My partner has said that if we have a baby boy his name must be [name_m]Guido[/name_m] (honorific).
We live in the Mediterranean so Italian names are quite common, but I’m still not sold on it as a name.
Looking for ideas on how I can incorporate it or combine it with another name and turn it into something I like more.
Any ideas? Thanks!
Welcome to Nameberry!
Do you mean incorporate/combine it as in a hyphenated/double first name, such as [name_m]Gian[/name_m]-[name_m]Guido[/name_m] or [name_m]Gian[/name_m] [name_m]Guido[/name_m]? [name_u]Or[/name_u] do you mean to make it the middle name and use a different first name?
I actually like [name_m]Guido[/name_m] (my association is Guido/Guy Fawkes, of Bonfire [name_u]Night[/name_u] fame) but I know it’s been used as a slur in the US so I wouldn’t recommend using it as a first name if you’re likely to live or work there.
The most obvious solution is to put it in the middle, with a name you can both agree on in the first name slot. What other names have you talked about?
Alternatively, names that sound like [name_m]Guido[/name_m] might be…
Gaetano
Gaio
[name_u]Gio[/name_u]
[name_m]Gerardo[/name_m]
Giacinto
[name_m]Giacomo[/name_m]
[name_m]Gino[/name_m]
[name_m]Giotto[/name_m]
[name_m]Gennaro[/name_m]
[name_m]Galeno[/name_m]
[name_m]Gustavo[/name_m]
Gedeone
Gidiu
Giuda
Thank you so much for this list of names!
My partner refuses to include it as a middle name, I am hoping I can work on him thought if I provide him some alternatives which include it as a second name/ middle name.
Either to be honest!
Pretty unfair of him to demand something like this and refuse to take your opinion into account. Any chance he agrees to a similar, but not the same, name? [name_m]Plenty[/name_m] of people honor their relatives with modified versions of their names. Maybe [name_m]Gideon[/name_m]?
Thanks for your opinion, I was trying to debate whether it’s fair of him or not to demand this, to be honest.
He said if the baby is a girl I can call it whatever I like in exchange.
Perhaps that makes it more fair?
He happens to really like the girls name that I chose though however, as it is much more current. I find [name_m]Guido[/name_m] outdated as a name.
I think demanding it as a first name is a little unfair, especially given it’s a bit of an usual name. I don’t hate the name [name_m]Guido[/name_m], but I definitely had to search for it to find the meaning and make sure I knew how to pronounce it. It actually does have a lovely meaning (guide, leader), but it definitely was a slur at one point in the US.
Some Italian suggestions that sound a little nicer and could potentially be nicknamed to [name_m]Guido[/name_m]:
Giana
[name_u]Gianni[/name_u]
[name_m]Giovanni[/name_m]
[name_m]Giuliano[/name_m]
[name_m]Giulio[/name_m]
[name_m]Giuseppe[/name_m]
Giusto
Or, some names with the same or a similar meaning:
Enzo (ruler)
[name_m]Aldo[/name_m] (old and wise)
[name_m]Alessandro[/name_m] (defending men)
[name_m]Alfonso[/name_m] (noble)
[name_m]Dario[/name_m] (kingly)
[name_m]Edmundo[/name_m] (prosperous protector)
[name_m]Gregorio[/name_m] (watchful)
Or maybe you can convince your partner to use [name_m]Guido[/name_m] as a middle if the meanings flow well, like in a way that honors [name_m]Guido[/name_m] even more.
Leonardo [name_m]Guido[/name_m] ([name_u]Brave[/name_u] [name_m]Lion[/name_m] + Leader)
[name_m]Dante[/name_m] [name_m]Guido[/name_m] (Enduring + Leader)
[name_m]Davide[/name_m] [name_m]Guido[/name_m] ([name_f]Beloved[/name_f] + Leader
[name_u]Elia[/name_u] [name_m]Guido[/name_m] (God Has Answered + Leader)
[name_m]Matteo[/name_m] [name_m]Guido[/name_m] ([name_u]Gift[/name_u] of God + Leader)
[name_m]Nicolo[/name_m] [name_m]Guido[/name_m] ([name_u]Victory[/name_u] of the People + Leader)
I stuck with Italian names for you, but there are lots of names of course that could fit either way. Good luck!
Gaius maybe?
Skipping over the fact that he’s demanding this as a name (no doubt there will be more opinions, and hopefully solutions, on that to come), how do you feel about [name_m]Guy[/name_m] as a nickname?
I agree that a Gu or other G name to honor [name_m]Guido[/name_m] may be the most appropriate. I love the sound of it honestly, but the slur/association makes it a nickname only in my opinion. Maybe you partner could make a scrapbook about [name_m]Guido[/name_m], the person he wants to honor, special for your child, or tell them stories about [name_m]Guido[/name_m] and characteristics they have in common, so Guidos legacy can live on in that way. [name_m]Domingo[/name_m] has some of the sounds from [name_m]Guido[/name_m] and could be a potential name for a nickname as well. [name_m]Guy[/name_m], as others have suggested is a great way to go too.
Talking to your partner about the importance of [name_m]Guido[/name_m] in his life, and what he meant to him could also help – you may get a name from that. Did they meet on a street with a name you could use? Does Guidos birth month make a nice name?
I know the scrap book idea may sound silly, but that could help your partner and your kid directly tie the name you choose to the person you want to honor. Like yes, your name is [name_u]November[/name_u], but let’s talk about why. That’s special for the whole family and a great way to keep someone’s legacy alive by family conversation.
Ultimately both of you have to like the name. And sure, you could have the deal of you getting to name a daughter, but what if you don’t have a daughter? [name_f]Do[/name_f] you have any ideas of names for future kids? [name_f]Do[/name_f] they work with [name_m]Guido[/name_m]?
Gordo/Gordon
[name_u]Gentry[/name_u]
[name_m]Diego[/name_m]
[name_m]Galileo[/name_m]
Yes, I do quite like [name_m]Guy[/name_m] actually.
Luigi is quite a common boys name where I am from and many people abbreviate this name to [name_f]Gigi[/name_f] - so I was thinking I could always shorten [name_m]Guido[/name_m] to [name_f]Gigi[/name_f], which I much prefer and makes it easier to bear.
If we have other children I think that the other names won’t really match with [name_m]Guido[/name_m] unless we stick with the Italian theme, of course.
We both have Italian heritage so it is not out of place however I don’t really want to be restricted to Italian names only.
All of my father’s side of the family have Italian names however they are more current than [name_m]Guido[/name_m].
My partner has an Italian name himself and a lot of his family also have Italian names.
Gigi is a great nickname!
There’s also the option to keep [name_m]Guido[/name_m] as the first name and have your son go by his middle on a day-to-day basis. Interested to hear what other names are currently on your list.
I think of it as a slur and it has strong negative connotations for me.
Ditto. 
Why does your son have to be named [name_m]Guido[/name_m]? Is it tradition or your partner’s father’s name?
If it follows a long standing family tradition then I’d suggest you let your partner use that as the first name, you pick a middle, and use the middle name as your son’s main name (ie [name_m]Guido[/name_m] [name_m]Lorenzo[/name_m] “[name_m]Enzo[/name_m]”).
If it’s not a family tradition then you should talk to him about why he thinks your son’s name is his decision alone.
It’s definitely used as a slur for an Italian male stereotype in [name_u]North[/name_u] [name_u]America[/name_u], I’m afraid, and for that reason I can’t really get behind it? But if you wont be coming over here, I think it could work.
We are from Europe so the US slur side of things doesn’t really bother be