Hello! We are considering [name_m]Dashiell[/name_m] for our baby boy, but I’m getting hung up on the spelling. [name_f]Do[/name_f] you think people would mispronounce it? I imagine it being pronounced [name_u]DASH[/name_u]-el, not da-SHIELL. Would it be a burden for him to have to pronounce it for everyone he meets? Would it be weird to change the spelling to Dashel?
As for [name_u]Sullivan[/name_u], I love it, and love the nn [name_u]Sully[/name_u], but do you think people would think of sullied, as in, “his reputation was sullied.”?? I think I’m overanalyzing
I love them both as they shorten to [name_u]Dash[/name_u] & [name_u]Sully[/name_u]… [name_m]Dashiell[/name_m] gets my vote though as I’m not a huge fan of surnames as first names…
I really love both these names, and have them both on my boy names list. I decided against [name_m]Dashiell[/name_m] because I can’t get over the spelling. I think the way it’s spelled isn’t very intuitive, and was afraid it would result in a lifetime of correcting how it’s pronounced.
I like [name_u]Sullivan[/name_u] a lot, and the word “sullied” didn’t even cross my mind. It’s not a word I hear used very often, so that connotation isn’t something I would factor into whether or not this name is usable.
Personally I prefer [name_u]Sullivan[/name_u]/[name_u]Sully[/name_u]. I’m not as much a fan of [name_m]Dashiell[/name_m]. For some reason it always makes me think of a cartoon character!
I personally prefer [name_m]Dashiell[/name_m] - I find it to sound quite handsome. As for the spelling, I’m partial to the traditional spelling, but if you’re worried about the pronunciation, I would spell it Dashel as it doesn’t look too crazy and unique for a spelling change.
While I like the nickname [name_u]Sully[/name_u], I’m not a huge fan of [name_u]Sullivan[/name_u] as I personally don’t like surnames as first names.
I prefer [name_u]Sullivan[/name_u] nn [name_u]Sully[/name_u]. It’s a handsome surname name, and several names have odd or negative meanings as words that aren’t connected to them as names (like [name_f]Amelia[/name_f], [name_m]Jack[/name_m], or [name_m]Peter[/name_m]). Also, have you seen Monsters, Inc.? [name_u]James[/name_u] P. “[name_u]Sully[/name_u]” [name_u]Sullivan[/name_u] is one of the heroes of the story and is a fun, positive character.
[name_m]Dashiell[/name_m] just feels so much more “Nameberry” to me (I’m thinking of a recent forum thread on “Nameberry taste”). It’s one of those names that people here love, but just doesn’t stand out to me, though meeting a little [name_u]Dash[/name_u] might be cute.
[name_m]Dashiell[/name_m]: I think he would have frequent problems with the pronunciation of his name. [name_f]My[/name_f] first thought upon reading the name was, “[name_m]How[/name_m] do I say this?” Another issue, I can see people looking at the name and thinking it is ‘ghetto’ and making judgments.
[name_u]Sullivan[/name_u]: As a name, [name_u]Sullivan[/name_u] feels handsome, intelligent and respectable/professional. (All good things on a resume.) In addition to [name_u]Sully[/name_u], I could see [name_m]Levi[/name_m] as a nickname.
I think [name_u]Sullivan[/name_u] [name_m]Dashiell[/name_m] works as a combination.
I get where you are coming from on the spelling of [name_m]Dashiell[/name_m]. I have a friend with a son named that I thought it was [name_u]Dash[/name_u]-EEL until she corrected me. I do love the NN [name_u]Dash[/name_u] though.
[name_u]Sullivan[/name_u] is a family name of ours and we would use it as a MN but I think it is too old fashioned for a first name but that is just my taste.
I adore both names actually. I think you got the spelling right for [name_m]Dashiell[/name_m]. That is how I have always known it. [name_u]Sullivan[/name_u] is too cute but too common for me these days.
I wouldn’t worry about the “sullied” reference. Not at all.
I TOTALLY get you on the [name_m]Dashiell[/name_m] spelling though. While I am generally against changing the spelling of names, I think in this case it would be OK, and I would probably do the same. I [name_u]LOVE[/name_u] the sound of [name_m]Dashiell[/name_m] and the nn [name_u]Dash[/name_u], but the spelling is a turn off for me. I think Dashel would work, and I’m adding it to my long list, too. The reason I think it works is because it’s such a unique name, no one is so “used to” spelling it [name_m]Dashiell[/name_m] that they will be completely thrown by Dashel. Most people when they hear [name_m]Dashiell[/name_m] will probably assume it’s spelled Dashel.
I think [name_m]Dashiell[/name_m] is a great name and I don’t think pronunciation will be a problem, especially after they hear it once. I don’t care for [name_u]Sullivan[/name_u] as the trend of last names as first names has never appealed to me.
