[name_m]Long[/name_m] time reader, first time poster
Got a beautiful little boy bundle who is 9 days old and still being called [name_u]Baby[/name_u] as we have been so indecisive. Ultimately we love both the name picks almost 50/50 and weâve been waiting for a sign (weâve had at least one clear one) but still no commitment.
The surname is hyphenated, [name_m]Mitchell[/name_m]-Fak. [name_f]My[/name_f] partner has a strong Croatian background and my heritage is English so the first choice we love is
[name_f]Nikola[/name_f] [name_u]James[/name_u]
[name_f]My[/name_f] mum put me off by telling me it was âa bit girlyâ. But I adore it, particularly with the repetition of the K in [name_f]Nikola[/name_f] and Fak.
Ok then our other loved name is
[name_m]Leonard[/name_m] [name_u]Lee[/name_u]
Moves away from Croatia but a name we love as [name_u]Lee[/name_u] is the name of our dear mutual friend who slyly endeavoured for years to get me and my partner together. [name_m]Leonard[/name_m] has felt a good fit for him since day one and we love [name_m]Lenny[/name_m] for a NN.
[name_f]My[/name_f] first son is [name_m]Harvey[/name_m] [name_m]Christopher[/name_m].
I like [name_f]Nikola[/name_f] [name_u]James[/name_u], but for me being English [name_f]Nikola[/name_f] sounds too feminine for my tastes. An old favourite name of mine is [name_m]Nikolai[/name_m]. Same feeling but more masculine.
Anyway, either way, I prefer [name_f]Nikola[/name_f] [name_u]James[/name_u] to [name_m]Leonard[/name_m] [name_u]Lee[/name_u]!
Nb even Nameberry has [name_f]Nikola[/name_f] as a girl name. In Croatia and Serbia it is a very common boys name, think [name_f]Nikola[/name_f] [name_f]Tesla[/name_f]. But is that gonna sell. I do live in a fairly liberal area in [name_m]Melbourne[/name_m] Australia.
I love [name_m]Leonard[/name_m] [name_u]Lee[/name_u] with [name_m]Harvey[/name_m] [name_m]Christopher[/name_m]. I love the story behind [name_u]Lee[/name_u]. I like [name_f]Nikola[/name_f], but I think it is mismatched with [name_m]Harvey[/name_m], and I would prefer [name_m]Nikolai[/name_m] since [name_f]Nikola[/name_f] is a little too close to [name_f]Nicole[/name_f] for comfort. Either way, choose the name you love. Congrats!
It depends where you live. If you live in Croatia, your primary concern should be the culture and naming customs there. If you live in [name_u]North[/name_u] [name_u]America[/name_u], the UK or some other English-speaking country, honestly do not name your son [name_f]Nikola[/name_f]. Itâs not that itâs a bad name, but the first thought should be the environment that your child will grow up in. [name_f]Nikola[/name_f] is not even a unisex name in English, it is just a girlâs name. A boy could live with it Iâm sure (nobody ever died of their name), but it would be hard.
If you donât live in Croatia, [name_m]Leonard[/name_m] is the far better choice between the two. Having said that, Iâm certain you can find a Croatian name that works in English if that is important to you both. I donât know much about the language, but does your partner have any other suggestions?
[name_f]Edit[/name_f]: I see you live in Australia. So I wouldnât do [name_f]Nikola[/name_f]. But honestly there must be Croatian names that transfer well. OK, this is just from ER I know, but [name_m]Luka[/name_m]? That character was Croatian and itâs a great name with the k still. And people recognise it as a masculine name.
Thereâs a footballer here in Australia called [name_f]Nikola[/name_f] so itâs not that extreme just unusual. But yes I am aware of him being subject to teasing.
Not really attached to having a Croatian name specifically, we just love [name_f]Nikola[/name_f].
[name_m]Leonard[/name_m] and [name_m]Harvey[/name_m] do sound great together.
Itâs not teasing (although it could be an issue), itâs that people will assume on seeing the name [name_f]Nikola[/name_f] [name_m]Mitchell[/name_m]-Fak that it is a girl/woman. I think it could cause all sorts of issues and annoyances throughout his life. Not anything insurmountable of course, but just hassle for you and your son to deal with that could very easily be avoided.
If youâre not that invested in a Croatian name, do you like [name_m]Nikolas[/name_m]/[name_m]Nicholas[/name_m] at all?
[name_f]My[/name_f] husband loves [name_f]Nikola[/name_f]. When we were contemplating [name_m]Nikolai[/name_m], he always said he preferred [name_f]Nikola[/name_f]. Although I know it is a boyâs name I just couldnât rid myself of the feminine âfeelâ of it.
I think that if you really love it, and have that gut feeling that itâs âthe oneâ you should go ahead and name him [name_f]Nikola[/name_f].
Itâs not like youâre naming him [name_f]Mary[/name_f] or [name_f]Sarah[/name_f]! and anyone remotely cultured wouldnât think you had actually given him a girls name. If for some reason it caused problems at school etc he could always go by [name_u]Nik[/name_u].
Yep or [name_u]Niki[/name_u] or even [name_u]Niko[/name_u]. I love that your husband loves it. [name_f]My[/name_f] brother does too. I guess because the first [name_f]Nikola[/name_f] I encountered was [name_f]Tesla[/name_f], and the second and third sportsman I had an initial masculine association.
[name_m]Luka[/name_m] is a beautiful name that I love but incredibly popular in our country right now. There are two in my sons class. Itâs becoming known as a touch on the hipster side. Hijacked, you might say.
[name_u]Nicola[/name_u] was quite a popular name in Australia in the 80âs and 90âs (never made the top 100 but I know four). i wouldnât do it especially since all [name_u]Nic[/name_u] names are dated here (think [name_m]Nicholas[/name_m] and [name_f]Nicole[/name_f]).
Think we just settled on [name_m]Leonard[/name_m] [name_u]Lee[/name_u] anyways. We have felt like he was a [name_m]Leonard[/name_m] from the get go we just loved the name [name_f]Nikola[/name_f] and couldnât quite let it go.
We just had a nap and both woke up saying [name_m]Leonard[/name_m], so itâs a go.
Perhaps [name_f]Nikola[/name_f] is one for the future basket cos I still love it
Think we just settled on [name_m]Leonard[/name_m] [name_u]Lee[/name_u] anyways. We have felt like he was a [name_m]Leonard[/name_m] from the get go we just loved the name [name_f]Nikola[/name_f] and couldnât quite let it go.
We just had a nap and both woke up saying [name_m]Leonard[/name_m], so itâs a go.
Perhaps [name_f]Nikola[/name_f] is one for the future basket cos I still love it
I was about to say, âisnât [name_u]Nicola[/name_u]/[name_f]Nikola[/name_f] a girlâs name?â oops, haha. [name_m]How[/name_m] about [name_m]Nikolai[/name_m]? [name_m]Leonard[/name_m] would definitely be a much better choice.
