Thoughts?

[Nat82]

Choosing a name is so hard! Poor DS didn't have one until he was 4 days old and then it took me a while to get used of the one we chose. He ended up with a Scottish name (DH's side), but I was thinking I would like this one to have European name (my side). Also, just before we started ttc, we went on a holiday through Europe.

There are quite a few European names that are also popular in English, just spelt different. But do you think that's going to be really annoying for us and the child having to spell their name all the time and constantly having it misspelled? DH has his name spelled with a y instead of an I and always has to say it. Most people spell it with an I too. So confusing - but these are the names I was thinking of so far,

Girls
Viktoria
Celest/Celestyna
Izabella
Angelika
Zoe
Sofia

Boys
Aleksander
Isaak
Hugo
Oliver

Do you think it's stupid to have a name spelt differently. Sometimes I look at those type of names and think "couldn't the parents spell?". Also, the other day I met a relative that I'd been talking to via email for a while. His name is Maurice - which I've always pronounced as "mooreese" and he calls himself Morris as in Boris and I was wondering why they didn't just call him Morris, instead of trying to do fancy spelling.

Anyway, thanks in advance...

[Maruschke]

Sorry, I'm a fan of traditional spelling.

[LuluHB]

I like most of the names on your lists but I'm not a fan of unconventional spelling, even if its the conventional way of spelling in its country of origin IYKWIM.

My DH has an Estonian name and nobody ever spells it or pronounces it correctly (including me because I can't roll my "R"s) so he has over the years simplified its pronunciation. There is no substitute for it in Australia, so its not that his parents used different spelling. DH actually likes his name's uniqueness, but I think its a slightly different situation than taking a relatively common name you hear and changing the spelling.

[skybie]

ohh i love Hugo!!!/
not a fan of alternate spelling t hough

[LionsandBears]

I also think alternative spelling = parents can't spell. As someone who has spent a lifetime spelling out my name (mostly maiden name), I don't recommend it.

I like Victoria, Angelica etc and think they look nicer spelt that way.

[~clover~]

I think its up to you how you spell it. Whatever feels right for you.

My oldest is Jazmyne. My other 3 all have traditional spelling & I get asked just as much with them how to spell their names. (Brianna, Jesse, Summer) DD has made it pretty clear to me that she likes it being different to all the other 'Jasmines'.

I like Izabella, Isaak & Oliver

[RhiChiChi]

I like most of the names on your list but not the alternative spelling. I think if you spell names alternative or have alternative names, you are going to get people spelling or mispronouncing the name alot of the time. Also, I guess it depends on your surname too. I wouldn't choose a european name (ie: Italian) with our dutch surname. JMO

[Miss.September]

From your list, I love Angelika and Hugo. I think you'll get asked how to spell Angelika though, regardless of how you choose to spell it. I constantly got asked how to spell my maiden name, as basic as it is, so I don't think it matters.

[Nat82]

Funny enough, a friend of mine had her baby the other day and put said on facebook that her name was Sienne. I kind of frowned to myself at the name, although I know she likes different names. She posted later that she spelled in wrong & it's Sienna :-) much better I thought. I used to have to spell my Maiden name all the time too - but our last name now is as common as Smith or Jones. I guess that's why I don't want the first name to be super common.

[Kazzo]

I have a normal traditional first name and a long Malteses surmane and I always have to spell it, especially my first name and people also don't say it properly so it can happen with any name. I like Viktoria but it looks much more pretty spelt Victoria I think. I like Hugo from your boys list.

[Aimz]

I love the names, but not a fan of the unconventional "kreeaytive" spelling!!

[Miss_Dee]

I used to like alternate spellings, but now it really just seems to be the 'bogan' thing to do. Horrible generalisation, especially when there is a cultural reason behind it, but that's what so many people associate it with now.

[lady_neon]

I used to like alternate spellings, but now it really just seems to be the 'bogan' thing to do. Horrible generalisation, especially when there is a cultural reason behind it, but that's what so many people associate it with now.

Unfortunately I have to agree with the above.

At the end of the day, even those of us with the simplest names end up having to spell it for someone! Though for me personally I feel that alternative or "kreeaytive" spelling is try hardish, pointless and lame. But that's just me, who really cares what I think? LOL So whatever you like

My faves from your list are Sofia & Oliver. I'm pretty that spelling and also Sophia are both common, not sure how else one would spell Oliver though?

[Aimz]

Sofia is a gorgeous way of spelling the name, and is still traditional. It's the Italian version, while Sophia is French

[Hotaru]

Your name choices are lovely. I'd go with the more traditional spelling for them. My name was quite popular at the time I was born but has a number of different accepted spellings. Mine is not the one that was the most popular and so I've had to spell it all my life. I like the way it's spelt but it is annoying to do it all the time. Also, when I write it on forms people invariably add a letter that's not there and call me a different name!

That said, the spellings you have do not make the names uninterpretable for someone reading them so if having the European spelling is important to you, you could certainly get away with it without looking like you just can't spell!

[No.5]

DS has a unique spelling (DH's wishes) and since it took a few days for him to be named, by then I didn't care, I just wanted a name.

I like your name lists though the spelling, it doesn't matter whether it's traditional or not, most people ask how names are spelt these days because of all the variations...

[little_O]

I agree with having to take the nationality of the surname into account.

I like Zoe and Sofia.

For the boys i like them all. To me Aleksander is a blonde headed, blue eyed russian, so i think the spelling is fine, as in it doesnt look like you are just trying to be different.

[Nat82]

Thanks for the feedback. To be honest, I don't even like some of them such as Angelika. I was looking up Polish names and there's not that much to choose from (that could be understood in English). This was just to make my mother happy I think. But when I told her we were thinking of Aleksander, she couldn't understand the spelling of it.. DS was supposed to be Alexander, but when he was born we both felt it was too common and he needed a more 'unique' name (that's the meaning of the name we chose 'unique, exceptional choice' :-))

Anyway, I think I'll stick with traditional English spelling. Just as well I put it out there before the baby came!