Would it be weird for white parents to use a Spanish name for their child? I have always loved the name [name]Guillermo[/name] (Spanish variation of [name]William[/name]) and every time I tell someone all they say is “Wait…Are you Hispanic?”
What do you think? Is it okay to use a Spanish version of a name for a white child?
My honest advice? [name]Don[/name]'t use it please, and I’m not saying that because [name]Guillermo[/name] is a Hispanic name and you’re white. No, the problem is that no one outside of a Hispanic neighborhood will know how to spell the name, let alone pronounce it. That’s been my experience with my name.
I think it depends where you live. I’m from a very urban area in the Northeast. I’ve met white children with all sorts of international names like [name]Johann[/name], [name]Paolo[/name], Joao, [name]Felipe[/name], [name]Giovanni[/name] and yes, even spanish names like [name]Guillermo[/name], [name]Roberto[/name], [name]Marco[/name] and [name]Francisco[/name]. For some reason this trend is much more popular and acceptable for girls names ([name]Sofia[/name], [name]Isabella[/name], [name]Alessandra[/name]). But if you live in an area where these names don’t cross cultures it could be very difficult for your child. The problem with [name]Guillermo[/name] is that it’s hard to spell and a bit difficult to say for English speaking people. A name like [name]Roberto[/name] or [name]Marco[/name] would be less difficult. If these are not concerns though, then if you love the name you should use it.
Personally, I would name him [name]William[/name] and use [name]Guillermo[/name] as your own special nn. I’m from a border state, so that doesn’t seem so weird to me. There was a [name]William[/name] in one of my Spanish classes whom I know only think of as [name]Guillermo[/name].
I like the name, but it would probably be hard for non-Spanish speakers to pronounce. Also, with all of the issues about immigration coming up, Hispanics are likely going to receive lots of discrimination for a while. Sadly, someone might not give your child a fair opportunity if they assume he is Hispanic.
I don’t think it would me strange at all. I love it when kids have names that don’t necessarily directly reflect their ethnicities, and as for pronunciation problems, I’m not really one to give them much thought. In my experience, it’s been a simple matter of setting people straight or even just letting the mispronunciation go by uncorrected if it’s not too far off.
Lastly, I don’t think that racist immigration policies should stand in yours or anybody else’s way.
So I’d say go for it!
I live in an area that is pretty multicultural, so I don’t think pronunciation would be a problem. And I’ve been to Mexico many times and sort of feel a connection to it. I guess all I’m worried about is people thinking “That is so weird!” when they hear it. Also, my child wouldn’t be growing up speaking Spanish so he might have trouble with his own name. sigh Maybe for a middle…
I have several, partly conflicting points of view on this :
[name]Paloma[/name] and the like are starting to get popular among English-speakers, and Celtic names like [name]Kieran[/name] and [name]Aidan[/name] have been well-loved for a while, even amongst people who do not have any Irish/Scottish ancestry. So why not [name]Guillermo[/name]?
However, those names I listed above are fairly phonetic for the average English-speaker, but [name]Guillermo[/name] is not.
While pronounciation won’t be an issue as you live in a multicultural area, that might make it less likely to work, as the ‘real’ Hispanic people might be puzzled that you gave your child a name from their culture (nothing bad, just puzzled), whereas in a predominantly non-Hispanic community the name would probably just seem exotic to everyone.
Foreign names can be deemed pretentious. [name]Guillermo[/name] doesn’t give me this feel, as Spanish doesn’t feel like a ‘trying hard’ origin in my opinion, but I do know a family who gave all of their children clearly Italian names, and several people have remarked in confidence that it shows how pretentious they are.
Lastly, I don’t think you should worry about [name]Guillermo[/name] not being able to pronounce his own name. Children learn sounds quite easily, and he will learn how to say his name just as easily as if it were English, if you are addressing him by it. Most very young children have problems saying some names, rergardless of the origin - [name]Rebecca[/name] become Webecca et cetera.
Good luck! [name]Auburn[/name]
People may do a double-take when he introduces himself if he’s obviously not hispanic, but who cares? If you love it, use it.
That’s the point. The silent U and the LL sound are going to throw people off. I live in Mexico City and I worked for a while at a company that has a NY office which was then headed by a [name]Guillermo[/name]. When in the States, he went by the Spanish nickname for [name]Guillermo[/name], Memo, or [name]Bill[/name] because no one could pronounce his full name. [name]Even[/name] if you live in a multicultural area now, you don’t know where life could take your family or your son for that matter once he’s of age. Use it as a middle name!
most people can recognize and pronounce [name]Guillermo[/name]. spelling it might be tough but people manage to misspell even the most simple of names. it’s popular enough and a well-recognized name. if you truly love the name go for it regardless of your own ethnicity.