f] [name_f]Blythe[/name_f]
[name_f]Amparo[/name_f] [name_f]Zara[/name_f]
[name_f]Amparo[/name_f] [name_f]Daisy[/name_f]
[name_f]Amparo[/name_f] [name_f]Lucy[/name_f]
[name_f]Amparo[/name_f] [name_f]Thea[/name_f]
Thank you for the encouragement @wandsworth!
@katinka, thank you for the suggestions! I’m very stuck right now so you’ve helped beyond measure. I especially like [name_f]Amparo[/name_f] [name_f]Helen[/name_f], [name_f]Amparo[/name_f] [name_f]Pearl[/name_f], [name_f]Amparo[/name_f] [name_f]Eve[/name_f], [name_f]Amparo[/name_f] [name_f]Blythe[/name_f], and [name_f]Amparo[/name_f] [name_f]Thea[/name_f].